That rug really pulled the room together
January 22, 2016 8:57 AM Subscribe
In search of a bright pink (or other colors, I suppose) kilim that is washable and impervious to dog smell. And cheap, too.
We currently have a jute rug (8x10) down in our living room, with three 2x3 bright throw rugs on top. The jute rug is starting to darken where the dog lays and also seems to be holding on to dog smell (which I understand is an issue with jute).
I like bright kilims, but can't justify spending much on an antique rug that will likely need washing, might get torn up by cats, etc. We're a dirty household, despite our best efforts otherwise. We live in a rainy climate and track all sorts of mud and dirt in. The dog is also a dirty dog. We also have a cat that enjoys peeing on rugs, so we need something easy to clean. That's just how it is.
I like Urban Outfitters rugs, but the ones we have don't wash. I ruined one by washing it already -- the colors ran something awful. They are cheap enough to replace, but their inventory changes so often that getting a replacement isn't always possible.
Our couch is the Karlstaad with chaise, so it's about 9 feet. Our current jute rug is 8x10 and defines the space under and around the couch, but I'm considering dropping the under rug and going for just a 5x7 or three 2x3s under the coffee table for easy access and washing.
I like this type of rug: With the popularity of kilims, I'm surprised I can't find a cheap knockoff that washes well. Any suggestions? What would you do with the jute rug? I like how it defines the space, but I'm not crazy about how it retains smells and dirt.
Bonus question: how do you keep dog smell down? We live in south Florida, so it's often rainy and usually damp. The dog is especially doggy these days and is confined inside. It's starting to smell like a kennel, even though we try to keep things clean.
We currently have a jute rug (8x10) down in our living room, with three 2x3 bright throw rugs on top. The jute rug is starting to darken where the dog lays and also seems to be holding on to dog smell (which I understand is an issue with jute).
I like bright kilims, but can't justify spending much on an antique rug that will likely need washing, might get torn up by cats, etc. We're a dirty household, despite our best efforts otherwise. We live in a rainy climate and track all sorts of mud and dirt in. The dog is also a dirty dog. We also have a cat that enjoys peeing on rugs, so we need something easy to clean. That's just how it is.
I like Urban Outfitters rugs, but the ones we have don't wash. I ruined one by washing it already -- the colors ran something awful. They are cheap enough to replace, but their inventory changes so often that getting a replacement isn't always possible.
Our couch is the Karlstaad with chaise, so it's about 9 feet. Our current jute rug is 8x10 and defines the space under and around the couch, but I'm considering dropping the under rug and going for just a 5x7 or three 2x3s under the coffee table for easy access and washing.
I like this type of rug: With the popularity of kilims, I'm surprised I can't find a cheap knockoff that washes well. Any suggestions? What would you do with the jute rug? I like how it defines the space, but I'm not crazy about how it retains smells and dirt.
Bonus question: how do you keep dog smell down? We live in south Florida, so it's often rainy and usually damp. The dog is especially doggy these days and is confined inside. It's starting to smell like a kennel, even though we try to keep things clean.
Bonus question: how do you keep dog smell down?
I keep a stack of crap towels by my door and wipe down my dog (especially his undercarriage and feet, making sure to get inside between his paw pad and toes) every time we come inside. He also gets frequent baths.
My apartment smells like a lot of things, but wet dog is not one of them.
posted by phunniemee at 9:15 AM on January 22, 2016 [2 favorites]
I keep a stack of crap towels by my door and wipe down my dog (especially his undercarriage and feet, making sure to get inside between his paw pad and toes) every time we come inside. He also gets frequent baths.
My apartment smells like a lot of things, but wet dog is not one of them.
posted by phunniemee at 9:15 AM on January 22, 2016 [2 favorites]
I have the same problem. With two cats and a dog it gets to be a lot. I buy cheaper rugs, like from the Goodwill/DI and use them, they're usually $15 and I can find UO style rugs at higher-income areas. My nice handwoven rugs are in places without a lot of animal traffic.
posted by Marinara at 9:23 AM on January 22, 2016
posted by Marinara at 9:23 AM on January 22, 2016
You could overdye an old rug pink. Or there are several variations on this available on Overstock...this one is nylon, so it seems like it would be easy to clean.
posted by three_red_balloons at 9:29 AM on January 22, 2016
posted by three_red_balloons at 9:29 AM on January 22, 2016
My dog hates baths but loves swimming. I take him to the beach when he is smelly.
As for rugs, I wash them. During summer, I wash them and dry them on the lawn. During winter, I bring them to a cleaner. Not what you wanted to hear, but that is what we do.
For cheap and easy to maintain rugs, I go to the nearest place with Asian shops (which is very close to my home). I'd recommend that, even if your travel is longer - the prices and the quality are amazing.
posted by mumimor at 9:32 AM on January 22, 2016
As for rugs, I wash them. During summer, I wash them and dry them on the lawn. During winter, I bring them to a cleaner. Not what you wanted to hear, but that is what we do.
For cheap and easy to maintain rugs, I go to the nearest place with Asian shops (which is very close to my home). I'd recommend that, even if your travel is longer - the prices and the quality are amazing.
posted by mumimor at 9:32 AM on January 22, 2016
I hate to be negative nancy, but we are almost to the point of resigning ourselves to bare floors. We have two large, dirty dogs, in a tiny house, with a mud pit of a backyard, and we even tried a very industrial-sytle rug of Flor tiles (which are washable in a sink or bathtub) and.... it's a a losing battle. Unless we want to pull up 40 tiles and hose them down and leave them out to dry for 2 days - every month - our rug is always dirty and smelly. We tried an Overstock rug before this and it lasted less than 12 months. Jute before that, and it was done after one of the dogs (uncharacteristically) peed on it.
The point is - wood floors are washable and impervious to dog smell. Rugs generally aren't.
posted by raspberrE at 9:37 AM on January 22, 2016
The point is - wood floors are washable and impervious to dog smell. Rugs generally aren't.
posted by raspberrE at 9:37 AM on January 22, 2016
What about this or some other type of "Mad Mat"? It's not soft and cushy like a real carpet, but it's colorful and is really easy to clean.
I have one of these on my patio and I love it. To clean it you just hose it off and let it dry for a few hours. It's very light and feels kind of like a straw mat.
posted by janerica at 9:54 AM on January 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
I have one of these on my patio and I love it. To clean it you just hose it off and let it dry for a few hours. It's very light and feels kind of like a straw mat.
posted by janerica at 9:54 AM on January 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
Smelly dirty dog leaving stains? Bathe the dog much more regularly. Either take the dog to the groomer, or do it yourself. Some car washes have dog wash stations now, if your dog's a larger breed. Failing that, wipe the dog down with a damp cloth when it comes in. At the very least there are pet wipes available which will freshen up the dog's coat.
Vinegar helps kill smells. Sunlight also. Hang the jute rug outside on a balcony rail on a sunny day, beat it to get out all the dirt, spritz with vinegar, leave in the bright sun for a few hours to dry. Do this regularly.
posted by lizbunny at 10:28 AM on January 22, 2016
Vinegar helps kill smells. Sunlight also. Hang the jute rug outside on a balcony rail on a sunny day, beat it to get out all the dirt, spritz with vinegar, leave in the bright sun for a few hours to dry. Do this regularly.
posted by lizbunny at 10:28 AM on January 22, 2016
Frequent dog washing isn't great for your dog, so I have to disagree that "just wash your dog more" is the best solution. I have a smelly old Great Dane and to keep her from not imparting dog smell to rugs or furniture it would take a tremendous amount of bathing. (Though this deodorizer/conditioning spray smells great and isn't full of questionable chemicals or perfumes.) I'd rather wash the rug once a month than a dog 3x a week, so my solution is: get a rug cleaner!
I have a cream rug under the table that's unfortunately pretty close to the only entrance to the house—and rugs in every other room of the house that get dirty—so I totally sympathise with this problem. I also own a dirty dog and a cat who seeks out rugs to puke on, never the hardwood floor! Luckily, I bought a rug cleaner for around $125 bucks on Amazon (I'm not enamored with it for a few reasons, so I won't link to it, but it does make my rugs look like new. Here's an option that looks promising. I have a Hoover and wish I had a Bissell).
To address the heart of your question, what about a vintage-inspired, traditional but pink rug like this or similar from Overstock? That's where all my rugs have come from and they really are easy to maintain. I've had one for going on 3 years now that I use the rug cleaner on every month. If that one isn't your style, I find the Safavieh brand to be fabulous for the price and they make a lot of very cool, Moroccan inspired styles.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 12:34 PM on January 22, 2016
I have a cream rug under the table that's unfortunately pretty close to the only entrance to the house—and rugs in every other room of the house that get dirty—so I totally sympathise with this problem. I also own a dirty dog and a cat who seeks out rugs to puke on, never the hardwood floor! Luckily, I bought a rug cleaner for around $125 bucks on Amazon (I'm not enamored with it for a few reasons, so I won't link to it, but it does make my rugs look like new. Here's an option that looks promising. I have a Hoover and wish I had a Bissell).
To address the heart of your question, what about a vintage-inspired, traditional but pink rug like this or similar from Overstock? That's where all my rugs have come from and they really are easy to maintain. I've had one for going on 3 years now that I use the rug cleaner on every month. If that one isn't your style, I find the Safavieh brand to be fabulous for the price and they make a lot of very cool, Moroccan inspired styles.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 12:34 PM on January 22, 2016
Seconding Mad Mats. I have a couple, and am continually amazed at how easy to clean, bright, fun, and sturdy they are. They do not get dirty! If they somehow do, they just wipe clean. They also come in lots of fun colors.
posted by djinn dandy at 3:38 PM on January 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by djinn dandy at 3:38 PM on January 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm guessing you aren't able to or don't want to train the dogs to stay off the rug?
You are going to need to compromise on something here. Kilims as a rule are not very dye-fast, meaning frequent washing will fade them (so your bright colors will eventually, or very quickly, look washed out).
Pre-soaking a stinky rug in a water to cover with a cup of vinegar before washing will kill all the dog smell, but vinegar will also pull the dye out of the rug. Large kilims, whether vintage or new, simply tend to be pricey, and I would be very hesitant to wash them frequently to preserve my investment. If you can live without that particular pattern, Ikea and Overstock both have cheap bright rugs that should do ok with being washed, and are easy enough to replace when they get shabby.
To keep dog smell down, dry their feet well each time they come in. Give them a daily wipe-down (paws and ears included) with deodorizing grooming wipes, and bathe them once a week. I also rub lavender oil on my dog a few times a week (it's not harmful and actually relaxes them) and people always comment on how nice he smells. I also use Nature's Miracle Odor Destroyer spray on his bedding, and I wash his dog bed, including the insert, once a month with a vinegar soak. I have both carpet and hardwood floors in my house, and it definitely doesn't smell like wet dog.
posted by ananci at 4:46 PM on January 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
You are going to need to compromise on something here. Kilims as a rule are not very dye-fast, meaning frequent washing will fade them (so your bright colors will eventually, or very quickly, look washed out).
Pre-soaking a stinky rug in a water to cover with a cup of vinegar before washing will kill all the dog smell, but vinegar will also pull the dye out of the rug. Large kilims, whether vintage or new, simply tend to be pricey, and I would be very hesitant to wash them frequently to preserve my investment. If you can live without that particular pattern, Ikea and Overstock both have cheap bright rugs that should do ok with being washed, and are easy enough to replace when they get shabby.
To keep dog smell down, dry their feet well each time they come in. Give them a daily wipe-down (paws and ears included) with deodorizing grooming wipes, and bathe them once a week. I also rub lavender oil on my dog a few times a week (it's not harmful and actually relaxes them) and people always comment on how nice he smells. I also use Nature's Miracle Odor Destroyer spray on his bedding, and I wash his dog bed, including the insert, once a month with a vinegar soak. I have both carpet and hardwood floors in my house, and it definitely doesn't smell like wet dog.
posted by ananci at 4:46 PM on January 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
RugsUSA is having 70% off. They have So.Many.Rugs. Regarding smell, I'd see if you can get something that is steam-cleaner friendly and rent one every so often. Maybe contact a local carpet-cleaner and see what they charge for a rug or something, too.
posted by Crystalinne at 9:48 PM on January 22, 2016
posted by Crystalinne at 9:48 PM on January 22, 2016
The Company Store sells solid color flatweave rugs for reasonable prices--not kilims exactly but near enough. They usually also have cotton rag rugs also in a variety of colors, often quite bright. I didn't find those in my super fast search but you can poke around a bit...
posted by Sublimity at 6:05 AM on January 23, 2016
posted by Sublimity at 6:05 AM on January 23, 2016
The cotton rugs I was thinking of are in the clearance section. There are two pink options and it looks like they go up to 8x10.
posted by Sublimity at 6:08 AM on January 23, 2016
posted by Sublimity at 6:08 AM on January 23, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by cecic at 9:04 AM on January 22, 2016 [2 favorites]