Is Ruggable Non-Toxic? An Honest Answer From Someone Who Sells Washable Rugs

By Sandy Wong, Founder of Rugs by Roo. Mom of three.

I get this question almost every week.

Usually it's a mom who's about to hit “buy” on a Ruggable. She's seen them everywhere, they're washable, the designs are pretty, and washable is exactly what she needs with a toddler and a dog. But something made her pause. She went looking for what it's actually made of, couldn't find a clear answer, and ended up in my inbox.

So let me give you the clear answer I wish she'd found sooner.

What Ruggable rugs are actually made of

This isn't a secret. It's on Ruggable's own site, you just have to dig for it.

The rug cover is 100% polyester with a polyurethane layer that makes it water-resistant. The rug pad underneath is roughly 95% recycled polyester with a thermoplastic rubber base, the same kind of material used in yoga mats.

Polyester is a plastic. It's made from petroleum. So a Ruggable is, at its heart, a plastic rug that happens to be washable and nicely designed.

None of that makes it evil. Recycled polyester is genuinely better than virgin plastic, and a washable rug keeps a lot of spills out of the landfill. I want to be fair here. Ruggable solved a real problem for busy families, and that's worth something.

But “washable” and “non-toxic” are two different promises. Ruggable delivers the first one. It was never really trying to deliver the second. (More on that distinction in Are Washable Rugs Non-Toxic?)

What “non-toxic” actually means for a rug

Here's the thing. When most of us say we want a non-toxic rug, we mean a few specific things:

• No synthetic fibers off-gassing into the room where our kids play
• No added stain treatments or flame retardants
• No plastics or microplastics shedding where a baby crawls
• Materials we can actually trace back to the source

A polyester rug with a polyurethane coating doesn't check those boxes. Not because anyone's hiding something, but because plastic is the material. That's the whole design.

If you've already been buying organic food and swapping out your cleaning products and checking labels on the EWG app, you already know this instinct. You're not looking for “a rug.” You're looking for a safe rug. Those are not the same search.

So, is Ruggable non-toxic?

No, not in the way most health-conscious families mean it.

It's synthetic. It's plastic-based. It's low-VOC and convenient and fine for plenty of homes. But it is not a natural-fiber rug, and it is not organic. If keeping synthetics out of your kids' spaces is the reason you started looking in the first place, Ruggable won't get you there.

And honestly, if convenience is your only priority and the material doesn't worry you, a Ruggable might be a perfectly good pick. I'd rather tell you that than sell you something you don't need. But most of the people who ask me this question are asking because the material does worry them. If that's you, keep reading.

What we make instead

This is the gap I built my company to fill.

Our Tuft Love collection is a machine-washable rug made from GOTS-certified organic cotton. GOTS is the highest standard in textiles. It certifies the cotton from the farm all the way to the finished rug, including the dyes and every step in between. No PFAS. No synthetic fibers. No plastic coating.

So you get the one thing that made you look at Ruggable in the first place, washability, without giving up the thing you actually care about. You can throw it in the wash after the spaghetti incident, and it's still organic cotton your baby is rolling around on.

We also carry natural wool, jute, and cotton rugs, and every rug on our site is scored with our ROO Rating so you can see at a glance how clean it really is. Good, Better, or Best. No greenwashing, no guessing.

How to decide between them

A quick, honest way to think about it:

• Choose Ruggable if your only real priority is easy washing and the synthetic material genuinely doesn't bother you.
• Choose a washable organic cotton rug if you're trying to keep plastics and synthetics out of your home and you still need something you can clean easily.
• Order a swatch first, either way. Feeling the actual material in your own space, in your own light, next to your own furniture, tells you more than any product photo ever will.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ruggable made of plastic?
Yes. The rug cover is 100% polyester and the backing is mostly recycled polyester with a thermoplastic rubber base. Polyester is a petroleum-based plastic.

Does Ruggable off-gas?
Any new synthetic textile can release some odor when it's unwrapped, which usually fades. The larger consideration for most families isn't a strong smell, it's that the rug itself is made from synthetic, plastic-based fibers rather than natural ones. (More on how rugs off-gas.)

What's the most non-toxic washable rug?
A rug made from GOTS-certified organic cotton is one of the cleanest washable options available, because GOTS certifies the entire supply chain, from the raw cotton to the dyes to the finished product. That's exactly what our Tuft Love collection offers: a machine-washable rug made from GOTS-certified organic cotton.

Are natural fiber rugs harder to clean than Ruggable?
Not anymore. That used to be the tradeoff, and it's exactly why we built a washable organic cotton line. You no longer have to choose between “safe” and “easy to clean.”

Related reading

• Are Washable Rugs Non-Toxic? What “Washable” Actually Tells You
• What Is a GOTS-Certified Rug?
• Best Non-Toxic Rugs for a Nursery
• Do Rugs Off-Gas? What VOCs in Rugs Actually Mean

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If you're standing at this exact crossroads right now, I've been where you are, and so have thousands of the families we've helped. You don't have to become a materials expert to make a good choice. You just need someone to tell you the truth about what's in the thing.

That's the whole reason Rugs by Roo exists.

Come find the rug that fits your family. Order a swatch, or just reply and ask me anything. I read every message.

Warmest,
Sandy

Sandy Wong is the founder of Rugs by Roo and host of the Healthy Home Summit. A former CPA and mom of three, she started the company after struggling to find a rug that was both safe for her kids and durable enough to survive them. Rugs by Roo has served thousands of families and holds a 4.8-star rating across 337 reviews.