Machine-washable rugs have undeniable benefits. As a cat owner and mom of two kids under the age of two, I’m also a professional stain remover, and sometimes even the best carpet cleaner or stain remover just won’t cut it. A rug that’s washable in your home washer and dryer is the perfect solution to the pesky problem of how to clean your rug without breaking your bank or hurting your back. Sending it out to be cleaned is expensive. Calling a professional to clean your home is just as expensive and won’t be as thorough. The other traditional options—hosing it down the driveway (if you have a driveway and are up to the task), hanging it on a clothesline and beating it with a stick (ditto), or throwing it in the snow like this TikTok user did—are frankly disgusting. It’s no wonder that companies like Ruggable and Revival are so popular. If these brands have caught your eye as much as they have mine, keep reading for my comparison guide to machine washable rugs and Revival rugs.
I tested three of each brand in my home—one polyester rug and two made from other popular materials—so I had a good idea of ​​their look, feel, design quality, stain resistance, and durability. To test ease of cleaning, I also cleaned a rug myself. (Spoiler alert: The larger rugs from both brands weren’t as easy to clean as I thought.) Still, I liked both brands, especially since it only cost me $18.50 to clean two large, dirty rugs (not including my hard work). While I’d love to say one brand is clearly better than another, it really depends on your design style, the type of room you’re planning on buying a rug for, the size you need, and how often you like to clean your rug, so I’ve covered all of those in my review below. Find out how to find the best machine washable rug for your home from Ruggable and/or Revival.
I purchased two rugs from each brand to test: a cotton and wool rug from Revival, and a deep-pile and standard-tufted polyester rug from Ruggable. I already own one of each brand’s polyester rugs, and they’ve been in my home for more than a year. In addition to my own testing, I asked my fellow Home Beautiful editors, many of whom own washable rugs from both brands, about their experiences. For more information and context, I spoke with textile expert Jamie Woodridge, an associate professor at North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles who has a deep knowledge of textile design and weaving. Woodridge, who holds an MFA in textile design from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BA in fiber and materials science from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, also analyzed machine-washable carpet fabrics in her work at North Carolina State University Extension Lab. I spoke with design experts at each brand and asked them detailed questions. Finally, I cleaned the carpet myself to see how easy and simple the cleaning process was.
When you buy something as big and expensive as a rug, you want to know how long it will last. So far, I have had one polyester Revival rug and one Ruggable rug in my home for over two years; I have been walking on the other one for over six months now. I specifically chose light-colored rugs and placed them in high-traffic areas to be able to assess their durability.
Honestly, I’m still very happy with both brands of rugs. They look like new after every wash. Weekly vacuuming and spot cleaning are enough to keep them looking fresh and stain-free (even if you have cats or kids). I only noticed some minor pilling on the back of the polyester-blend Revival rug. Otherwise, they look like they came straight out of the box. They haven’t thinned or faded, and I haven’t gotten tired of the pattern I chose.
Both companies make washable rugs from three materials: synthetic polyester or polyester blends, organic cotton (including recycled denim), and wool. Synthetic fibers seem inferior to the natural fibers I naturally prefer, but after talking with Woodridge, I learned that synthetic fiber carpeting has more benefits than I thought. I’m concerned about the chemicals used in synthetic fiber products, but Woodridge assured me that all rugs sold in the United States must meet ASTM textile standards. She added that synthetic fiber rugs are “pretty durable” and are actually more fire-resistant than natural fibers because they melt rather than catch fire. Ruggable’s products are treated with a polyurethane water-repellent finish to protect against stains and spills (Lisa Garrison, Ruggable’s director of product, told me they never use harmful treatments like PFOA, PFA, or flame retardants). In contrast, natural fiber carpets are higher quality and stain resistant, but they are more flammable and do not fade as quickly.
The obvious downside to polyester rugs is that they are made of plastic, which many of us would like to buy less often, and plastic does not decompose in landfills like natural fibers. Neither Revival nor Ruggable offer recycling programs for their polyester rugs, although Revival does use recycled materials in its polyester rugs. Both companies also make custom washable rugs, so excess carpet doesn’t sit in warehouses.
Revival offers machine washable rugs in three materials: OEKO-TEX recycled polyester, wool (50% New Zealand wool, 50% Indian wool), and 100% organic cotton (including recycled denim). What’s unique about this company is that they offer large, natural fiber rugs that are machine washable. I love the tight weave of this cotton rug; I tried it out in my daughter’s bathroom and found that water beaded rather than soaked in, making it very durable. It’s soft and springy to the touch and doesn’t slip.
I tried a wool rug in the bathroom. You can see some of the white lining through the colored fleece, so I wish it was a little thicker, but I understand it can only be that thick and it’s machine washable. My cat definitely found it soft enough; she sleeps on it every night. I tried a polyester rug on the porch where my toddler spends most of her time. I crawl on it a lot too and find it as soft as one of her stuffed animals, and although it’s lightweight, it never looks dirty.
Two other HB editors also own and rave about the recycled polyester rug from Revival. Deputy editor Olivia Hosken’s striped rug is the exact same color as mine. “I think it really exceeded expectations in terms of value for money,” she said.
I love the feel of Ruggable’s new Tufted Standard Pile Area Rug. It’s soft, plush, and super cuddly, but it also wrinkles easily when machine washed, like a throw rug. (The rug’s pad gives it enough weight to keep it securely in place.) I tried out this deep-pile rug, which Ruggable lists as the second-most popular after standard-pile, in my daughter’s nursery. I’m not usually a fan of shag rugs, so I didn’t expect to love this one. But it’s soft as a cloud, and my daughter can’t stop swearing by it. In fact, the first night I took it out, she ran out of the bathtub naked, stepped on it, and screamed, “Wow!” before diving headfirst into it. How could I not love it?
Several of my coworkers also have Ruggable rugs. Their reviews were as follows: polyester rug (three people rated it “good”), faux leather rug (“loved it” and “very easy to clean”), faux jute rug (“hated it”). “I chose the thin gray Marin camel dot rug for my office and the Jonathan Adler ink drop pattern rug for my husband’s office. They’re thin rugs that I wouldn’t put in a living room, but they’re great for an office,” Hosken said.
Writing this post has given me a new appreciation for dark, gorgeous vintage rugs. I don’t own any rugs, but I now appreciate how well they hide stains. (If you can’t see the stain, what’s the point of it being there?) As Wooldridge points out, “We live with carpet differently than we used to.” We want our homes to be bright, including our rugs, and to keep everything looking pristine, even with pets and kids running around. Washable rugs make that a little easier. Both of these washable rug companies also offer high-quality options at affordable prices.
Until recently, Revival’s washable rugs were made primarily from solid fabrics with patterns cut into them at varying pile heights. Checks, stripes, and minimalist geometric patterns in two or three colors are bold. But the company recently released washable polyester rugs printed with Moroccan-style crests and traditional florals, as well as vibrant dinosaur-themed washable wool rugs as part of an upcoming collaboration with artist Amanda Jane Jones. (The latter is so beautiful, I pre-ordered one.) I haven’t tested the new, more colorful recycled polyester rugs, but Benjamin Hyman, Revival’s CEO and co-founder, says they’re a little less plush but better suited to being washed in a home washing machine. “[We’re] constantly experimenting to find the best combination of textures and colors and what works best,” Hyman said. “It probably took us almost a year to develop them.” With the exception of the dinosaur print, the colors are mostly neutral and muted.
Ruggable’s extensive product range includes just about every print and colour scheme imaginable. The company has its own designs, but also launches new collaborations with a variety of partners, from popular entertainment series like Bridgerton and Disney to design icons like Jonathan Adler, Justina Blakeney, Iris Apfel and my personal favourite, Morris & Co. I find Morris & Co. prints irresistible, although I didn’t like the first rug I bought from the company. Ruggable has just launched a new line of Morris & Co. rugs for spring; I have my eye on the Trellis print.
Revival has a carefully curated selection of rugs (and some of the cutest rugs for kids’ rooms), but Ruggable offers a much wider and more varied selection, especially if you’re looking for bold colors and patterns for an adult space.
I have to say I was a little disappointed with how difficult it was to clean the 6′ x 9′ and larger rugs I tested. I have a small (but powerful) Miele washer and dryer at home, so I don’t plan on washing them at home, but I do want to be able to take them to a laundromat near my home. I loaded them into the trunk of my car (no easy feat), hauled them over, and carried them into the house, but found that the washer wasn’t big enough—even the “giant” laundromat machines aren’t big enough, especially for Revival’s recycled polyester rugs, which have a thicker, stiffer backing.
The laundromat employees took one look at the carpet and said I needed to find a 100-pound machine to have enough room to move the carpet and really clean it. I spent hours calling around to see if there were any laundromats that did that; I found one that had an 80-pound machine, so I decided to give it a try. The results were very good. I learned along the way that a real 60-pound machine would probably be enough, but I was told that a 60-pound machine might not actually be that big. Bottom line: Sending these items to a laundromat is a bit of a gamble. It’s always best to call first before you start loading your items into the machine.
The maximum machine-washable size of a Revival rug is 8 feet by 10 feet; for larger rugs, the company recommends spot cleaning or dry cleaning. Rugs smaller than 5 feet by 8 feet can be washed in a home washing machine, but rugs in between should be washed in a commercial washing machine.
“There’s an inevitable tradeoff between how soft a rug is and whether it’s going to fit in a domestic washing machine,” Hyman told me. “These are questions we have to work through as our business grows. The bigger question for the customer is: Even if I buy a large rug, can I confidently spot clean it or take it to a commercial laundry? So we choose rugs that are a little softer and can be taken to a laundry or spot cleaned, although some smaller rugs are machine washable.” The company develops guidelines for washing machine sizes; here are its latest recommendations.
The small wool and cotton rugs in my home are easy to clean. But this 6-by-9-foot polyester rug was a bit more challenging. It was much harder to install than the larger Ruggable rugs I tested, and it would have been difficult to fit into an 80-pound commercial washing machine. It took a fair amount of effort to fold it. It has a thicker backing than the Ruggable rugs, so it’s less prone to pilling. However, once I got it in the washing machine and watched it twirl around in the soapy water, I found that it had plenty of room to move around and was able to be washed thoroughly.
Revival rugs are best tumble dried, but the care instructions for each item on the website say to tumble dry them on low or no heat. I did this because I didn’t want to put a heavy, wet rug back in the dryer. While the rug dried fine in the commercial dryer (and actually dried much faster than the Ruggable, despite the thicker padding), I did notice a few signs of the padding coming off after I removed it. I’m not sure if these marks were caused by the washing or drying process.
Ruggable has a very detailed guide to washing machine sizes for all sizes and textures of washable carpet. For standard pile carpet, most residential washing machines can clean a maximum of 8 by 10 feet (assuming your washer has at least 4.5 cubic feet). My carpet is larger than that (and my home washer is smaller), so I’ll have to go to the laundromat and use a commercial washer. According to Ruggable, a standard 9 by 12 foot pile carpet should fit in a 5.5 cubic foot washer. I found that a 60 pound washer (8 cubic feet) would fit, but there was limited space for the cycles; in my opinion, it would be better suited to an 80 pound washer (11.5 cubic feet). I had no problem getting it in; the material wrinkles easily, like a heavy, thin blanket. It’s easy to machine wash and I’ve seen it come out very clean.
It’s rated to tumble dry, but it took about 30 minutes longer than the Revival to dry long enough to take home. I folded it and laid it out on a wooden drying rack to dry. It took about a day. Cleaning this low-pile rug was as easy as cleaning a blanket — the only problem was that when I took it out of the dryer, it still had a little bit of dirt on it. Next time, I’ll give it another rinse to get all the soap out.
Rugged polyester rugs are easier to machine wash than Revival rugs. If you are looking for a large rug, Ruggable is definitely the better choice. Despite what companies advertise in their washing guides, the reality is that to wash any large rug, regardless of brand, you will need/want to go to a laundromat and use a commercial washing machine. We don’t want you to break your home washing machine.
Both brands offer round and rectangular rugs and rug strips. You’ll find that some styles have more size and shape options than others.
In addition to standard round and rectangular rugs and rug strips, Revival also offers washable rugs in custom sizes. Solid rugs are available in more size options: up to 11, ranging in size from approximately 2 x 3 inches to 11 x 15 inches. The 3 x 5 inch size allows it to be used as a large bath mat.
Ruggable doesn’t offer custom-sized rugs, but each style I reviewed is available in 13 different sizes, including round and rectangular rugs and rug strips. Sizes range from 2×3 inches to 10×14 inches. Ruggable makes special doormats, but any 2×3-inch rug will work as a standard-sized rug.
Ruggable has a wider range of sizes, especially for patterned rugs. If you want a custom size, check out Revival’s options; it also measures 11 inches by 15 inches, which is larger than Ruggable’s largest cover (but keep in mind that it’s not machine washable).
Revival offers better free shipping and returns, as well as insurance. Ruggable offers an official warranty program.
Honestly, it depends on your situation and your priorities. If you want a large rug that can be washed frequently (which I think is the most appealing use case for this type of rug), go with Ruggable. If you want a natural fiber rug, go with Revival. If you want a designer print rug, go with Ruggable. If you want a sophisticated neutral rug, go with Revival. My personal favorites are the wool rug from Revival and the standard Tufted rug from Ruggable. I liked them so much that I ordered two more at my own expense.