Rugs Sliding Around

[Tom Bender]

We have a couple of entryway mats that are 4ft x 5 ft. They are rubber backed and do a great job of collecting stuff off our shoes. They work really well to keep the house cleaner. Unfortunately the rubber discolors the vinyl floor underneath. So I covered them with felt. That has made them slide around. Any suggestions to keep them in place?

[Lee Schierer]

A method I have used is to apply wiggley lines of silicone sealant to the back side of the carpet. Cover the silicone with clear plastic food wrap and then lay the carpet out so the clear plastic food wrap is against the floor with the carpet laying flat on top of it. Once the silicone cures up in a day or two you can peel off the plastic wrap and the carpet will no longer slide around.

[Bob Grier]

It is my understanding that the backing on some rugs can stain or damage floor finishes including wood and vinyl flooring.

When shopping for a new rug look for one that says it is safe for wood floor finishes and then maybe keep an eye on it for a while. For rugs that don't have a rubber backing there is a no skid product that comes in a roll that is suppose to keep rugs from sliding around so much. I use it but it doesn't stay in place for long. Maybe gluing it to the rug in a few places would help.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I use this stuff.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficMASTER-Deluxe-8-ft-x-10-ft-Rug-Gripper-Pad-235-1/206821302

[Bill McNiel]

I use this stuff.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficMASTER-Deluxe-8-ft-x-10-ft-Rug-Gripper-Pad-235-1/206821302

Plus 1 on this

[Frank Pratt]

I use this stuff.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficMASTER-Deluxe-8-ft-x-10-ft-Rug-Gripper-Pad-235-1/206821302

Same here, although probably not the same brand. The rub doesn't move at all & the light color shouldn't cause any color transfer.

[Lisa Starr]

Beware the stuff linked above. It does not color transfer, in my experience, but I have had it stick to the floor so hard I had to peal it up in tiny little pieces! It also marked the finish on the floor with the pattern.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

Beware the stuff linked above. It does not color transfer, in my experience, but I have had it stick to the floor so hard I had to peal it up in tiny little pieces! It also marked the finish on the floor with the pattern.

The same thing happened to us, but it was only in the area near the pellet stove, so heat may have been a factor.

We used shelf liner on a small carpet piece when we moved into the new house 5 years ago and it has not left any mark on the ceramic tile floor, nor does it stick to the floor. It looks very similar as the link above, but instead of rug gripper, it was marketed for shelving liner.

[Frank Pratt]

Beware the stuff linked above. It does not color transfer, in my experience, but I have had it stick to the floor so hard I had to peal it up in tiny little pieces! It also marked the finish on the floor with the pattern.

It must depend on the brand. The stuff I have under the rug in the living room is over polyurethane finished hardwood and has been fine for 20 years or so. But I have some other that I use as a non-skid router/sanding pad that does breakdown & stick to a poly finished shelf on which it was stored it sat.