Outdoor rugs come in many different varieties. Some of the common varieties are handmade, machine made and those made of bamboo or sisal. Each of these contributes differently to the overall appearance of your outdoor space depending on their particular features.

Handmade rugs: The designs of the handmade rugs are more intricate and pleasant to look at. They come in various color combinations and beautiful designs. Being high end designer rugs they are more expensive than the machine made rugs. They are much softer and last long as well. For this reason, many of the handmade rugs also serve well as indoor outdoor rugs and are an excellent option for those who prefer to make their patio or deck more personal and attractive.

Machine made: These are usually more durable than handmade outdoor rugs because they are more tightly woven, and usually made of tougher, more durable materials that would be difficult to work by hand. Most machine made outdoor rugs can withstand almost any amount of wear and tear. The most common materials used in the construction of these rugs are acrylic blends, olefin or nylon which can be suitable for areas with heavy traffic and all kinds of weather conditions.

Bamboo/sisal: Natural fiber outdoor rugs are often made of bamboo and sisal. Though not very durable they have their own special charm because they are made of natural fiber. You can find them in natural color tones which will be suitable for outdoor use. Both being strong materials, the rugs made of these will also be strong and durable. Sisal is less durable than bamboo however, and both materials are notably less durable than synthetic alternative. Still, both of these natural materials are attractive options for those who prefer to forego the use of synthetic materials.

Maintaining any of these outdoor rugs is very easy. All you need to do is wash or wipe the rugs. Use them again when they are completely dry. You can also make use of vacuum cleaners for regular maintenance. So you needn’t worry about getting them dirty, even if they are outside!

If you decide to buy your own you need to make sure that it will be worth your while. First, let’s make an assumption that it costs forty dollars to rent a carpet shampooer for a day. You need to calculate how many rentals it would take to equal the cost of the carpet shampoo machine you want to buy. For example, a top of the line Electrolux shampoo machine might cost $2,000. That means you would have to rent fifty times to equal the price. If you shampoo your carpet once every three months like I do then that means it will take twelve and a half years to start earning a return on the investment. The machine will probably need to be replaced by then so it doesn’t seem like a good investment. However, if there is Bissell model that interests you for around $300 then it take less than two years to earn a return on investment.

Owning your own carpet shampooer also eliminates the fight over places to rent carpet shampooers. There are tons of places out there, but each location has pros and cons. You want something close by, but not too expensive. Many grocery stores and home improvement warehouses have a brand called Rug Doctor available for rent. However, there are not always units available for rent. Especially around the holidays when people are sprucing up their homes for parties and guests, you want to plan in advance if you can.

Buying a carpet shampooer will also help your carpets stay in top condition for longer. When a spill first happens, that is the most critical time. You need to dab up the excess liquid immediately and treat the stain with stain remover as soon as possible. It helps to have a carpet cleaner around so that you can address the stains promptly. If you let a stain set in and do not clean it up until the next time you rent a carpet shampoo machine, then the fibers may be damaged or permanently stained.

If the room that you have had wooden floors fitted has windows in it then fitting a heavy pair of curtain will definitely cut out some if not all of the echo. Install multiple rails so that you can have some light nets pulled across the window in the day so that when the curtains are not pulled some of the noise will still be reduced. In the evening when you have the curtains pulled you will notice that there are no echoes at all. The larger the curtains th greater the effect will be, so if you only have small windows that don’t reach down to the floor put in floor to ceiling curtains anyway.

Hallways are a prime example of noisy rooms; they invariable only have doors off them and have no windows that can have curtains hung in them. Therefore you need to look to the floor. Although it may seem ironic to put a rug on the floor after you have probably replaced carpet with a wooden floor you will still see enough of the floor to get ‘the effect’. Hallways are usually long and narrow and therefore lend themselves well to rug runners which will cover the length of your hallway. If you have a more rectangular hallway then your options are somewhat less narrow and you can choose a rug of your choice. Why not go crazy and have a look at some shag rugs to really create a first impression!

Any other soft furnishing you can squeeze in to your home will definitely help to reduce the noise so think creatively.

When choosing machine washable rugs,  there are different types available, but the most popular type are bathroom washable rugs.  Unlike living room rugs, bathroom rugs are more exposed to outside substances, primarily water, so it makes sense getting a washable one.  They usually come in a wider range of colors and designs than living room rugs, so it’s easy to mix and match styles and designs to go with your bathroom.

Next, we have outdoor machine washable rugs, which are also perfect for your balcony or anywhere outside your house, as they are also susceptible to dirt and other outside substances.  They can also be washed with soap and water and a washing machine, and a garden hose can also be used as a cleaning device for these rugs.

Of course there are conventional area rugs, and these remain popular among customers and interior designers.  However they usually cost more and are much harder to clean.  Machine washable rugs, on the other hand, cost less, come with more color and design options, and are also popular with children, particularly for their bedrooms.  And since they can be cleaned easily with a washing machine, there’s no need to spend time and money going to the dry cleaner.   With today’s day and age more suited to convenience and today’s economy geared towards saving money, it’s certainly a great choice to go with a machine washable rug instead of your standard, everyday shaggy area rug.

Sometimes the simple things are best. Solid colored outdoor rugs are inexpensive and always available. Whether you are covering the entire area with a large area rug or just highlighting certain spots with runners or round outdoor rugs, the colors you choose will impart an extra highlight if matched and coordinated with the furniture you have in the area. The same principles you use for decorating the interior of your home can be applied to your outdoor living space.

If you are going to be using solid colored rugs, you may want to be sure than the color or pattern of your outdoor furnishings will compliment their look and color. A blue outdoor rug or a green outdoor rug will add an element of coolness to the overall feeling of the outdoor living space. Brown or umber rugs can give a softer earthen effect that can blend right in with the natural environment around your patio or porch. Light colored outdoor rugs will certainly show dirt quicker than darker or more neutral colors so smaller runners or spot rugs of these colors will be easier to pick up and clean than a full area rug.

The advantages to putting a good rug on the floor of your outdoor living space are many. On a wooden deck it will help keep splinters from jabbing into one’s feet. On a stone or concrete floor surface, the outdoor rug will give a soft, comfortable feel to walk across. If your outdoor living space is also an area where children play, a good outdoor rug will provide a safer playing surface. Dropped items are also less likely to break when they land on a carpet or rug instead of stone or wood.

You will not have to pay out much for such a simple solid colored outdoor rug as you may for patterns or textures. Checking for sales or clearance outlets to find a good solid colored rug to add that perfect touch to your home’s decor can provide even more savings. photo credit: Andie712b

One could simply cover the floor space with an area rug but using a variety of round outdoor area rugs can accentuate specific parts of the area. A patio table can be placed on your round outdoor rug to provide a firmer base and provide a floor cover for your feet when you sit down. Earthtone round indoor outdoor rugs can be used on a stone pathway to provide a richer natural look with the functionality of helping keep your living area cleaner.

While jute, bamboo, or sisal have been popular rug materials for generations, they are not nearly as durable or long lasting as the newer 100% polypropylene fibers that are increasingly making up the majority of outdoor floor coverings. Polypropylene has many advantages over natural fibers. It is less expensive, it resists wear, it is mold resistant, can be easily washed when soiled, and can be woven or printed in any color, pattern, or picture that best fits your decorative motif.

Indoor outdoor round rugs are useful for any area that needs a bit of color or extra accentuation. Whether they are placed under specific furniture or are the base for a coat-rack or tower planter, the round rug sets this spot apart from the general flow of the patio or living space.

With the versatility of the synthetic indoor outdoor rug material, the number of choices are virtually limitless. Most rug manufacturers now provide outdoor rugs that match their indoor counterparts for ease in matching decor. A round outdoor rug of polypropylene can even find itself welcome inside the home. With the wear resistance of the material, a round spot rug can be used to cover a worn spot or provide extra protection for an indoor rug so a worn spot does not occur. The outdoor rug material is especially suited for use in the kitchen, especially around sink areas or other high-spill potential spots like in front of the refrigerator. photo credit: evelynishere

New rugs do not have to break your budget. Acquiring that new set of floor coverings at an outdoor rug sale or through a discount outdoor rugs clearance sale can keep hundreds of dollars in your pocket. You are not purchasing second best at an outdoor rug sale, besides the occasional promotion from a rug manufacturer, the rugs you can obtain from such venues are usually patterns or designs that are being discontinued. With fashion always dictating new designs, you can search through the countless discounted rugs to find a perfect accent for your decor at anywhere from 20% to 50% less than the original list price.

The only thing cheap about these cheap outdoor rugs is the price tag. At such discounted prices as you can find at a clearance sale, you can stock up on a spare if you want to keep your new home decorating design. Or you can use the savings to have an alternate color for a seasonal effect while rarely spending more than you would for a just released design. The smaller indoor outdoor area rugs are especially good for such home motif changes.

With the polypropylene material being so wear resistant and easy to clean you can expect your purchase of a new, discounted rug to be with you for years. Their moisture and mold resistance makes storage safe, as they will not deteriorate while you are using another one for variety or as you wait for the first one to eventually wear out. With this versatility added to the indoor outdoor rug’s multitude of benefits, it is a logical choice for the frugal homeowner to take advantage of these clearance events to carpet their home both inside and out without having to break their piggy bank. photo credit: Pamela Walencewicz

Outdoor rugs runners are most useful for defining a specific space or walkway through the area. If you have a nice surface, say stone or hardwood, that you want to use in your decor, a runner rug will add both color and a durable, wear-resistant pathway from one part to another. Outdoor rug runners can also be used as a symbolic divider between different areas i a larger outdoor living space. They can be placed over a larger area rug for aesthetic coordinating or as extra protection in a high traffic area such as around doors to the inside or to steps off into the yard.

A runner rug can be used as floor covering along the bottom of a bar or eating bench since these are spill prone areas and indoor outdoor rugs made of 100% polypropylene are easy to wash with just warm soapy water and a garden hose. Since the outdoor area will be exposed to the elements, polypropylene is an excellent material to choose, as it is both water and mold resistant.

The synthetic materials used to make outdoor rugs can be made in any color or pattern. Whether your runner matches the underlying carpet or is a complimentary color or designer pattern, the huge and ever growing selections you can choose from will provide you with exactly the look you want. You can also find very complimentary decorating ideas using natural fibers like sisal or bamboo for an outdoor runner rug but they are harder to clean and not as durable or long-lasting as synthetics. Often a natural fiber rug will be fortunate to last through one or two seasons before requiring a replacement.

Outdoor runner rugs can be brought indoors and used over high traffic areas and provide the same benefits as they provide for outdoor use. The fibers of the modern outdoor rug material can be textured and woven to be as soft as any regular plush carpet so you do not have to worry about walking barefoot across a course, unpleasant feeling surface. Even new, runner rugs can be obtained inexpensively and if you take advantage of clearance sales, it is even easier on your budget. photo credit: AlishaV

An outdoor bamboo rug presents a very clean style with a smooth texture and great durability. A bamboo outdoor rug also provided the benefit of being hypoallergenic. Bamboo outdoor rugs are designed to stand up well even under high traffic conditions and should be able to last for several years. A bamboo large area rug makes a great base for your outdoor living space. Its earthy tones fit well with any nature setting and can compliment most designs and materials commonly used in outdoor furniture. Available in a wide variety of sizes, bamboo can be utilized both on the floor and along shelving and even vertical sunscreens to give a soft, woodsy feel to your environment.

Since bamboo is a naturally occurring sustainable material, it has been in use for home decorating and construction for millennia. Naturally occurring color variations along with different sizes of base fiber and weaving styles provide many pattern and color variations without having to resort to dyes or inks. Along with its hypo-allergenic properties, bamboo is naturally fire resistant and with its easy to clean surfaces is a welcome addition to cooking areas outside or even indoor kitchens.

Even though traditional bamboo mats and rugs are popular, there have been some modern tweaks to this ancient flooring material. The Anji Mountain Bamboo Rug Company, as an example, has discovered a way to blend 20% cotton fibers in with 80% bamboo to create a plush, shag carpet that has a unique texture and feel. Maintaining the natural anti-allergenic and anti-microbial properties as 100% bamboo, this bamboo shag area rug is soft to the touch and surprisingly inexpensive for such a unique item.

On top of these other advantages of using bamboo for our outdoor rugs, since it is a common material, it is also usually much less expensive than even rugs made with modern synthetic materials. For those more traditional home-decorating motifs, bamboo can provide a compelling look of elegance wherever you put it. photo credit: emmettanderson

While they may look good at first, natural fibers like bamboo and sisal soon show the wear and tear of use and must be replaced frequently to maintain their new look. Modern synthetic polypropylene is the primary construction material for today’s outdoor rugs. It is durable, flexible, and aesthetically pleasing to the eye and touch.

One particularly interesting brand of outdoor carpet comes from the designer company Mad Mats. Designed in many styles, colors, patterns, and sizes to fit just about any outdoor carpeting need, Mad Mats outdoor rugs have the added benefit of being made from 100% recycled polypropylene fibers. Intricately woven in flat weaves with the soft, tubular threads of this durable, long lasting synthetic material, Mad Mat rugs are especially designed for the great outdoors and are very comparable in quality to Duracord outdoor rugs. The recycled polypropylene does not lose any of its natural beneficial properties as it is given a second life at Mad Mat.

Mad Mats outdoor carpets are still water, stain, and mold resistant and are exceptionally easy to clean. A short burst from the garden hose is usually all that is required to remove any soil that has found its way onto the rug. Mad Mats are great for any outdoor application where a versatile and long lasting rug is needed. They work wonderfully around poolside as well as the patio.

Mad Mats are available in a multitude of patterns and sizes, from 3′x5′ spot rugs to 30″x8′ runners. They come in traditional and oriental patterns, florals, stripes, solids, and ethnic prints and patterns. Adding to the benefit of recycling material, Mad Mats are no more expensive than any other outdoor rug and can help you save more when picked up at discount sales or clearance outlets.

Mad Mats allows you to help save the environment while saving you feet and creating an elegant look to your home. The name may say Mad, but the savvy home decorator would be “mad” not to take advantage of these fine outdoor rugs. photo credit: BFS Man