Self Destructing Throw Rugs

[mattl]

Few things get me angrier than paying $$ for an area rug only to have the latex backing flake off in a mater of a couple of years.  That or find it adhered itself to the floor in a little used room.  I had to peel the rug off my basement bathroom that gets used a few time a year, half the backing had to be scraped off the tile.

 

I have a couple of rugs I paid $50 each for in my back entry.  They get a moderate amount of soil in the winter and get washed 2 or 3 times a year.  Always air dry, never the dryer, yet when I pulled the rugs  out of the washer a lot of the backing is in the drum,  Bah. 

 

Is there a way to keep the backing intact?  I recall seeing many years ago a product that could be sprayed on the back of the rug to repair the latex, don't know if it still exists.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

I have most of my mats, area rugs and runners, and even a remnant of carpet used as such...

Only threw away a couple bath mats, they were used in the small bath and unfortunately got wet from the toilet there clogged up, but had another small rug to at least replace the one in front of the sink to stand on...

Hard keeping what gets used in the main bath, with the bathing and showering that we do, dry...

-- Dave

 

[mrboilwash]

Do you use powdered detergents, Oxyclean or some of the super cheap liquids that may contain washing soda? A high pH in the wash is the end of those rubber coated bath mats.
Fabric softener is bad for rubber too because the cationic sufactants used for softening have an affinity to grease

 

[perc-o-prince]

Maybe try the cut-to-size no-slip material that comes in a roll? Some is sold for inside kitchen drawers and some (wider) is sold for scatter rugs and such. We use it here on rugs that never had a backing and haven't had any problems with it.

Chuck

 

[mattl]

From what I gather online there is a latex coating you "paint" on, let dry and add a second coat. claims to be washable and durable.  May try it at some point as I have 5 or 6 perfectly god rugs sans backing.  I have used the non skid mats and they do work moderately well.  Ave to compare the cost of the latex vs. the non-skid liner.

 

[askolover]

I buy 100% cotton rugs that don't have that stupid backing for that very reason.  I hate it when it starts to come apart and the rug still looks good.

 

[perc-o-prince]

A trial version of the non-skid liner can be found at Dollar Tree for... you guessed it, $1!

Chuck