Designing a home with the earth in mind can seem tricky, but it is easier than it looks. Many materials made for furniture, flooring, windows, and appliances are not recyclable, eco-friendly, or sustainable. However, with a little extra thought, you can still have your cake and eat it too: Timeless, effortless style is still possible while following an environmentally friendly approach. Eco-friendly rugs make an excellent option to cover your floors effectively without adding any additional burden to the Earth. Rugs USA offers hundreds of eco-friendly area rugs to enjoy—rustic, contemporary, bohemian, or other styles that fit your taste and soothe your conscience.
These rugs can be integrated into your home without much hassle. Also, eco-friendly cleaning for natural fiber rugs and and recycled rugs takes very little time and effort, while simultaneously steering clear of harmful chemicals. Read on for some great ideas for covering your floors in a stylish, simple fashion.
Carpets, Floors, and Rugs: What’s Best for the Environment and Your Budget?
Many environmental organizations urge the installation of cork and bamboo floors, which can cost homeowners up to five figures for purchasing and professional installation. Instead of choosing to replace your floors, why not choose a sustainable rug to give your home a fresh, clean look and reduce your carbon footprint? Not only will the Earth thank you, but your wallet will be grateful as well.
Many people have carpeted homes, especially in their bedrooms, offices, or upstairs hallways. But these carpets can pose part of the problem: according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, over four billion pounds of carpets enter the solid waste stream every year. They account for more than two percent of all municipal solid waste. Since carpet is often bulky and oddly shaped, it can be difficult to recycle; however, rugs are usually much smaller, making them easier to recycle and a viable, stylish option for your home. Alternatively, if you already have carpet, placing an appropriately sized, earth-friendly area rug on top of your existing carpet is a great way to extend your carpet’s life while also revitalizing your room’s décor.
New carpet can also emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be dangerous to your health. That “new carpet” smell is a byproduct of latex called 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH). If you have children or small animals, you might not want these chemicals in your home—so keep it clean with a greener option!
Shop Our Eco-Friendly Rug Collections
Eco-Friendly Area Rugs Can Save Time and Money
Many earth-conscious rugs are made from renewable, recycled, or sustainable materials. Whether you want to dress up your outdoor area or dramatically change the look of your living room, they’re great go-tos.
A key part to purchasing eco-friendly rugs is to consider the VOC emissions. Rugs made with petroleum-based synthetic fiber often emit a fair amount of VOCs, (but not as much as new carpet would). Here are some materials to look for:
Recycled Eco-Friendly Rugs: Something old, and something new, something borrowed, and something for you—recycled rugs weave their way seamlessly into your home and offer a fresh, clean perspective. They don’t add require the use of new synthetics and they also don’t have stale style: Someone has remade them to be vibrant and modern. Rugs like the Reema Easy-Jute Washable Pyramids Rug make a splash in your space—paired with a wave of relief that you’re making a great choice for the Earth!
Cotton Rugs: Cotton rugs come from the cotton plant. Cotton is also easy to recycle and equally simple to keep clean—a must if you plan to lay out a cotton rug in a high-traffic area. Try this Diamond Cotton Check Flatwoven Rug for a cool look that’s kinder to the environment.
Jute Rugs: These sustainable styles will fit nicely into your eco-friendly home. They’re hard-wearing, meaning they’re designed to withstand wear and tear throughout the years. This Jute Harlequin Trellis Area Rug will make a bold, earth-friendly statement in your bedroom, living room, or dining room.
Eco-Friendly Rug Cleaning: Safe for Your Family and the Earth
To freshen up your rugs in an inexpensive way, return to the ways of your ancestors. Natural remedies like vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, and a good old-fashioned rug beating won’t release harmful chemicals into the air and won’t poison any four-legged friends in your home.
Most earth-conscious rugs require eco-friendly materials for cleaning. Bleach, ammonia, and strong soaps will harm a jute rug, destroy the fibers, and remove its natural color.
Here are some simple, easy ingredients to make stain-fighting solutions to treat your eco-friendly rugs.
Salt: Everyone has some table salt lying around their home. Mix it with a little bit of warm water to remove the darker stains, like wine, fruit juice, punch, or dirt.
Club Soda: The fizz in club soda removes coffee stains and won’t hurt your rug’s fibers.
Cornstarch: For those tough-to-remove grease stains that just won’t come up, cornstarch can soak up the oils and make that stain as if it never happened.
Baking Soda: To remove stains and clean up smells like pet odor, sprinkle a little baking soda on the rug and leave it overnight.
Find Your Eco-Friendly Area Rug at Rugs USA!
At Rugs USA, we have hundreds of eco-friendly rugs made from sustainable materials that are both budget-friendly and climate-friendly at the same time. You’ll never have to sacrifice style for sustainability with one of our many choices!
