Area rugs offer a lot of benefits, such as comfort, design appeal, noise reduction, and flooring protection. The latter is particularly important for high-traffic areas, where the rug itself can take a beating. When considering what to place in the busiest spots of the home, you must consider durability, ease of rug cleaning, and the pattern's ability to hide stains. Here's a look at the most suitable materials. 

What Area Rugs Stand Up to the Most Foot Traffic?

1.  Nylon

The two main benefits of nylon are its ability to absorb color and its resistance to stains caused by dirt and spills. The first quality means you have a wide selection of brilliant, eye-catching colors to choose from. The second makes it an ideal choice for families with pets or children. 

Nylon is also exceptionally durable with simple rug cleaning and maintenance needs, such as regular vacuuming. Blot spills instead of rubbing them, and apply spray cleaner and warm water as necessary to dissolve stains. Along with proactive maintenance, annual professional cleaning will help restore the material to its former beauty.

2. Wool

Wool has a long and durable life that makes it ideal for areas with a great deal of daily activity. It's also exceptionally soft, comfortable, and luxurious underfoot. It also helps insulate your floors to minimize heat transfer and reduce your HVAC bills. 

Unfortunately, wool absorbs moisture and could eventually sprout mold or mildew, so it may not be the best material for humid environments, such as coastal areas or damp basements. It also needs occasional professional rug cleaning to look its best.

3. Cotton

Cotton rugs come in all sizes, colors, and piles. They're made of an inexpensive, natural fiber, so they're a smaller investment in addition to being easy to clean. Some low-pile, flat-weave cotton rugs can be tossed into the washing machine and hung to dry outside, though others require gentle hand-washing in cold water. 

However, high-pile woven cotton rugs are best left to a professional for cleaning. No matter what style of cotton you have in your home, though, vacuum regularly to keep dirt from damaging the fibers and blot spills promptly to help ensure a long life.

If you need a reliable rug cleaning service, turn to J.L. Williard Carpet Care in High Point, NC. They are family-owned and have served Guilford County and the Piedmont area for more than 40 years with exceptional service and fast, friendly customer care. In addition to rug and carpet cleaning, they also specialize in upholstery and mattress cleaning. Learn more about them on their website or call (336) 885-8519 for a free rug cleaning estimate.