The scary truth about most non slip rug pads that not a lot of people know, is that not only are they harmful to your health but also to your floors. Approximately 90% of the non slip rug pads sold come from overseas manufacturers. The non slip rug pads are a breeding ground for VOC emissions and odor causing bacteria because they are full of chemicals. PVC pads also contain high quantities of petrochemical oils, a leading contributor to the discoloration and marring of the finish in your floor as time passes. The oil dissipates into your hardwood flooring, often causing damage that is beyond repair. There are several forums online discussing how these chemicals can have a negative impact on hardwood floors.
Price vs Quality
The reason that most manufacturers buy these toxic non slip rug pads from overseas makers is customers continue to search for the lowest price rather than the better quality. When consumers are only concerned with getting the cheapest non slip rug pads. Not aware how damage to their flooring is affected or how these non slip rug pads usually only last a few years before falling apart.
Kamran Hashemi is the founder and third generation rug retailer based out of Fairfield County CT. After receiving complaints from his customers year after year because of poor rug pad quality, he decided to launch his own rug pad company. He did not want to jeopardize his existing client base any longer.
One of the most common problems with cheap rug pads is they tend to sweat, causing the flooring underneath to discolor. The oils released from poorly made PVC padding will react with the fine finish of hardwood flooring causing permanent damage.
Most Latex or Rubber non slip rug pads often last a few years before they break down and turn to dust. These types of pads are often simply filled with clay fillers that break down quickly and cause damage to the floor below. The reason this issue is not such a hot topic is most homeowners never pull back the rugs to see the damage until it is too late. The price of rug pads is extremely attractive to homeowners, but the majority of them will not last very long. Overseas manufactures are aggressively looking for ways to continue to cut costs, causing the quality to suffer further.
Here are just a few reasons why these manufacturers continue to produce poor quality rug pads.
1. Rug pad consumers never look under their rugs.
2. The non slip rug pad rarely come with any type of warranty to protect against floor damage.
3. To the untrained eye there is no difference in quality.
Examples of Non Slip Rug Pads
Most non slip rug pads are made in the same factory, simply dyed different colors to represent the supplier. Most have little latex, simply stuffed with a poor clay filler material. The combination of rubber and clay will begin to break down in a few years. The manufacturer is counting on by that time you forget even where you bought the rug pad. The reason there are so little complaints is people simply do not take the time to inspect the quality of their rug pads.
PVC Pads versus Rubber Pads
The PVC pad has difficulty allowing air flow, so they stick to the floor and damage the fine finish. If used in humid or hot climates, they will stain the flooring finish. Rubber pads are by far the safest of all the rug pad materials. The rubber grips the floor but still allows the surface to breathe. Rubber padding is eco-friendly, made from 100% rubber tree sap, and is difficult to tell from other types of padding by looks alone.
I would like to thank Will from http://rugpadusa.com/ for opening our eyes up to the difference in a good quality, eco friendly non slip rug pad and a harmful cheap one.
Was this blog post helpful and did you know there was such a difference?
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