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The best mats and pads to keep your rugs from sliding away

These home essentials won’t trip you up.

By Pam Collins

Updated on Jul 26, 2021

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A mother smiling with her child and showing her a a cloth with white cloth and long tail, standing on a black and white carpet.
Keep your rugs firmly in place with these handy grippers. ShotPot, Pexels

Mats, pads, and grippers are the best way to keep your rugs from slipping and sliding around your floors. These small but mighty additions to your home will make vacuuming easier and prevent you from tripping over the corners of your carpets. A mat or corner grippers are quick to install and will keep your rug solidly stuck to the floor regardless of whatever frenetic activity may be taking place in your home. So when your dog sprints to his food bowl and your toddler is chasing him, you can rest easy knowing that your rug won’t move an inch.

  • Shape. If you have a traditionally shaped rectangular or square rug, we recommend grabbing a pair of corner grips. These adhesives are a great way to secure your decor to the floor in an inconspicuous way. Most corner grippers are super thin, so you won’t notice any additional inflation when you walk. For smaller rugs, four grippers will suffice, but if you’re worried about other edges, opt for an eight-piece kit to reinforce the stickiness with auxiliary units to line the edges.
  • Tape. Double-sided carpet tape is the best option for those with circular, oblong, or unusually shaped area rugs. You can easily control the shape and coverage for maximum hold. Carpet tape is cost-effective, and you can even use it to secure additional decor like stair treaders or provide additional mounting support to hanging pieces.
  • Mats and pads. A gripper pad or mat is perhaps the easiest way to keep your rug from turning into an inside slip ‘n’ slide. These pads come in many sizes, plus they are super simple to trim with scissors for true customization; you can even use any leftover strips as a drawer or shelf liners. These mats are non-adhesive—they won’t directly stick to your floor, but the material is plush and tacky, so it won’t budge on the hardwood.

Our Picks for the Best Rug Mats on Amazon

Top pick overall: Veken Non-Slip Rug Pad

Top pick overall

All Purpose

The corner of a white layer with spaces or in and under a blue carpet which are laid on a wooden parquet floor.
This model will anchor your covering, so it doesn’t accompany a running child down the hall. It will protect your floors from high heels, dog claws, and other scratches.

Runner up for rug mat: YYXLIFE Double Sided Carpet Tape

Runner up

Versatile and Customizable

A white and round carpet cork packaging as well as with green inscriptions in front of it.
This option sticks well to marble, stone, laminate, and more. You can also customize the cut for maximum hold. It won’t leave a tacky residue, plus you can use it for other projects.

Great rug mat for maximum coverage: Gorilla Grip Rug Pad Gripper

Great for maximum coverage

Easy Installation

Some types of pieces on top of each other, one beige and the other on it is white with zig zag stripes black.
This pick is super easy to install and will last forever. Choose from over twenty different pre-cut dimensions and two shapes to prevent any slippage on various surfaces.

Budget pick: Home TechPro Grippers

Budget pick

Easy to Use

The hand of a person who has grabbed the corner of a gray piece with a small white square piece under it.
Tiny suction pores are activated whenever pressure is applied to this pick and air escapes, producing a strong adhesive effect. Less than 1/10 of an inch thick, it’s also a snap to remove.

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