Ruggable Shag Rug Review: Machine-washable style

When I see a shag rug, I’m just as nostalgic as the next ‘70s baby. Forget a boring low pile and give me one of those ultra-fluffy rugs that adds a boost of cozy comfort to any space. The downside to shag rugs is the laborious effort it takes to clean them, but much to my surprise the Ruggable Shag Rug claims it can be easily tossed in the washing machine for easy floor care.

Could this rug really be the answer to having a stylish floor cover that can stand up to my kid’s endless crumb trails or liquid spills? Will it maintain its fluffy good looks in high-traffic areas and after multiple rounds in the washer and dryer?

I put the machine-washable rug through a variety of wear-and-tear tests at my home and sent it off to the Reviewed Testing Lab in Cambridge, Mass., for further testing. Does this high-pile goodness of a shag rug live up to its easy-to-clean namesake?

Keep reading to find out if the Ruggable Shag Rug is worth it.

What is Ruggable?

When Jeneva Bell’s dog ruined one of her new, expensive rugs, this accident turned out to be the happy kind. It was the impetus for founding Ruggable, a company that makes machine-washable area rugs, runners, and doormats that claim to be stain- and water-resistant, and pet-friendly (my love language as a pup mom).

Being able to wash a rug is a clear game-changer, but would it work for a thick material like shag? I ordered the new Ruggable Shag Rug in the 5-foot by 7-foot size to test it out. Also available in soft pink, antique ivory and light gray, I chose egret white for versatile styling around my home.

What we like

A synthetic rug that does not need to be aired out like most

While modern day shags are typically synthetic (the earliest ones from Ancient Greece known as flokati were made from goat hair), I opened the box and waited for a chemical smell. The smell never came—a check in the plus column as many synthetic rugs needed airing out before use.

The rug is made from 100% polyester with a polyurethane water-resistant barrier. The pile is about 2-inches thick and is designed to be shed-resistant.

The two-part rug system is easy to unroll and setup

The rug came rolled up alongside the pad and both flattened out easily and I immediately fell in love with its super soft and fluffy shag.

The rug system is made up of the shag rug and a velcro base that is easy to assemble by laying out the pad, with the sticky side facing up, and centering the rug on top (the little Velcro-type pads guide you).

Once they’re together, they’re together. Even when dragging the rug from room-to-room (our daughter’s bedroom, our bedroom, even our home office), the pad miraculously stayed on—likely because of Ruggable’s Cling Effect technology.

You can choose a classic pad (for indoor and outdoor use) or a cushioned one, which adds a nice half-inch bounce to the indoor-only rug covers.

The rug washes well while maintaining a soft, fluffy feel

While a week of steady traffic didn’t dampen the fluff and the rug looked nice in a variety of rooms, I still had to test its washability. So against my better judgment, I poured coffee onto the rug.

As Ruggable’s raison d’être is washability, I was hoping this shag wouldn’t have any issues. After a delicate wash cycle and low heat on the dryer, the stain was gone and the flokati-like texture remained.

We got the same results when our testing team put the rug through a series of washability tests. The tests consisted of dousing two corners with a blood meal mixture and a spritz of pungent fox urine. We pre-treated the rug with Gain detergent and put it in the washing machine on the Delicates cycle.

The rug needed multiple washes to get out the fox urine smell, but the blood washed out after one cycle. Despite the multiple runs through the washer and dryer, the Ruggable washable shag rug maintained its poofy, cloud-like fluff and feel.

What we don’t like

The Ruggable rug pad is a requirement of this rug

If I had to split hairs, Ruggable rugs are called “rug covers” and they don’t “work” without a Ruggable Rug Pad. The underside of the cover is incredibly slippery (translation: you will wipe out when you step on it without the pad. Don’t ask me how I know, just trust me).

Should something happen to the rug pad, it renders the rug unusable until you buy a replacement. The two-part rug system is sold bundled together, but you can purchase the cover separately from the pad if you want to swap out cover every now and then.

The rug pad measures only one-eighth of an inch thick. Ruggable also sells a Cushioned Rug Pad that measures two-fifths of an inch thick if you prefer something plusher under foot.

Should you buy a Ruggable Shag Rug?

Yes, this is a stylish, stain-resistant rug that feels cozy after multiple washes

Everyone has the potential to spill. In that capacity, Ruggable rug covers have us (and our floors) covered. The rugs are machine washable, which is pretty much unheard of for a thick and fluffy shag rug.

The cover does need a rug pad, specifically from Ruggable, in order to stay securely in place. From dorm rooms to living rooms, and even baby nurseries, the groovy Ruggable Shag Rug is a deal for adding a touch of sophisticated funk to your floors.

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.