Vinyl floors are standard in houses and offices nowadays. Even people use vinyl floors in the bathroom and ceiling also. Vinyl floors provide some excellent facilities that are being demanded day by day.
Vinyl floors are water and scratch-resistant. Even they are solid and durable enough to resist the pet’s scratch. But you might be confused about whether rugs will scratch your vinyl floors or not.
Well, rugs are so common in houses that you must need rugs in your home. This article will tell you about the rug’s properties and possibilities to scratch the vinyl floors.
Will rugs scratch vinyl floors?
Rugs that are of natural materials are safe for vinyl floors. But some rugs contain harmful materials that can scratch the vinyl floors. Even some rugs can discolor and damage the vinyl floors. For example, rugs containing rubber and latex can damage the vinyl floor.
Table of Contents
Rugs are popular for use on the floor. But vinyl floors are unique type floors and not suitable with anything. Some rugs that have natural backing, for example, cotton backing rugs and hand-woven rugs, are safe for vinyl floors.
But some rugs are of synthetic materials and scratchy materials. So, these rugs can scratch the vinyl floor. For example, jute rugs can be rough on the vinyl floor. To prevent scratching, you need to add a rug pad with the rug.
Do vinyl floors scratch easily?
No, vinyl floors don’t scratch easily. Even most vinyl floors are scratch-resistant. Some quality vinyl floors don’t even get scratched by pets. But sometimes, harsh elements can scratch the vinyl floors.
Vinyl floors are durable and prevent the floor from getting scratched. Sometimes, abrasive materials can scratch the vinyl floor. For example, abrasive dust particles, scratchy mats, and rugs, etc., can make minor scratches on the vinyl floor.
Can you put rugs on vinyl plank flooring?
Yes, you can put rugs on vinyl plank flooring. Most rugs are safe for the vinyl floor. These rugs are compatible with vinyl flooring. But some rugs are made of synthetic materials that are not compatible with the vinyl floors.
Rubber and latex rugs are not safe for the vinyl floor. They contain highly unsafe materials for vinyl floors in them.
Rubber and latex contain some chemicals that react with sunlight heat or the heat produced from walking. The reacted chemicals are incredible to the vinyl floor.
So, you need to choose suitable and compatible rugs for the vinyl plank flooring. For example, you can use cotton rugs or hand-woven rugs on the vinyl flooring.
What rugs are safe for vinyl floors?
All rugs are not safe on the vinyl floors. Some rugs scratch the floor, and some rugs damage the floor gradually. If you have a vinyl floor in your house, you have to choose wisely the suitable rug for your floor. Let’s see some rugs that are safe for vinyl flooring.
Cotton backed rugs:
Cotton backed area rugs are safe for the vinyl floors. Cotton backed rugs are soft and don’t contain any harmful chemicals. Besides, they will not scratch the vinyl floor because of traffic on the rugs.
Moreover, cotton is not reactive and will not create friction between the floor and rug. These rugs will provide warmth in the cold weather, and you will feel the softness of cotton on your feet.
Hand woven rugs:
Hand woven rugs are also safe and scratch-free rugs for vinyl floors. Hand woven wool, jute, seagrass, cotton rugs, etc., are suitable for the vinyl floors. Hand woven rugs are free from additives and chemicals. So, these rugs will not discolor the floor.
Hand woven wool rugs:
Hand woven wool rugs are free from abrasion and have high durability. Wool rugs are so soft that they will not scratch the floor. Moreover, wool rugs will keep the floor warm in cold weather.
Hand woven cotton rugs:
Cotton rugs are soft and scratch-free. They don’t make scratch marks on the floor. Moreover, cotton doesn’t have harsh chemicals that can damage the floor.
Hand woven jute rugs:
Jute rugs can be scratchy, but you can add padded backing to make them scratch-free. Otherwise, jute rugs are free from chemicals.
Colorfast rugs:
Colorfast rugs are also safe for vinyl floors. Their manufacturing materials and chemicals don’t react with sunlight and don’t damage the floor.
How do I keep my vinyl floor from scratching? – Rug scratches
Generally, vinyl floors are solid and durable. So, they don’t get scratches quickly. But sometimes, some abrasive rugs can scratch the vinyl floors. If you follow some techniques, your floor might be safe from scratching. Let’s see how you can keep your vinyl floor from rug scratches.
Clean the floor regularly:
Sometimes, dust and dirt debris make the vinyl floor dirty. When you walk on the floor or keep rugs, this debris can scratch the floor. So, clean the floor and rugs regularly to prevent minor scratches.
Use suitable rug pads:
All rugs are not suitable for vinyl floors. That’s why you can use rug pads under the rugs to avoid scratches. A rug pad will also protect your floor from wear and tear. Besides, rug pads prevent slipping and accidents.
Avoid rubber and latex:
Rubber and latex can be unsafe for the vinyl floors. It can scratch and even damage the vinyl floor.
Rubber and latex contain harmful materials in them that can scratch the vinyl floors that can’t be fixed. So, avoid rubber and latex rugs to keep your floor scratch-free.
Floor polish:
Though floor polish doesn’t save the vinyl floor from scratches, it can make the floor shiny, and the minor scratches will be invisible. Use acrylic emulsion floor polish to make the vinyl floor shiny.
Are polypropylene rugs safe for vinyl floors?
Yes, polypropylene rugs are safe for vinyl floors. You can use polypropylene rugs on your vinyl floors with protection. Because sometimes, polypropylene isn’t a natural element; it’s plastic. So, polypropylene has some chemicals that might affect the vinyl floor in the long run.
So, you can use a rug pad for more safety. Place a rug pad on the floor, then place the rug over the pad. This rug pad will protect your floor from reacting with chemicals of polypropylene.
Generally, polypropylene doesn’t harm the vinyl floor that much, but you have to put rug pad for excess safety.
Can you put rubber back rugs on vinyl planking?
No, you should not put the rubber back rugs on vinyl planking. Rubber is not a safe material for vinyl flooring. Rubber contains some chemicals that react with vinyl planking in the presence of sunlight or heat. So, rubber can harm the vinyl flooring so severely.
Moreover, rubber backed rugs can stain the vinyl floor and discolor it. So, if you want the backing on the rugs, you should choose the backings from natural materials, like cotton, wool, etc. But don’t use rubber back rugs. It might be comfortable, but it can be unsafe for the floor.
Will rubber backed rugs discolor vinyl?
Yes, rubber backed rugs can discolor the vinyl floor. Rubbers are highly unsafe for the vinyl floor. If you use rubber backed rugs, your floor might get stained or discolored.
Rubber backed rugs have some chemicals that are reactive with vinyl flooring. These chemicals eventually stain or discolor the floor. Generally, the chemicals make the rugs durable, but contrarily, they can damage the vinyl flooring.
Moreover, rubber backed rugs have poor air circulation. So, the rubber backed rugs will discolor the vinyl floor over time. The vinyl floor will fade away eventually. This discoloration and fading away might be more harmful in the presence of sunlight.
What can I put under a rug with vinyl plank flooring?
Rugs can be unsafe for vinyl plank flooring. Moreover, some rugs scratch the vinyl flooring. So, you can use some protective elements to make your rugs safe for vinyl plank flooring. For example, rug pads are suitable to put under a rug with vinyl plank flooring.
You can use rug pads that are compatible with the vinyl floor. For example, non-slip rugs will be suitable for vinyl flooring. Moreover, avoid the rug pads with rubber backing.
What is the best rug pad for vinyl plank flooring?
When it comes to rug pads, you might think about what is the best rug pad for vinyl plank flooring.
Anchor Grip is one of the best solutions for using it as a rug pad with vinyl plank flooring. This rug pad is non-slip and without rubber or latex materials. This rug pad is also made of sustainable and natural products.
Mohawk rug pads are also suitable for vinyl plank flooring. These rug pads are also non-slip and safe for vinyl plank flooring. Durahold rug pads are also popular for using safely on vinyl plank flooring.
Vinyl floors are strong enough to resist scratches. But all scratches will not happen instantly. Sometimes, vinyl floors get scratches from the rugs. Some rugs contain chemicals and abrasive materials that can scratch the vinyl floor.
So, natural material’s rugs that are compatible with the vinyl floor should be used. You also have to follow some techniques to keep your floor scratch-free. You will find the methods from this article.