As much as area rugs can beautify a space in your home, they can often be tripping hazards, particularly if they’re not secured properly to the floor. This can be true for older adults worried about slipping and falling, as well as young children or pets running around. Plus, anyone who’s ever tried to vacuum an area rug knows the struggle if it won’t stay in place. Fortunately, there’s a low-profile solution for that, and reviewers say its “stick level is 1000”: a simple set of triangle rug grip tape to secure the corners.
As previous HuffPost reporting has stated, balance naturally declines with age, which can make getting around the home more difficult for adults worried about falling. Experts have suggested many ways to improve balance, including home solutions that can reduce fall risk, like handrails and traction tape.
While these solutions are no doubt helpful, some of them are unfortunately pretty conspicuous and can clash with the decor you might’ve already curated in your space. If you don’t want to get rid of your nice area rugs, however, you don’t have to: the Rabenda rug tape, which attaches at the corners of square and rectangular rugs, is meant to hide underneath and do its work without being seen.
The rug tape comes in sets of 12 triangles, which can provide maximum adhesion while still being ultra-thin. By securing the corners of your rugs, they prevent curling and slippage on hardwood floors, concrete, marble or tile (just note that they won’t work with jute rugs or rubber-backed rugs, and aren’t meant to attach rugs to carpeted floors). According to reviewers, “the grip is amazing,” with one even calling it a “perfect stocking stuffer for aging parents or grandparents.”
“Where has this magical corner sticky thing been all my life?! Seriously, it’s like I’ve been living in the dark ages of rugs,” another shopper gushed. “This little gem keeps carpets from doing their best impression of a runaway train, and the best part? They’re reusable! When they start looking like they’ve been through a mud wrestling match, just give them a quick wipe with water and — boom! — they’re brand new again.” Other folks agree, saying that the tape “didn’t leave any sticky residue behind on either the floor or the rug when removed.”
The review continued, “This genius invention has saved me from the chaos of carpets sliding around while I’m trying to vacuum. I’m telling you, it’s the best thing since sliced bread — if sliced bread could stick to the floor and stay put!”
They’re useful for more demographics than older adults, too. Reviewers with pets are also fans of how the tape keeps their rugs in place. “I have dogs, cats, rugs and hardwood floors,” said one. “We live in SC where the dirt is more sandy and these still hold the rugs. I’ve even repositioned rugs with the sticky on them and removed them to clean them. They hold REALLY well. I’m a klutz and one of my dogs is a tripod, so I need my rugs to be secured.” That reviewer also bought a set for their elderly mother to prevent her falling, and wrote, “She is floored (pun intended) by how well they hold up. BUY THEM they could save a life.”
Below, you’ll find even more reviews from impressed shoppers who found that this rug tape works exactly as advertised. This is a simple, affordable and low-profile way to keep your home a little safer, and make your life a little easier.
“I have to start by saying my husband had a back surgery and had to learn to walk again, we are older and have elderly parents as well, area rugs aren’t ideal however, I have a few/several. Keeping the rugs stable is very important at my house! I’ve tired several different kinds, double sided tape for rugs, brand name ETC but these actually work!!! These are THE BEST!!! They actually hold the carpet in place, very well!! I’ve been waiting awhile to write this review, wondering how they’d preform. These are my favorite, they are very strong and work just as needed - unlike many others.” — Anne
“Most of our house has laminate flooring which I try to cover with area rugs. A huge downside is that the rugs slide on the flooring, inducing mini-heart attacks as you lose your balance. These have stopped that! I can even vacuum the rugs without having someone else anchor them down and they also help prevent edges curling.” — Mandie Price
“These are amazing. The adhesive is strong. I’ve had them on the bottom of my area rugs for about a year and a half not and they really stick to the floor. But - here’s the best thing - when you have to lift it off, they come right off the floor with little to no residual adhesive left on your floor. The only reason I had to lift it and order new ones is because my dog had an accident on my 3x5 carpet at the front door. So I ordered a new rug and a new set of these adhesive triangles, and all is well. I have a German Shepherd and an Australian Shepherd who run circles around the first floor of my house - and I have area rugs throughout. Even with their rambunctious play my area rugs stay in place without a single slip. Trust me - these are the ones you want. I’ve tried the adhesive double-sided tape for rugs and although it worked - I went through 2 bottles of adhesive remover and ruined a putty knife scraping the residual adhesive. I’m so glad I never have to do that again with these perfect adhesive triangles.” — Heidi
“I honestly doubted these rug stickies. But I will be ordering more! I ordered them for aging in-laws who have lots of older rugs with curling up corners. I followed directions applying rug corners then pressed them down for 10 seconds on hardwood floor. And voila! They work! Curled corners are straight and stay adhered to floor. Easy to remove rug from floor for cleaning.
Be sure to clean floors before applying rug grippers.” — Amazon Customer
If balance is an issue around the house, these home solutions from a list curated by the HuffPost Shopping team can help prevent trips and falls:
Suction grab bars for your shower with a built-in safety indicator
Even without ongoing balance issues, slipping in the shower can be a concern, so you can’t go wrong with safety measures like this two-pack of non-slip grab bars that can suction to the wall and give you something steady to hold onto as you get in and out. The suction design allows them to be installed tool-free, but they’re still secure on smooth, non-porous and sealed walls. They even have a safety indicator that turns red if the suction is not attached correctly, so you know whether you have to adjust.
Promising review: “I’ve been using these for several months in my garden tub/shower. They hold to the wall strongly and support my weight when maneuvering in and out of the tub for balance. Bathing is so much better with these rails….just in case. They are attractive on the wall and barely noticeable as they blend in. Nice design and strong. Highly recommend this product. They do not leave any marks on your walls either. I have removed and re-situated my bars and they still work great! And create a strong seal again.” — Jean
The award-winning Gorilla Grip bath mat that can prevent scary bathroom falls
Having a non-slip surface to stand on in the bathroom is especially crucial, because your floors will inevitably get wet sometimes. This Gorilla Grip bath mat is so popular among HuffPost readers that we gave it a HuffPost Shopping Award, thanks to its plush chenille top and textured rubber backing that make it soft and durable, not to mention help it stay in place when you step on it.
My parents bought the bath mat in the gray color and rectangular shape shown here for their guest bathroom. I'm probably the person who's stepped on it the most frequently when I've stayed with them, and never once felt the rug slip underneath my feet. It's a godsend to have that sense of security, considering my parents' shower is a tub with a sliding glass door, an awkward design that makes getting in and out a bit of a to-do. The rug is also extremely absorbent, and feels like stepping onto a cloud. The bath mat super affordable and available in a staggering amount of colors, shapes and sizes to fit your bathroom.
Some motion-sensor night lights, so you can always avoid obstacles
The National Institute on Aging’s list recommends motion-activated lights plugged into the wall so you can always see where you’re going, even at night. This four-pack fits the bill, as it can detect motion up to 5 meters away with a range of 120 degrees, and the lights automatically shut off after 60 seconds of no motion. These lights also have five-step and stepless dimming. According to the brand, each nightlight has an annual energy cost of less than 2 cents.
Plus, if you just want the lights always on, you can choose “night mode” instead of the motion-sensing auto mode so that they switch on and stay on when the ambient light gets dark.
Promising review: “These lights are awesome! My husband and I bought them for our bedroom so that we wouldn’t trip on the dog in the middle of the night and my elderly parents have them so my dad does not fall on the way to the bathroom. The light is nice. You can make it lighter or not as bright and it only stays on for 60 seconds. You don’t have a night light on all throughout the night in the room….Id buy these over and over again great for functionality and safety!” — Krista