7 Huge Reasons Why You Should Avoid White Rugs
White rugs can be considered elegant, classy, and sophisticated. These three elements will make your decor look outstanding, and placing a white rug in your living room or bedroom seems like the ideal way to achieve this.
Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you have your eye on a particular charming white rug, you might want to slow down and take a few minutes to get familiar with the drawbacks of a white rug before you’re swept off your feet.
These seemingly obvious but often overlooked reasons can save you time, effort, money, and a throbbing headache when it comes to purchasing that enticing white rug.
Now, these factors may prove to be worthwhile or useless in some cases but it really depends on your situation and the type of decor you have.
To be certain, let’s take a look at the many reasons below why it might be a good idea to avoid having a white rug:
Table of Contents
The Downside To White Rugs
1. Prone To Dirt
The main disadvantage to having white rugs is the fact that it stains too easily compared to other rugs.
The majority of white rugs struggle to hold up over time unless it’s a premium stain-resistant rug.
A white rug is essentially a blank white canvas that can be stained and destroyed by dirt or food spills. The color will also help to highlight the stains which can be terrible if anyone notices.
It’s also quite a mission to remove food stains or dirt marks from a white rug and this is definitely the top reason to avoid white rugs.
Furthermore, if you have kids or pets at home, it’s only a matter of time before the white rug loses its appeal and quality.
White rugs are more likely prone to attracting dust, dirt, and other elements, and before you know it, the rug is no longer as great as it used to be.
See also: Carpet Colors That Hide Dirt: 5 Best Options For Any Space
2. Fades Quickly
This brings me to the next critical point. When exposed to sunlight, this white rug is most likely to fade, especially lower-quality rugs.
A crisp, clean, and vibrant white rug can easily look dull or turn off-white over time, potentially giving the rug an old or worn-out appearance that will detract from your decor.
3. High Maintenance
Have you ever spent hours attempting to remove a stain from a carpet only to have it leave a mark? With a white rug, this could be an even greater workout.
Due to the dirt and stain possibilities, a white rug may prove to be high maintenance as this would require consistent cleaning and vacuuming and the effort to ensure the rug stays clean.
This can often lead to unnecessary stress and worry about maintaining the quality of the rug, especially if the rug is situated in the room where you’ll be entertaining guests.
4. Not Practical for Certain Lifestyles
This element could really make or break your decision for having a white rug in your home.
If you live a busy and active lifestyle, or if you have pets and children, a white rug is probably the last thing you want in the room.
Whether it’s food stains, dirt from someone’s shoe, or the kids and pets making a mess with their toys or art supplies, a white rug is extremely vulnerable to damage.
In fact, it could happen at any moment.
This is why it’s best to avoid having a white rug in your home until these factors are ruled out.
5. Can Be Expensive
Many white rugs, in particular, can be considered expensive, and this may seem like a waste, especially given the high risk of rug damage.
Spending money on a rug that could be easily destroyed by a small piece of food or your favorite furball dirtying the rug may not be worth it.
Other rugs can easily conceal or cover up these potential risk factors.
6. Lacks Variety
A plain white rug can be boring, especially in a minimalistic setting. Having a large white accent rug may not be the best choice if you’d like to add variety and style even if the said rug does look luxurious.
There are plenty of white rugs that are available with some patterns and texture on them but I guess this option will depend on the type of rug and the decor.
Take a quick look at this textured patterned rug in the living room set below. It elegantly complements the simplicity of this decor, adding a rich feature to the space.
It’s difficult to say off the bat whether a white rug will look boring in your decor but opting for a patterned rug in an accent color instead could do a world of wonders for any decor.
7. Not Suitable For Outdoors
Another important point to mention is that a white rug is not appropriate for outdoor use.
Mostly because it’s exposed to many elements such as rain, wind, sand, dirt, and sunlight, making it nearly impossible to maintain its vibrancy and quality.
Give it a few weeks or days and your white rug may appear worn out. White is a color that stains easily and draws attention to itself.
For the outdoor settings, it would be best to opt for darker colors or patterned rugs at best to conceal any potential flaws.
Does This Mean White Rugs Are a Complete Write-Off?
Well, no. Despite the flaws and negatives of having a white rug, I think you could probably get away with most of them.
It may still be totally fine to have a white rug in your home at some point, especially if this rug will significantly uplift and enhance your living space.
If you’re someone who has no kids or pets and the area the white rug will be situated is not a high-traffic area, you could drastically reduce the risk of spills or dirt and be able to maintain the quality of the rug for quite a long time.
In terms of the sunlight exposure and the risk of fading, well that’s normal. Most rugs will face this and it’s only normal for items to fade and get worn out eventually.
Bringing it back to the most negative aspect of a white rug, if you have a quality rug that is somewhat stain resistant or you have a foolproof method for removing the toughest stains, then you should be good to go.
Also, for those who have no problem with cleaning or vacuuming or maybe you already have a consistent cleaning system in place, the pains of a white rug will be like nothing to you.
So, as you can see, it’s not all doom and gloom but I do believe being aware of these negatives are definitely a win for you especially if you plan to invest in a pricey white rug.
If you feel like you’ve got it covered and still want that white rug, go for it.
For those that feel like these pointers could be a real hassle to you, I’m certain you’ll able to find a suitable replacement or an even better rug that will be an intriguing feature to your decor.
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