Choosing the Right Hallway Rug: Tips and Advice.

What is a doormat for?

We have already found out the first and main reason to use a doormat – it is a buffer between the street and the house, preventing dirt, water, dust from shoes from penetrating beyond the entrance group. This advantage is especially noticeable in damp autumn and spring weather.

The effect of the product, its ability to absorb moisture, will be appreciated by families with small children or animals who may inadvertently step in a puddle on the floor.

The second function of the carpet is inherent in any textile: decorativeness. A rug of the correct shape, size, color will make the hallway more comfortable.

The third advantage works exclusively on tiled floors: safety. Entering the house from the cold in cold wet boots, you can simply slip and get injured. To avoid this, first step onto the rug, take off your shoes and walk inside without fear of injury.

The fourth advantage of a rug in the hallway is the protection of the floor covering. Laminate or parquet, which tend to swell when in contact with water, will be saved by a rubber mat or a mat tray.

The disadvantages of rugs at the front door are limited to two factors:

• Accumulation of dirt. Naturally, a thing that traps dirt will collect it in itself. In order for the mat to look aesthetically pleasing, it just needs to be properly cared for: how exactly, we will tell you at the end of the article.
• Old-fashioned. Rags at the threshold really look untidy, they are a relic of the past. Stylish rugs, on the contrary, can make the design of the hallway more harmonious.

What types are there?

There are 4 types of rugs for the hallway according to the material they are made of.

Rubber rugs

Rubber is an amazingly practical material. It is easy to clean, lasts a long time, and does not require special care. But all the advantages are crossed out by one serious disadvantage: appearance.

Rubber rugs look ugly, this is the case when one small element can cross out the entire design of the room. The second disadvantage is that the rug with cells is high, there is a risk of constantly tripping over the edge at the exit.

Pile rugs

The pile surface has the opposite advantages and disadvantages of rubber. They look aesthetically pleasing, decorate the entrance group, depending on the pile material, they can be laid in corridors made in different styles.

But the carpet with pile gets dirty much more, and cleaning it is inconvenient, long. The second disadvantage is that it gets wet during use. A wet mat “shares” moisture with the floor – this is safe for tiles, high-quality linoleum. But as a covering for laminate or parquet, it is better to choose the following option.

The photo shows a jute mat

Rubber-backed rugs

This type combines the advantages of the first two types: they have a beautiful appearance and protect the flooring from moisture. But it is inconvenient to wash because of the pile: besides, unlike regular fabric ones without a rubber base, you cannot wash the mats in the machine.

The photo shows a mat with a rubber backing

A doormat made of foam materials

Let’s start with the negative side: cheap PVC mats look just like they cost – cheap. But if you set a goal, you can find more expensive analogues on sale that will fit well into any modern interior.

The advantages of PVC are obvious: it does not get wet, does not let water through (if there are no special holes), does not slip, practically does not change during operation, and provides convenient cleaning. The only question that remains is its environmental friendliness: the base is synthetic, not natural fiber, which, if improperly processed, can release corrosive substances into the air.

Tips for choosing a material

To choose one of the 4 listed options – durable, beautiful, easy to care for – you should take into account the operating conditions of the mat, personal preferences, style interior.

For residents of dry, warm regions where rain is rare, a rug is needed to hold sand and dust from the soles. You can lay down a regular fabric one, which will need to be shaken or vacuumed from time to time.

For regions where there is dirt even in winter, options with rubber in the composition are suitable: at least coconut fiber on a rubber base.

In the matter of personal choice, we are talking more about cleaning: are you ready to wash the doormat once a week? Or would you prefer to wash it regularly in the machine? Or maybe you just want to rinse in the shower?

In the photo, it is rough natural coconut rug

What is important to consider when choosing external characteristics?

The color of the rug in the hallway – reflects not only about beauty, but also practicality. Light models in the autumn slush, for example, will quickly turn into unaesthetic rags. Too dark, especially fleecy, will attract dust, hair, specks. It is better to give preference to a neutral or color palette of medium saturation.

Size and shape are no less important. To make it easier to understand what dimensions of the rug are suitable, walk in dirty shoes onto a clean floor and carry out a standard operation of removing and putting on shoes, moving from the entrance to the storage area, mirror, hanger. The entire affected area, which will be discovered at the end of the procedure, should be covered.

If you and your family members are used to putting on and taking off shoes right next to the front door, a small option is enough. In a house with an elongated hallway, where cabinets, shelves, and benches are stretched lengthwise, it is better to lay a long rug: this way, you can walk to the cabinet with keys or gloves already put on.

The choice of color or size can be limited by logical frameworks, but the question of design is purely individual. Plain, colored, with inscriptions, square, longitudinal, semicircular, round – look for those that you like and are suitable for the renovation of the hallway!

In the photo, the length of the rug to the shelf with shoes

Care recommendations

To clean the rug quickly, you should know the material from which it is made:

• Fabric (homespun, knitted, sewn) are machine washed.
• Cellular ones are turned over, shaken off (sand is removed with a vacuum cleaner), dipped in a basin, dried.
• Pile ones are washed under strong pressure, if dirt remains, a hard brush will help.
• Foamed ones are cleaned with a soft brush, soaked and washed by hand, washed under medium water pressure.
• Heated mats require dry cleaning: sprinkle with special powder or soda, wait, vacuum up together with dirt.

If stains cannot be removed, a stain remover for fabric or a special carpet cleaner will help. The latter is in the Vanish, Grass, Unicum, Bagi lines.

Examples in the interior

They say that the hallway is the face of the house. Then the doormat is the face of the hallway. This is the first thing you or your guests see when entering the apartment: therefore, at least externally, the chosen design should be pleasing and evoke warm associations.

For each style, there are specific recommendations for choosing a design: in Scandinavian, for example, products made of coconut coir, bamboo, jute with various prints and inscriptions look advantageous.

The photo shows a hallway in Scandinavian style

In apartments in the minimalist style, plain (gray, beige) items without additional decorations are laid.

In a loft, aging and grunge painting will be appropriate – for example, in the form of a dirty British flag.

For the Mediterranean style, there is a completely unusual option – stone. It is durable, easy to clean, looks original.

Door mats should be practical and aesthetic: now you know how to choose an option that combines both qualities.