Buying Guide: How To Choose The Right Doormat For Your Entryway

Choosing a new doormat for your home is by no means an easy decision. After putting endless work into the rest of your home, don’t let this first rug in your house look like an after thought. As the doormat is the first glimpse of your home new visitors will see, you’ll want to make a good impression.

On top of that, the doormat is your home’s first line of defence against all the debris that might come from wet boots and shoes. As well as also being an easy way to instantly make your entryway look organised and pulled together. So, it’s important to consider a mat’s material and size in relation to where it will be used.

We break down the essentials to look for here.

What doormats do is to effectively catch grit, dirt, dust and other abrasive materials which are dragged into the house from the outside on the soles of your shoes. However, doormats aren’t only used for being practical and functional. They can also be highly attractive, depending on where you shop and how much you have to spend on them.

You need to get doormats for all the main entrances of your home. This includes back doors and side doors as well as the front door. Even a very small doormat placed at each of these points in your home can do wonders when it comes to protecting your wood floors.

As you look through our selection of rugs, think about how your home is decorated or what you’re trying to get it to look like as you redecorate. If you’re going for a simple effect in a standard entryway, a striped or patterned rug might be the right choice for you.

Striped or patterned rugs allow you to jazz up the entryway in other ways. For example, you can add a brightly coloured wallpaper or a decorative lighting fixture to the space and let the rug serve as a subtle accent.

When should I choose a hall runner over a smaller doormat?

In a typical-size entry (not too small and not too large), rectangle rugs, hall runners, and oval rugs work best. As they offer a soft-landing spot while hinting at the style of your home.

In a long, hallway-style entrance, we suggest a runner that extends almost the entire length of the hallway. Within a square or rectangular space, try a rectangular rug. Also, try leaving at least 8 inches of the floor on all sides of the rug. If you’re going for personality, we suggest an oval shape, a rug with a bold pattern, or a tasselled version.

Do you love having guests round to your home? If only you could guarantee that they wouldn’t bring half of the countryside in with them though, right? Your brother in-law’s muddy boots have often been the source of tension. As, every time he visits, he treads dirt through your immaculate living room.

We all know a sweeping brush isn’t the most fitting accessory to a nice evening dress, so put a stop to having to follow everyone round, sweeping up as you go and invest in an indoor doormat.

Often, they can be a bit of an eye-sore, not really coordinating with the rest of your home’s interior and looking just that bit too chunky. Not forgetting the amount of times the other half has slid over on it shortly before darting a quizzical, and slightly embarrassed, glance in your direction as if to say ‘what is this even here for?’

Make yours part of the furniture and choose a simple, yet durable welcome mat for your home.
They will be a great addition to your hallway! So whether you want a fun message or simply say ‘Welcome’. These doormats are sure to make your guests feel at home!

It’s common that there are at least one of these hard-working spaces in any home, whether it’s the main entrance or the dining room one. Mudroom doormats take a beating from foot traffic and all the necessities of a lived-in home (shoes, backpacks, sporting gear), so they need a little extra care.

We suggest durable indoor-outdoor rugs with a pattern to camouflage dirt and prevent more of it from getting into your home.

Patterned rugs are also a great choice, if you’d rather keep your walls subtle for the entryway. They can hide stains better than their solid counterparts, though again, light colours may not be the best choice if you live in a snowy or rainy climate. If your entryway is a low-traffic formal foyer, a light-coloured patterned rug can have a big impact on the space, giving it an elegant look and feel.

Keep in mind, however, that dirt and other stains tend to show up easily on solid colours – especially lighter shades – so if you tend to come in and out of the entryway with muddy boots on, you should opt for a darker colour.

Don’t let your guests walk all over your floors. Welcome them in style with doormats. It should be just as fun to decorate your outdoor space as it is to decorate your indoor space! One way to translate your style to your home’s exterior or patio is by adding an outdoor rug.

Outdoor mats are designed to reflect the same trends and styles found in interior floor coverings, but are made specifically for outdoor use. Whether you are decorating a porch or patio, outdoor mats can be highly effective in trapping dirt before entering the house and reducing the amount of dust and dirt that comes into the building.

Your doormat is one of the first things guests see. Why not spend time creating one that reflects you? Whether a solid colour or patterned, make sure your guests wipe off muddy shoes before coming inside. While not everyone may want to take their shoes off before entering your home, it is a good way to ensure that your mats stay stain free.

However, no matter what kind of rug you end up choosing, it’s a good idea to stick a non-slip rug pad underneath if your entryway floor is a slick material such as hardwood or tile. A rug pad grips the rug in place and keeps it from shifting under foot traffic.

A clean doormat will trap more dirt and debris, so clean doormats as often as possible. For most indoor mats, all you have to do is take them outside occasionally and give them a good shake to remove the dust as well as a once-over with the vacuum cleaner now and then. Or if it’s plastic fibres, wood or rubber, simply hose down the mat and air dry it.

When mats are really grimy, hose them down and scrub them with a squirt of liquid soap in warm water. Rinse and allow to thoroughly air-dry. If you prefer, upholstery shampoo is also fine. Make sure the mats are completely dry before you put them back on the floor. Moisture trapped underneath could damage your floors. Replace mats when they get threadbare, as worn ones are less effective at trapping dirt.

What you want to do is stop the dirt in your tracks – specifically, on the soles of your shoes. There are other ways that dirt gets in – and in particular, you may be thinking of dirt that comes through the air and open windows – but what you bring in on your feet is of far greater significance.

So use doormats at every entrance to your home, inside and out. Most of the grime in your home comes from the outside, the bulk of it coming in unnoticed on shoes that don’t appear to be either muddy or dirty.

Floor mats also are a good idea near high-traffic or spill-prone spots such as the fridge, the bath and the toilet.

What you want to do is stop the dirt in your tracks – specifically, on the soles of your shoes. There are other ways that dirt gets in – and in particular, you may be thinking of dirt that comes through the air and open windows – but what you bring in on your feet is of far greater significance.

So use doormats at every entrance to your home, inside and out. Most of the grime in your home comes from the outside, the bulk of it coming in unnoticed on shoes that don’t appear to be either muddy or dirty.

Floor mats also are a good idea near high-traffic or spill-prone spots such as the fridge, the bath and the toilet.

While doormats come in many sizes and shapes, it’s important that it fits in size with your door.

It goes without saying that both feet have to fit on the doormat, but make sure that it’s at least about 3/4 or 80% the width of the doorway where it will be used. Also, consider height: we’ve all had mats that are too thick and slide or get stuck when we open a door, so keep thick mats to outdoor use.

Acrylic with either a vinyl or rubber backing is the best choice for an indoor doormat as you’ll be able to vacuum or shake it outside to get rid of the dirt. Buy one that will coordinate with your décor, but several shades darker. That way, it will hide the worst of the dirt.

Mats for outside your door are usually made of rubber. If you live in the country or have a driveway that gets very muddy, keep a wire rack underneath the mat. This will be handy if your family or guests need to scrape mud from their boots or shoes before they enter the house.

Our Hug Rugs range are the perfect doormat for pet owners.  The soft, dense nylon pile traps dirt, dust and mud absorbing up to three times its own weight in water to protect your clean floors. Machine washable up to 30 degrees and stain resistant, making it look fresh and new wash after wash. Each rug has been treated with aegis active hygiene technology which provides optimal hygiene and freshness, prevents the development of bacteria and fungi and prevents the indirect effect the settlement of dust mites.

We would certainly recommend having both an indoor and outdoor doormat, especially if you are a lover of walks in the great outdoors. The outdoor mat is designed with bristles that help to scrape off the bulk of debris on the soles of the shoes. Additionally outdoor doormats are slip resistant and built to withstand all weather conditions. In contrast, indoor doormats are designed to absorb any remaining moisture to ensure a clean hallway! The two are the perfect match.

There are two main points to consider when choosing between a runner and a doormat: Style and Functionality.

Hallway runners more often than not are a style choice, with hundreds of bold patterns and colours available they are the best way to bring your hallway to life. They are perfect for adding character and design. Doormats on the other hand, are much more a choice for functionality. Primarily for muddy shoes, made with absorbent materials to ensure you step into your house without a trace of mud.

After thinking about the practicality of your rug choice, make sure it matches with the general decor of your home, particularly any curtains, art or furniture that happens to be within view of the entryway. After all, and entryway is a chance to make a first impression of your home.

For more information on Doormats or Hug Rugs, click here to browse our selection.

Where in your home, do you use rugs? Which materials have you found to be the best? Let us know in the comments below.

Updated July 2021