That pretty floor mat looks great in your room, but it’s not so nice when it slips out from underneath you when you step on it. Especially if it is on a smooth slippery vinyl floor.
Let’s figure out how to keep floor mats from sliding and fix them wherever they belong. With my 7 tips slips and falls will be gone forever.
How to keep my floor mat from sliding on vinyl floor
Luckily, there are lots of products you can purchase that will keep your floor mats from sliding on a vinyl floor. These are my 7 favorite solutions.
Rug Grippers
There are many types of rug grippers you can get that attach to the corners of your floor mat that provide traction to keep your rug in place. Grippers come in lots of different sizes and placements (on the corners of the rug or in strips) and are usually made of silicone material which grips the floor easily.
With most grippers, you simply remove the adhesive backing and stick the gripper to the bottom of the rug you want to secure. Next, you remove the film covering the silicone surface and then firmly press the rug onto the floor.
Rug grippers, like these from Amazon, are a super-easy way to keep your floor mat in place. These sticky squares get attached to the corners of your mat. Using suction, when you step on the rug, air escapes from the tiny pores of the gripper material and causes an adhesive effect, which keeps your rug exactly where you want it.
They are also really thin, so your mat will lie flat with a very low profile to help further avoid tripping.
Non-Slip Rug Pads
This non-slip rug pad is easily placed under your floor mat to keep it from sliding around. You can cut it to fit the size of your mat if the exact size is not available. An advantage to rug pads is that you can easily and conveniently simply pick up together with the rug pad if you want to move them or clean under them.
Be careful about which rug pad you pick, however, because the material that it is made from is an important consideration. Using the wrong type of rug pad on vinyl floors can damage your floor.
You may be familiar with those cheaply made pads with a waffle pattern. Mats like these are usually rubber and contain a chemical intended to keep the backing from becoming brittle and crumbling over time. Unfortunately, that same chemical can permanently stain vinyl flooring. Some pads are also sprayed with an adhesive that can transfer to a vinyl floor and damage it.
A great choice for a rug pad for use on a vinyl floor is a recycled felt rug pad or a natural rubber rug pad. Don’t confuse natural rubber with imitation rubber, which can harm your floor. Natural rubber is completely safe for all vinyl floors and won’t transfer to the floor since it does not contain any adhesive.
TIP: When buying synthetic rug pads Search for non-adhesive type. Many now state (and they should) specifically whether they are safe for use on vinyl floors. Rug pads that do not use chemicals or adhesives are preferable and will be safe for your vinyl floor.
Double Sided Carpet Tape
What could be easier than attaching some strips of double-sided tape to the bottom of your floor mat to keep it in place? Double-sided carpet tape is an easy and convenient solution to keeping rugs in place, especially in high-traffic areas. These tapes do have a strong adhesive quality so be sure you look for one that is residue-free and safe for vinyl.
A good idea is to place the double-sided tape around the perimeter of the rug and then more through the center of the rug, either in strips or as an “x,” to ensure that it stays as flat as possible.
TIP: Before applying the double-sided tape, map out using masking tape exactly where you want your floor mat to go. You don’t want to have to pull up your mat once you affix the double-sided tape on it since it does contain a strong adhesive.
Hook and Loop Rug Gripper or Tape
Another word for “hook and loop” is velcro! You can find hook and loop grippers or velcro tape to attach. It is a great and efficient way to prevent the floor mat from sliding.
Like the rug grippers mentioned above, you stick the gripper (the “loop”) to the underside of your mat. The difference here is that there is a second part (the “hook”) that you adhere to the floor. You then press the two parts together for a very firm hold. You can do the same thing with velcro tape, you just need to cut the tape to fit your carpet.
An advantage of the hook and loop grippers is that they will hold longer than grippers that don’t have the anchor that is adhered to the floor. Another benefit is that you can pull the rug up to vacuum or clean under the carpet and then easily reattach.
KEEP IN MIND: The biggest disadvantage is moving your mat. Because there are pieces affixed directly to the floor, you will have to carefully remove them and possibly deal with residue left on your floor. It’s best to use velcro if you plan to keep your floor mat in the same location for a long amount of time.
Non-slip mat
The easiest solution of all, if you haven’t already bought your floor mat, is to purchase a mat that is non-slip! You can find a floor mats that has its own non-slip technology on its underside. No need to purchase a non-slip rug pad or grippers – look for a rug with non-slip backing.
This non-slip floor mat comes in lots of colors and various sizes to fit your needs. It is absorbent (a great feature if you have pets with wet paws!) and can be put in the washing machine for easy cleaning.
NOTE: Be sure to always place your non-slip mat on a clean, dry floor. Water underneath the mat can cause sliding even with the non-slip backing.
If you really want to be sure your floor mat stays put, you can incorporate one of the above-mentioned fixes with the non-slip floor mats for an extra precaution against sliding.
Anti-Slip Spray
The anti-slip spray works exactly as it sounds – simply spray the back of your rug! The spray could need multiple applications, as it can be absorbed into the rug. Be sure to allow the spray to dry completely before placing it on the floor so it doesn’t leave any residue.
KEEP IN MIND: This is a good option if you have a rug that already had a non-slip backing but it’s losing its traction. Using an anti-slip spray is best for smaller, lightweight rugs. However, you may have to reapply after laundering your mat, so you could end up spending more money if you have to buy additional spray.
Put a Piece of Furniture to Work
If you find that you don’t want to purchase anything extra to keep your rug in place, or that these suggestions require too much commitment or are too invasive, try and see if you can place your floor mat under a piece of furniture. This works best if it’s not a high-traffic area.
