Ask an Editor: How to Flatten a Rug

Dear Editor,

I’m thinking about ordering a rug online but need some advice first. I prefer to buy rugs in-store so I can feel the materials and see the colors in person before committing, but recently I haven’t been able to find exactly what I’m looking for. I’m finally considering buying a rug online but I haven’t had the best experience with it in the past. I’ve ordered one rug online before but it came so tightly bound that it took weeks for the corners to stay down and months of regular vacuuming to get the bends out of the fabric. I’d rather not have to deal with that again.

So, my question is: do you know how to flatten a rug quickly after it’s been shipped? Also, are there certain qualities of a rug that I should look for when shopping online that make it more prone to stiffness? Please help!

Sincerely,
Crimped at the Corners

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Dear Crimped at the Corners,

I totally get your hesitation, the last thing you want when you roll your new area rug out is crimps and curled corners. Luckily, there are several things you can try to flatten your new rug out quickly! The first thing you can try is simply flipping the rug over once it’s unrolled and giving it a day or two to flatten out naturally. You can speed this natural process up by adding some natural heat from the sun if you happen to be in a warm climate. Put down a tarp outside and lay your rug out on it upside down, the heat from the sun should help it loosen up and flatten out on its own. You can also use the reverse roll up method – simply flip it over, roll it up, and give it a day or so to straighten out (also highly effective for yoga mats).

If you need to straighten things out a little faster, you can purchase some double-sided carpet tape and tape it to the floor – this works best on hardwood, vinyl, or tiled floors – but it might not be the best option if you like to move things around frequently.

Another quick fix is to use artificial heat, either with a hair dryer or a steam iron. Use caution with these methods since some synthetic rug materials like polypropylene, nylon, and polyester can actually melt if they get hot enough. You can use a hair dryer or an iron’s steam setting to relax rolled corners, but only with a barrier material such as a sheet or a towel placed between the heat source and the rug for added protection.If you try this method, keep the iron on the low heat setting to avoid damaging your new rug.

If you want to avoid purchasing a stiff rug, you’ll want to consider two factors: thickness and material. Thinner rugs with a shorter pile height will be more flexible, so look for a rug with a thin to medium pile height (0" – 0.75" height). If a washable rug is something you’re interested in, this is going to be the easiest to flatten out since you can literally throw it in the washing machine and lay it out flat to dry to vanquish any wrinkles. When it comes to materials, natural options like wool, cotton, and silk are known for being soft and flexible. Some stiffer options to avoid would be jute, sisal, braided materials, and flatweave rugs.

Best of luck on your carpet quest!

Sincerely,
Wayfair Editor