I found the rug near the sink gets diry....stuff drips on it...at least at our house it does. I bought one that is soft on both sides...one side has a loop, the other is like a pile. Sometimes I think it looks like a rug for a bathroom, but you can use it anywhere. Its not a bathmat with the rubber on one side. Mine is actually decorative, it has a darker brown border and a light taupe in the middle. I think I got it at Target, but I dont remember:( I can flip it once before I toss it in the laundry. It works well and wasnt expensive.

I second Gk's statement -- rugs by the sink do get spills.

Mine is an oval braided rug. I spot clean it and it can be hand washed or dry cleaned.

If you have children you might want to look at JCPenney's washable rugs so you can pop it in the machine.

I use Dash and Albert indoor out door striped rugs. They pretty much feel like cotton but they are made of Polypropylene. They come in a lots and lots of colors. I have one by my sink, one by the front door and one in the bathroom.
The one under the sink got splattered with red sauce the other day and i used my sink scrubby brush with a little bit of bleach and it rinsed right off, no stain and the bleach did not effect the color.

I really like them.

Here is a link that might be useful: dash and albert

I found one that's washable that goes with my kitchen's theme - at Ross!!! It was $4!!!! I was just amazed to find it there.

DonnaR/CA

Call me crazy, but I have a inexpensive version of a oriental rug--bought for about $35 from LNT. It is not washable, but because it's dark it's good at hiding the dirt. When the weather gets warmer though I'm going to take it outside and try hand scrubbing and rinsing as I don't want to hassle with dry cleaning. One problem I have is that the trim is starting to wear off--so I might need to replace, but I just love the look.

I used to use a rug by the sink in my kitchen. I have tile floors and, although they clean up easily and beautifully they were hard on my feet and legs if I was working in that area for quite a while. But the rug was constantly getting stained. Now I wear my 'kitchen clogs' instead - no rug for me! Then I just lightly dust or "Swifter" up when I'm done. Much easier.

We purchased (online) the JC Penney "English Garden" washable rug in the Beige, and are very pleased with it. We haven't had to wash it yet, but it looks great, does not show dirt, etc. A good selection to choose from.

I have a wool rug in very bright colors with lots of pattern (Susan Sargent) in front of the sink. By the stove, I have a red poly-pro braid runner from Crate & Barrel. They both get sent out for professional cleaning with the rest of the rugs every 6-12 months.

I found that rugs I can put in the wash end up looking crummy after a while. I'd rather pay to have a wool rug cleaned than have to replace the cheaper ones more often. I also have a hard time finding "my" colors -- bright!

The range of indoor/outdoor rugs has grown dramatically in the last few years. The best selection I've seen lately is at Plow & Hearth. They have bright colors, too! Unfortunate that I don't need any rugs right now.

Here is a link that might be useful: Check out the cute washable rugs!

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=4100&f=24238

This is what I use in my kitchen. I have two of different sizes. It is comfortable and washable.

They have many more options.

Hope picture shows up. I've never tried to send one before. If not, just check out Crate&Barrel.

A painted floorcloth is a perfect solution. You can damp mop and occasionally wax. I had one in front of my kitchen sink for over 10 years. I'm about to make one to go under my farm table. They can be any design; not just country or primitive.

Thanks for the input - you all are a big help! My problem is with my floor - matte finish, ceramic tile, black and white on the diagonal. Love the look but it is a pain to keep clean - even water spots show up and having a refrigerator with a water/ice dispenser only creates spots in front of that as well. Just about every night I have to damp mop it. Has anyone else made the mistake of decorating with a look you have in mind instead of considering how functional it would be? That might be a good thread to start on it's own.

arapaho,
I'm embarrassed to say that I agonized over bathroom floor tile; talked to many dealers and so called experts and finally made the wrong decision. White matte tile with 4 little glass tiles inserted on the diagonals. It looks messy all the time. Even bare feet get it dirty. It's not that it's white; it's because of the matte finish. I still can't believe that the dealers didn't mention that fact to me, especially when they always knew I was looking for bathroom floor tile.

annie1971, I regret so much getting a matte finish... no one gave me any insight either and I am sorry I didn't do the research. It's not like there's an easy solution without tearing the whole thing up and starting over again.

I'm a gelmat fan - bought my mother 2 for Christmas this year (she has no idea of the price and everyone else is sworn to secrecy because she wouldn't love them if she knew what they cost).

Here is a link that might be useful: Gel Mats

I've had a wool rug from Garnet Hill in front of my sink for over a year and it isn't visibly dirty... probably because it's a fairly dark and busy print! I can't have a lightweight cotton rug because every time my dog runs by, the rug gets tossed. I like Valinsv's idea for a kitchen rug, too -- I have the same exact rug by the tub in my master bath. I really don't like most "normal" bath rugs.

I've used Serge Lesage's washable rugs in the past.

Here is a link that might be useful: Serge Lesage Rugs

I have a real Persian runner. It's been in place for nearly 15 years without one spill, no stains. Real wool rugs do not attract dirt like poly and nylon ones, I read. DH who made the cabinets wants to change it out for something more minimalist, so that's an upcoming search for me. I will definitely get another wool runner.

{{!gwi}}

Like some of the posters above, I also found an inexpensive wool rug, red, approx. 2x3, with an oriental look. It cost about $25 at Marshalls or TJ Maxx. I loved the contrast between it and my wood floors, and my painted wood cabinetry. Very elegant and comfortable. I think I might have hosed it off and hung it out to dry once or twice.

We moved from that beautiful kitchen but when I redo this kitchen I will do the same.

I also want an inexpensive oriental or a braided rug, but yesterday I found a nice temporary rag type rug at of all places Target. it's very similar to the Crate adn Barrel one linked to above. They had a HUGE selections of area and throw rugs. I was surprised.

So I'm still lookign for a cheaper oriental or a cheaper braided. I found a very cheap oriental for my computer nook area (4x6) at Building 19 (new england junk store).

I'm another fan of oriental carpets in the kitchen, mostly for the look of course, but for practical reasons too. Wool really does a good job of repelling stuff, and as long as I'm not lax about tending to spills my rug doesn't seem any worse for the wear. It's a kilim and pretty dark so that helps too I guess. mqmoi, email me if you ever decide to sell that beautiful rug ;-)

I spent years buying rugs for a very long but very narrow galley kitchen.

Do I match?
Do I get both the same size?
Do I get rubber backing?
Do I get design or solid?

No matter --- I always ended up tossing them because they had to be washed so often that they would fall apart in no time.

Then I found Indoor/Outdoor rugs on Overstock dot com

They come in so many prints and colors now.

I bought one long 3 ft. wide printed runner almost 3 years ago.

When Vac'ing isn't enough I take the runner out back on the driveway, sprinkle some laundry detergent on it, hose it down, sometimes use a broom on it to loosen any ground in dirt, rinse it off and hang it on the dog-eared fence to dry.

Because I have tile, my feet and legs don't ache so badly after a long day of cooking because the runner covers the triangle (stove/sink/fridg)in my kitchen.

Mistakes?
What I thought would be perfect but turned out more work/stress/hassle than it was worth?
Oh Heck, I could write a book!

We also have an Oriental runner along our sink area and love it. It's pretty and does not show dirt.

If you use an oriental rug or runner, do you have a nonskid mat underneath? Does the rug shift and the mat stick out? Is it a pain to reposition the rug on the mat after mopping? I love the look of a real wool oriental, but have always found positioning the nonskid mat on area rugs to be a nuisance.

My kitchen, which I'd be willing to bet is the least illustrious kitchen on this forum, has oriental rugs. I bought those rubber grid rug mats from BB&B--they can be cut to fit the rug (cut 2" smaller than the rug, on all sides) and work extremely well, with very little shifting. I just pick up both the mat and rug when I clean the kitchen floor:

{{!gwi}}

We have a U-shaped kitchen and I've placed a long oriental type rug in front of the long row of cabinets on the right side and a matching smaller rug in front of the stove and in front of the sink.

Regular vacuuming keeps them looking clean and the pattern just doesn't show any dirt. They were inexpensive enough that I can replace them when they wear out. So far, they still look good after 5 years of wear.

{{!gwi}}