How many rugs in your kitchen? And, is too many kitchen rugs a sign of old age?

[sarahbobeara]

Small kitchen, laminate floors.  2 big rubber-backed rugs at garage door and french doors, small rubber-backed at the fridge to absorb water/ice drips from the water-in-the-door system, small (not big enough!) rug in front of sink.

 

If I were to add a runner length rug along the sink/dishwasher/garbage drawer is that too many rugs?  The kitchen is pretty compact and it would appear like 80% of the work area perimeter would be covered by rugs.  Do I just need some afghan-style teapot cozies to complete the old lady look?  :P

 

I'm tired of stepping through water drips at the sink and dishwasher, yet tired of telling the kids to wipe up water drips that can only be seen from one (which happens to be MY) angle.  More rugs=harder to sweep the floor and it's not getting done much as it is :blushing:

 

[The Girls' Mom]

I have one by the sink, one by the fridge, one by the stove, one by the main prep area, and one in front of the washer and dryer (laundry room just off the kitchen).  I think one can't have too many comfy spots to stand in the kitchen.

 

[lllll]

Zero.

[Arcadia]

We don't have any rugs in our tile floor kitchen which is average size for my area. We used to have a small rug in the bathroom but it stinks when wet so no more rugs.

 

I just dump napkins on wet spots that my kids caused and they will clean up their mess. It is easier for my boys to see wet spots on napkins than on the surface of tiled floors.

[fraidycat]

Zero. The whole point of hard floors vs. carpet/rug is that they're easier to clean/wipe up. I combat having to walk through kid messes and drips by wearing my shoes in the house.

 

Yes, you might as well get some tea cozies. :P

[Lori D.]

Zero rugs here. Rugs would mean more laundry.  :laugh:

 

I step around the kid water drips and dog bowl puddles. It dries eventually, and trying to wipe up or yell at others to do so it too exhausting, and, when you think about it, kind of pointless, since the kitchen is in constant use. Just develop a mental filter and tune it out. ;)

 

Unless you plan to use fire tape to keep everyone out and off of your floor ;), it seems kind of OCD to stress about it. My floor gets mopped 1-2x/week, looks good for an evening, and then falls back into entropy. No use fighting it. There are many more enjoyable things to spend my time and energy on -- like building memories with family. :)

[Katy]

We don't have any rugs in the kitchen.  Too hard too keep swept up as it is.

[regentrude]

I have no rugs in the kitchen. We have tile. Spills are wiped up as soon as they happen.

I wear slip-on sandals in the house that have arch support; I could not stand or walk on hard floors otherwise.

 

We have no rugs anywhere else either, except for a small rug in front of my work desk because my desk chair is a rolling one and would slip on the hardwood, and a bathroom rug in front of the main bathroom sink because otherwise the tile would be cold on the bare feet.

[Spryte]

Hardwood floor in kitchen, no rugs.

 

Though it's tempting to not have to wipe up each mess immediately...

[Orthodox6]

None in our kitchen.  Constitute both clutter (physical and visual) and additional laundry.

[fraidycat]

We don't have any rugs in the kitchen. Too hard too keep swept up as it is.

My kitchen is constantly being swept - probably at least twice a day, often more. That would NOT happen if I has to bend down to pick up a rug and shake it out. Guaranteed. The floors would be much nastier because they'd be dealt with maybe once per week. All because of that one little added step.

 

My focus is not "must always be clean", but "must be simple". My mother would do the extra steps with the rug because the sight of slight messes/crumbs really bothers her. I did not get that trait from her.

[Orthodox6]

Old age of the house?  Of the rug(s)?  Of the home owner?

 

?

[DesertBlossom]

I got rid of my kitchen rugs too. They seem to get dirty fast and moving them to sweep is annoying.

 

Somewhat related- I am *this* close to throwing out all my throw pillows becaude they are always on the floor. Always. I never see anyone move them from the couches, but as soon as I blink they are on the floor again.

[fraidycat]

I got rid of my kitchen rugs too. They seem to get dirty fast and moving them to sweep is annoying.

 

Somewhat related- I am *this* close to throwing out all my throw pillows becaude they are always on the floor. Always. I never see anyone move them from the couches, but as soon as I blink they are on the floor again.

Or, you can do like I did. Keep the pilllows. Lose the couch(es). :D

 

Speaking of easier to clean...

[AnnE-girl]

We have one by the door to the garage for wiping shoes and a foam one by the sink/main work counter near the stove. Our kitchen is really small. I notice a big difference in back and leg pain if I don't have the rug there when I'm working in the kitchen for a long time. We have laminate floors in the kitchen.

 

Edited to add: I'm only 34. Apparently I just have old joints that need the extra cushion when I'm doing dishes and cooking.

[Laura Corin]

I've never understood rugs in front of the sink: they get grotty really fast.  It's much easier just to keep a cloth in the under-sink cupboard and give the floor a quick wipe if it gets wet.

 

I have a doormat (for wiping feet) at the back door; a decorative rug under the kitchen table (which is our dining table); small rug to cover seam in vinyl near the kitchen door.

[The Girls' Mom]

I guess I should clarify...my "rugs" are foam mats with designs printed on them.  My feet thank me.  

[kewb]

No rugs. Tile floor so spills, drips, and debris is easily cleaned up.

[Storygirl]

I have hardwood floors and no rugs. I do have a rug by the door that goes to the garage, but that is in an adjoining mudroom, not the kitchen.

 

I did have a rug in front the sink for awhile and got tired of having to vacuum it or carry it to a door to shake it out. I'd rather just sweep the floor without having to deal with rugs that get in the way.

[HomeAgain]

No rugs here, though I wouldn't mind one of the memory foam bath mats in front of the kitchen sink.  Tile gets rather tough on the feet after a bit.

[Lady Florida.]

No rugs. Tile floors. Due to the tile floors i have one foam mat by the sink and one by the stove. It's uncomfortable to stand too long on the tile floors. If that wasn't a problem I wouldn't even bother with the mats. 

[PeacefulChaos]

I don't have any.

 

I did at the house we used to live in, and I had even bought rugs for this house, but then they were just in the way, and they served more as crumb-catchers than anything else.

 

So no rugs for the last 6 years.

 

 

When I was younger, I liked the idea of rugs, rugs, everywhere.  Now, I'm finding myself liking the idea of no rugs at all, more and more...

[UCF612]

One rug at the sink. Washes easily though I do wish it was thicker as my feet ache on the tile.

[PeacefulChaos]

I wanted to come back and add a disclaimer.

 

First off, if I had to stand over the kitchen sink a lot and I could put a rug there, I might.  

 

However, the people who designed the house put the floor vents for the a/c/heat in the most ridiculous places.  Like, oh, right in front of the sink.  So if I stand there in a skirt, it billows around me lol... if the heat is on, you end up burning up because you're on the vent, if the a/c is on, you end up freezing because again, you're on the vent... etc.  (I also think that the whole thing where the vents are right in front of the windows is obnoxious, but I know that's more standard.  I still hate it though.)

 

And also, I don't do our dishes.  So there's that.  :D  :lol:

[Night Elf]

I've never used rugs in the kitchen. I've always thought of rugs as decorative and I've never felt the need to decorate my floors.

[redsquirrel]

I thought I had none, but I guess I have to count the one by the back door.  We live in the NE and with mud and snow etc you need a thick rug in front of all doors or it gets terrible. But if the back door wasn't in my kitchen I wouldn't have any rugs.

 

I never thought about it really. But maybe that is why mom keeps trying to give me a rug for my kitchen?  She insists I put one on the floor in front of the sink, but I don't know why I would. It's just going to get dirty and then I'll have to wash it. I'd rather just damp mop the floor. She did buy me one and put it there herself but it was sort of hideous, with roosters on it or something? It got dirty quickly and I threw it out. It was cheap and didn't look like it was meant to be washed. I also didn't get the point of its existence.

 

I should add that I don't really care about drips of water on the floor. And except for in front of the doors, I don't have any rugs in the house. It's all beautiful original oak floors, and I don't see the need to cover them up.

 

 

[Orthodox6]

Around here, damp foam would mold. Ick.

[barnwife]

None. We have tile floors (in the whole house). 

I don't understand rugs in the kitchen. If you have a rug, you need to sweep and mop around and underneath it. So they just add an extra cleaning step.

The only rug we have in our house is a small area rug in front of a loveseat. The only reason we use it is because it was made by my grandmother. I smile every time I see it.

 

[kiwik]

It never occurred to me to have rugs in the kitchen at home. In commercial kitchens we usually had the kind the reduce leg stress in front of the sink.

[Sara in AZ]

I have two, one longer one in front of the sink/dishwasher and one in front of the stove. The floors are tile and I just sweep over the rugs (when I sweep...) The cleaning lady has to deal with the mopping. My mother is the real rug lady. Over her laminate floors in the entry/kitchen she has one in front of the front door, then a runner down the hallway leading to the kitchen, another leading through the kitchen to the work area, one in front of the back door, one in front of the sink, and one in front of the refrigerator. Maybe I should make her some tea cozies for Christmas. 😊

[fairfarmhand]

I need a rug in my kitchen in front of my sink. The tile makes me ache and I wash dishes a ton nowadays.

 

Drips are not too bad around here.

[TechWife]

Wood floors. No rugs. Two gel mats, one in front of the sink/dishwasher area which is our food prep/cleanup station and one in front of the stove. They help prevent foot/leg pain when we stand for a long time. We have a folded towel under the cats' food & water bowls to catch drips & spills. 

[Bensmom]

It has never occurred to me to have a kitchen rug, but I am totally thinking a foam, cushy type would be great for my tired feet. I shall now add kitchen rug to my list of items purchased due to the influence of TWTM:

 

Story of the World

Life of Fred

Nancy Larson Science

Steam mop

Nutrimill

Bosch

The expensive dog food

Keens

Kitchen rug

 

OMG, I am such a follower....wait, I have not purchased those much raved about pencils. What brand? Oh well, happy with our cheap mechanical pencils. See, I am not *always* swayed by shiny new things. Okay, gotta go buy my new foot-saving rug now ;)

[Hypatia.]

We have a runner in front of the sink & dishwasher side, a rug in front of the fridge, one in front of the stove, and another by the sliding door. I would rather get rid of all of them except the one by the back door, it just looks too cluttered to me. DH likes them. It makes it so hard to sweep and keep it clean, unless Roomba runs every evening.

[Word Nerd]

I have a runner by the sink and a rug by the back door.

[chocolatechip]

We don't have any rugs in the kitchen. We do have one of those indoor doormat things in front of the back door (which opens into the kitchen.)

[Critterfixer]

No rugs anywhere. I want a cushioned mat for the kitchen for my feet. I have tile and I do get sore standing at the stove.

[mtomom]

I like my kitchen floor easy to clean. I don't have an entry/exit door in my kitchen, so I have just one small rug at the sink. This is only because my feet really need it, and it's machine wash and dry. I would do without even that if I my feet could deal.

[Cindy in FL.]

Tile floor and no rugs.

[Jan in SC]

Hardwood floors-  no rugs in kitchen or eating area

 

I've had a mat in front of the sink before, but I was afraid that the wood floor would change color around it.  I'm not ever home to cook or eat anyway!

[TechWife]

It has never occurred to me to have a kitchen rug, but I am totally thinking a foam, cushy type would be great for my tired feet.

 

 

We love Gelpro mats! They are expensive, but they are wonderful! The first set we had lasted about eight years. We just replaced them with new ones. 

[gardenmom5]

One small one next to the exterior door.

[Laurie4b]

Zero rugs.

[elegantlion]

Wood floors, no rugs. I don't stand at the sink and do dishes often, most go in the dishwasher or ( :w00t: warning controversial topic ahead)  I wear shoes in the house if my knees are hurting. 

[El...]

We have tile, no rugs.  I rarely mop, because there are so many routine spills that I wipe up that most of the floor gets cleaned as a matter of course!  (Or at least that is what I tell myself.  Don't bust my bubble.)

[Tsuga]

None. We have house shoes (hausschuhe: slippers with hard soles and support). So much easier than rugs or wet socks.

[Kari C in SC]

I don't have decorative rugs, but I have two of those brown, squishy mats that help my heal spurs. I have one in front of my sink and one in front of my main prep area.

[Guest]

I have none, but I'd love one in front of the stove and one in front of the sink, truthfully, because we have slate floors and my feet absolutely ache standing there for an hour or two.

[Ellie]

Small kitchen, laminate floors.  2 big rubber-backed rugs at garage door and french doors, small rubber-backed at the fridge to absorb water/ice drips from the water-in-the-door system, small (not big enough!) rug in front of sink.

 

If I were to add a runner length rug along the sink/dishwasher/garbage drawer is that too many rugs?  The kitchen is pretty compact and it would appear like 80% of the work area perimeter would be covered by rugs.  Do I just need some afghan-style teapot cozies to complete the old lady look?  :p

 

I'm tired of stepping through water drips at the sink and dishwasher, yet tired of telling the kids to wipe up water drips that can only be seen from one (which happens to be MY) angle.  More rugs=harder to sweep the floor and it's not getting done much as it is :blushing:

 

In the actual kitchen? Two. One in front of the sink, one in front of the cooktop. I just wipe up any spills in front of the fridge. I prefer having a rug at the cooktop (separate cooktop and oven) because although my hardwood cleans well and I love it, I just prefer having cooking splatters going onto the rug instead of onto the floor. Ditto in front of the sink.

 

OTOH, if I had laminate instead of hardwood, I'd probably keep a rug in front of the fridge, as well.

 

It has nothing to do with old age. :D

 

Having rugs at doors which go outside is smart. Don Aslett really promotes them because they catch much of the dirt and grit that would otherwise be tracked into your home. He likes rugs on the outside of the doors, as well. I have a rug inside and outside of my front and back doors, the garage door into the house, and the side door (lots of doors, lol).

[Kalypso]

This subject is making me laugh. Everytime my mother comes to visit she wants to put rugs all over in my kitchen. I object because it easier to clean the floor without them, and I hate how rugs always have stuff all over them. She then proceeds to tell me how she rarely has to move or wash hers. She can't seem to understand how having kids in the house makes that much of a difference.

 

I cannot begin to count how many times we have had this conversation over the years.

 

I am glad that so many of you agree with me.  :001_smile: