Rugs are great at protecting the floor below and providing warmth to a house, but when it comes to dining tables there are alternatives to rug under dining table that make more sense.
Our favourite alternative to a rug under a dining table is a vinyl floor mat, due to how easy they are to clean and maintain and also the number of patterns that are available to suit any dining room.
There are lots of other options though, which we will address in this article, as well as what the benefits actually are to replacing a rug under a dining table.
Benefits of Replacing Rug Under Dining Table
Let’s have a look at why exactly you should replace a rug under a dining table alongside some of the benefits of doing so.
Easier To Maintain
Rugs are notorious for trapping dirt and debris.
If you have a rug where you are eating food it is only a matter of time before you spill some onto the rug. This can lead to issues such as bad odour or damage to the fibres of the rug over time.
Our alternatives listed below are much easier to clean so you don’t have to worry if some food does get spilt. In fact, most of them can simply be wiped down or even hosed to clean them up, which is much easier than dealing with a rug.
Cheaper
Rugs can be very expensive and the last thing you need on your mind is worrying about it getting damaged from spilt food or drink. Our picks below are cheaper, on average than a typical rug of the same size.
The Rug Can Be Used Somewhere Else
A rug can be the final accessory that ties a room together, so why waste such an impactful item underneath a dining table where it is less noticeable?
By replacing the rug you are free to use it somewhere else in the home where it can make more of an impact.
5 Best Alternatives To Rugs Under Dining Tables
Now that you understand the benefits of replacing a rug under a dining table, let’s jump into the top 5 best alternatives that you can use to replace your rug.
1. Vinyl Floor Mat
Vinyl floor mats come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes making it easy to find the right size to cover the floor beneath a dining table.
The real benefit comes from how easy they are to clean and maintain, though. Vinyl floor mats can be vacuumed, wiped down with a cloth or even hosed down; all while being resistant to stains from food or drink.
They are usually really inexpensive to buy as well, and there are a variety of patterns and colours available to match your dining room.
2. Interlocking Foam Tile Mats
Interlocking foam tiles have increased in popularity due to the booming interest in home gyms, but there are some that are developed specifically to imitate hardwood for use around the home.
These are great if you want an option that imitates hardwood whilst providing a cushioned surface beneath your dining table. They are also super easy to install and act as a waterproof barrier that protects the floor below.
3. Polypropylene Mat
Polypropylene mats are very similar to vinyl in that they are highly durable and resistant to staining and liquid spills, due to both of them being made of plastic. The reason this isn’t our number 1 choice is due to the supply of these mats on the market.
Polypropylene mats are harder to get hold of and come in less variety in terms of patterns and sizes, but they are just as durable as vinyl.
4. Jute Area Rug
Jute rugs are a great alternative due to their aesthetic and also how resistant they are to debris.
Jute is a great material because it is highly durable and doesn’t trap dust or debris inside it as a typical rug would. A jute area rug is also highly fashionable and makes a great asset to a living room; but at the downside of cost.
5. Carpet Cuttings
If you have some spare carpet this can be used to create a makeshift rug that can be easier to clean.
The benefits of using spare carpet are that you don’t need to worry about spills as you can simply throw the carpet away once it gets too damaged or dirty, and you can more easily match it to the aesthetic of the dining room.
Carpet doesn’t weigh much either, so it’s not a colossal job to move it underneath the dining table.
Consider Your Flooring
Before you decide to purchase a replacement for your rug, just make sure that it is compatible with the type of flooring that you currently have.
For example, polypropylene rugs can cause damage to vinyl floors if they contain a rubber backing. It’s really unlikely that an alternative would cause any damage if your rug hasn’t already done so, but it’s worth taking a look at the manufacturer guidelines to be sure of this.
Final Thoughts
Finding alternatives to rug under dining table can be difficult, but hopefully you have a good idea of which ones are the best after reading this article.
Don’t forget to double-check for conflict between your choice and the type of flooring that you have, but other than that you should be good to go.