How to Keep Rugs From Slipping on Tile: 5 Easy Solutions

We know the pain of a rug that slips on tile flooring. Sometimes a small rug can spin in a complete circle by the day's end, or bunch up and cause a little stumble when you least expect it.

There are lots of way to keep your rug in place on slippery tile, from using double sided tape to placing a non slip pad under your rug.

And because we know a thing or two about how to keep rugs from sliding, we've put together a list of solutions for you to choose from.

5 simple tips to stop rugs from sliding on tiled floor

It's no secret that we sell rug pads, so we firmly believe in using an area rug pad as the solution to all your rug-slipping problems. But that doesn't mean that there are other solutions available that could work for you instead. It really depends on your budget, your rug type, and how permanent of a solution you want this to be.

The 5 best solutions for keeping your rug in place on tile flooring are:

1. non slip rug pad
2. use a rug with non slip backing
3. use silicone caulk
4. place heavy furniture over the top
5. use a rug gripper, such as sticky tape, velcro strips, or adhesive spray

1. Use a non-slip rug pad

Cost: medium
Effectiveness: high
Ease of Installation: easy
Damage Risk: low
Longevity: long term

Non-slip rug pads, sometimes called an anti-slip underlay, are the most versatile choice to keep rugs from slipping because they can be used on any type, in any shape, and also on any kind of tile floor. Our favorite reason for using our non-slip pad is that it keeps your rugs in place without causing damage to your floors.

How does it work?

A non-slip rug pad provides friction between a tiled floor and your area rug. A natural rubber rug pad, such as our Super-Lock Natural or Nature's Grip, will provide grippiness without sticking to your floor permanently, like a cheap rubber rug pad made of PVC will do. A felt rug pad will also work on tile, though is best for larger area rugs that aren't likely to slip due to their weight and size.

It’s cost-effective, easy to install, and extremely versatile.

Drawbacks

A cheap non-slip pad or rubber rug pad can actually cause damage, thanks to the adhesives that are often used in the non slip backing. The low quality is akin to putting a shelf liner underneath your rug, which would not only not grip but also begin to deteriorate, leaving a sticky mess.

2. Use rugs with non-slip backing

Cost: high
Effectiveness: high
Ease of Installation: easy
Damage Risk: medium
Longevity: long term

If a rug pad doesn't appeal to you, the next best thing is to buy rugs that only have a non-slip backing.

How does it work?

Traditional area rugs have a polypropylene backing with a shallow friction point. Rugs with a non-slip backing often use latex rubber for high friction contact with the tile floor. The same solution works for hardwood floors, too.

Drawbacks

While rugs with rubber backing are great for bathrooms, they're not always the best solution in the rest of your house because they often come at a higher price, thanks to the general manufacturing process. So if you're looking for larger area rugs with rubber backing to grip your ceramic tile, they'll likely be quite expensive. Plus, searching for a rug with a rubber non slip backing really limits your design options as a good portion of all area rugs do not come with it. It's worth noting that rubber will damage your laminate or vinyl floors.

3. Use silicone caulk to keep rugs from sliding

Cost: low
Effectiveness: high
Ease of Installation: medium
Damage Risk: high
Longevity: long term

Silicone caulk might be the right choice for you to keep your rug in place, but make sure you use it under the right conditions.

How does it work?

Silicone caulk can be purchased in nearly any hardware or home improvement store and is a common solution for keeping rugs in place. The caulk works like glue, securing itself both to your hard floor's surface and the back of your area rug.

Measure out where you want the rug to stay in place, and apply thin beads of caulk to hold the rug down the same way you’d apply glue with a hot glue gun.

Silicone caulk acts as an adhesive, just like hot glue. When the rug’s placed on top of the caulk, it sets after a few hours, keeping the rug from sliding.

It’s cheap and easy to apply, but there are risks.

Downsides

Use extreme caution when using silicone caulk because it can damage or stain wood flooring, vinyl tiles, and acrylic tiles. Plus, if you want to move the rug, removing the caulk could tear it and damage the floor during the removal process. This solution is best for those who are very certain that they'll like their rug in place for years to come. As such, it's a good commercial solution that many hotels and venues use.

4. Anchor your rug with heavy furniture

Cost: low
Effectiveness: medium
Ease of Installation: easy
Damage Risk: low
Longevity: short term

Using heavy furniture to anchor your area rugs is another good option.

This is by far the most inexpensive method (it’s free), but it has limited uses depending on where you want to place the rugs in your home.

How does it work?

Place the throw rugs on the floor near heavy furniture in the space. This could be anything - dressers, a coffee table, a sofa, a dining table, or a large armchair. Lift one of the furniture legs and put it on the edge or corner of the rug, and there you go.

If the furniture has enough weight, it should hold the throw rug or area rug in place.

Downsides

The largest downside of this method is limited placement options. Moving large, heavy furniture to the middle of the room and at an unnatural angle doesn’t make sense.

You’ll have to move the rug to meet the furniture, not the other way around, and that severely limits where you can place your rug.

5. Use rug gripper

Cost: low
Effectiveness: low
Ease of Installation: easy
Damage Risk: low
Longevity: short term

A rug gripper is either an adhesive or gripping patch that attaches to the backing of the rug and sticks to the floor.

How does it work?

A rug gripper could be a spray, velcro, or rug tape.

Spray

Rug gripper sprays come in cans that look similar to spray paint. Spray a patch on the backing of the rug and on its corresponding spot on the floor.

Immediately press the rug down and wait for the spray to set. This option is less permanent and damaging than using silicone caulk, but this also means the grip is not as strong.

Velcro

You can purchase velcro strips or square patches at home improvement stores, hardware stores, or craft stores. Simply remove the adhesive cover and stick a half onto the bottom of the rug and the other half onto the floor.

This option can be a little better than sprays or rug tape because the velcro patch’s adhesive tends to be slightly stronger than the other methods and using it allows you to adjust the rug's position if it doesn’t lay just the way you want it.

Rug tape

Rug tape is a type of carpet tape, similar to the double-sided tape you find in an office supply store. Tear off the double sided carpet tape, and apply as many strips as needed to the rug’s backing.

Press the rug down on your desired spot, and the tape will stick instantly. As with the spray option, the tape will hold your rug in place, but the bond is not as strong as silicone caulk.

Downsides

Rug grippers are an inexpensive, easy, and fast option, but this is a clear case of getting what you pay for.

These adhesives are not very strong, so they only hold the rug in place during light use, and wear out over time. They're worth testing out if you're not ready to commit to something pricier, but beware of using them on vinyl or laminate flooring as the chemical reaction between the sticky tape and the flooring could cause damage.

FAQs about how to keep rugs in place on tile floors

As you can see, there are several options to keep your rug from slipping. Here are frequent questions related to this topic.

How do I keep my bathroom rug from slipping?

Rug pads are your best option for the bathroom. Caulks and adhesives dissolve in high humidity areas, so running a hot shower or bath will reduce the effectiveness of anything sticky.

What is the best rug gripper?

The best bug gripper is rug tape — you can buy it in bulk, plus it’s easy to store, easy to apply, and the cleanest to fix if you make a mistake. That being said, it is not what we recommend as it can leave residue and potentially damage the flooring, depending on the material used.

What is the best non-slip rug pad for tile floors or ceramic tiles?

RugPadUSA makes the best non-slip rug pad for tile floors. You can check out our collection of sizes and styles here.

Will rubber-backed rugs discolor ceramic tile?

No. Natural rubber-backed rugs will not discolor ceramic tiles.