Rugs are vital in our homes, but many people tend to take them for granted forgetting how helpful they are to their lives. Do you ever take the time to think when you are stepping on that soft material in your home that makes you enjoy the comfort of the floor beneath your bare feet? Imagine how the same scene would be if there was no rug and you are stepping on that cold floor sending shivers of cold through your nerves. This is the moment you realise just how crucial rugs are in your home and wish you had one beneath your feet. There are diverse types of rugs meant for different areas around the house. Let us take this moment to acquaint ourselves with the difference between outdoor and indoor rugs.
The first difference between indoor and outdoor rugs is that the materials that are used to make these rugs differ from each other. Every time you see that friend of yours who has a big backyard you can tell the differences between the materials that have been used for the rug they have outside and the one they have on the inside. I mean even just at looking at most of the welcome mats that you encounter at people’s doorsteps are made from an entirely different material. The outdoor materials are made from a material that is tough and can withstand the various elements that Mother Nature throws at them. Indoor rugs are made from a softer material, and this is because they are mostly kept away from the harsh elements outside the house. Outdoor rugs are made from sturdy natural and synthetic materials such as sisal and nylon this is so the carpet or rug you get for the backyard can last a long time before you have to think about getting a new one. Indoor rugs are made from materials that aren’t as tough like wool. Imagine a situation where you take that beautiful wool rug you have in your living room and put it in the backyard for a week, and you would have to buy a new rug for the living room because that wool one would be surely destroyed. This isn’t to say that the rugs inside the house can’t be made of sisal, here it all boils down to what you as the customer prefer.
Another difference between indoor and outdoor rugs is that outdoor rugs can be used as indoor rugs. Outdoor rugs have more merits than indoor rugs in regards to the materials that are used to make them. These materials have the ability to thrive even in harsh conditions since their purpose is required outside the house where there is no protection from the house roof and the walls. This aspect makes them also suitable to be used as an alternative for indoor rugs. Outdoor rugs are designed and produced with the ability to resist fading due to their exposure to the UV rays that are destructive. Outdoor rugs are designed to resist stains from mud and dirt. They are designed with the ability to withstand rain without getting soggy at all unlike indoor rugs that will stain and get muddy thus losing its value and can only be discarded and replaced with another one which is expensive. They are designed to resist mold and also possess mildew resistance qualities which lack in indoor rugs. Indoor rugs are only suitable in the interior areas of the house since the materials are made from cannot withstand these harsh environment that is outside the protection of the house roof and walls. Outdoor rugs can be used in diverse areas outside the home setting like in garages, shades and the basement. This is because they are made with the power to overcome Mother Nature’s harsh conditions under any environment. If indoor rugs are used for the outdoor purpose, this will be a waste of resources since they will be destroyed with no time and this is a major difference between the two kinds of rugs.
The other difference between outdoor and indoor types of rugs is the design that is used to make them. When I talk about design, I’m talking about the colors, patterns that are used or put into the rug when it is being made. Here we see that indoor rugs tend to have intricate designs on them, the designers of these rugs incorporate different colors and patterns when making them. This makes them not only appealing but also offers so many varieties that buyers are free to choose from, you can also them in different ways. When it comes to outdoor, they tend to mostly have one color and where there are patterns they tend to be very simple in nature. This is because most people buying outdoor tend to look at how durable it is over how lovely it looks when purchasing one.
Outdoor rugs can be very slippery when placed on the floor and can cause serious injuries or even result in death. This can happen if one accidently steps inappropriately, slides and hits the floor maybe with the head. This can cause internal bleeding, memory loss or serious body fractures. To prevent this from happening, one is advised to buy an appropriate rug pad that curbs the slipperiness and protects the floor. On the other hand, indoor rugs are not slippery and very comfortable thus they pose no danger to the people moving around the house. Unlike outdoor mat that requires a rug pad which is an added expense to buying the rug, indoor rugs do not need any rug pad to stabilize them on the floor.
Another difference between outdoor and an indoor rug is that because of the materials that are used to make outdoor rugs, these rugs have a higher possibility to shed than indoor rugs that are made of soft texture materials. Outdoor rugs are usually placed outside the house, and thus they get dirty fast due to many people stepping on them with dirty shoes and such. They are also exposed to dirt blown by the wind. This means that outdoor rugs must be cleaned on a regular basis to avoid staining and to make them more durable. It is also important to vacuum outdoor rugs regularly to ensure that dirt does not accumulate and get into the fibers. It is also wise to regularly sweep clean beneath outdoor rugs to prevent them from being destroyed from underneath. Indoor rugs on the other side are placed in the house where the overall environment is clean. This is because most people opt to walk barefooted on this rugs in the house and this lifestyle ensures that indoor rugs are maintained clean. Therefore, it takes a long time for indoor rugs to become dirty and thus they are cleaned after a long duration of time. Indoor rugs are also easy to clean and take lesser time than outdoor rugs that usually have more stubborn dirt.
Color and style make another difference distinguishing indoor rugs from outdoor rugs. Indoor rugs are used for their aesthetic value in the home. They give the interior areas of a house such a great, beautiful look that is appealing to anybody that comes into the house. Indoor rugs have distinct, bright colors matching the décor and the furniture in your home. For decorated homes, rugs with more brilliant colors are more applicable so as to rhyme with the color of the walls and the furniture present. They also come with diverse style meeting your taste and preferences. Outdoor rugs, on the other hand, have limited style options. They have small piles that are necessary and designed to thrive the outside environmental conditions. Long fibers are perfect for creating indoor rugs but are a poor choice for making outdoor rugs since they are vulnerable to mold and mildew. Outdoor rugs do not need to have bright colors since they do not get much attention for they are basically outside the house. Also due to their high possibility of becoming dirty due to the outside conditions and dirt being blown by the wind, outdoor rugs are made of dark colors which will are easier to clean and do not easily stain like bright colors. Dark color like black and brown are the most popular for outdoor rugs. These colors do not contact dirt easily making them the best choice of any outdoor rug. They are also easier to clean than having bright colors for an outdoor rug that will give you a headache to vacuum now and then since the small amount of dirt is visible due to the bright colors. Bright colors also take a lot of time to clean are they have high chances of staining in the process.
Outdoor rugs are used for introducing an aesthetic look to areas initially under severe conditions like covering up a dirty old floor while indoor rugs are used basically for adding a little touch to our homes since the interior of many homes is always in good shape.
