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

These home essentials won’t trip you up.

By Pam Collins | Published Jun 25, 2021 3:11 PM EDT

Gear

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

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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.