Countless questions roam in our heads when it comes to choosing a rug: How big should it be?

What colour to choose? Will it be durable enough? How to maintain it in this good condition for longer? What material to choose?

Most of these questions have personal answers based on our own tastes and preferences. However, there are a few basic rules, which apply in practically every situation, so it’s important to know them when making a decision on a rug.

1. Size up the room.

The size of the room is pivotal to your choice of size and shape for the rug. The common rule for a united space is that you need to size your rug in a way, where all the furniture has at least two legs on it or none at all. This type of arrangement in the room opens it up and makes it feel more welcoming. To do that, you will first have to take measurements of the room, and then measurements of the surrounding seating area.

You should arrange the furniture just the way you want it, and measure the space in the middle. For smaller spaces, the rug should be centred amidst the gathered furniture, but if you want to cover an old, tarnished carpet, you can go for a larger rug, which goes past all the furniture.

2. Consider the traffic areas.

Rugs come in various materials, from classical wool ones to bamboo and artificial materials. When choosing the material of your rug, you should first consider your lifestyle and in which room you would like to put it in.

The decorative and fluffy ones are for areas with low traffic, while the flat-weaved rugs are perfect for the most visited areas of the house. Also, wool is a very durable material, and plant-based fibres like jute, sisal and bamboo are not only cheap and biodegradable, but also surprisingly strong.

3. Sisal is most suitable for living spaces.

Sisal is one of the cheapest options on the market right now, and it’s quite pleasing to the eye, but it’s also a nightmare to clean when stained. Nevertheless, if you still like the casual look of it, you can incorporate it in your house – just do not place it in spaces prone to staining, like the kitchen or dining room.

These rugs fit best in the bedroom or living room. You should also regularly take them outside and give them a good beating to remove all the debris.

4. Running from runners is pointless.

Despite one of the rules being “no rugs in high traffic areas”, you cannot deny, that a nice rug in the entryway brings a whole new light to the home. It will make the house warmer and it will welcome your guests with its coziness. Just choose the material wisely and make sure the fibre is resilient.

5. Vacuuming and spot cleaning is essential.

Unless you have one of those shaggy, loose rugs, like flokatis, you will have to vacuum it regularly in order to keep it in a good condition. Professional carpet cleaners suggest using the floor tool when cleaning wool rugs, and the beater brush in all the other cases. Also, spills need to be blotted and spot-cleaned with soapy water immediately.

6. Don’t stress over pet hair.

Many of us have pets at home, and even though we love them, they shed fur like crazy. And even the toughest vacuum cleaner will find removing these from your rugs a challenge. However, there is an easy trick you can try: first wipe the rug with a window squeegee or a plastic glove to remove the excess fur, then proceed with the regular vacuuming in a zigzag manner.

7. Watch out for off-gassing.

Have you ever felt sick after a recent paint job or a new piece of furniture, or a new rug? This probably happens because of the off-gassing – the process in which chemicals are evaporating from the rug and into the air.

You can escape this process by getting a natural fibre rug, because they are less exposed to toxins. If you already bought a synthetic rug, you can avoid the unpleasant effects by keeping it outside in the sun for a few days before bringing it to the house. And once you do, you should ventilate the place often.

Do you have any neat rug tips? Share with us in the comments.