Most visitors to this blog have found our feature of this eco-green towel-recycling DIY bathroom mat.
I’ve noticed however, that not everyone has good ‘bathroom mat treatment’ habits, so I thought to share a few tips with you today to begin with.
And at the end of this article, I’ll give you an overview of the various handmade rugs I’ve featured here over the years.
Care Tips for Your Recycled Towel Bathroom Rug / similar Handmade Rugs
1. Dry Your Mat, Everyday.
Personally I love standing on a nice, soft and DRY bathmat after my bath, instead of one that’s cold and soggy from the day before. This nice thick cotton bathmat is wonderful for the soft on your feet experience, however, do hang it up after use. This avoid having to stand on a damp mat the next time and it avoids mildew which is bad for your health.
2. Wash this Mat smartly.
In the ‘quick quick’-clean-up mode that we are all in at times, it might be easily overlooked that this mat is in fact ‘delicate’ in some ways. However, it took you 2+ hours (or, perhaps more likely: a couple of evenings in front of the TV) to make this beautiful rug. So let’s take care of it instead of ruining it by putting it in the washer and dryer. This is NOT that kind of rug. It’s made of strips of towel which are ‘unfinished’.
Instead, soak this mat in a bucket with some soap, rinse it and hang it to drip dry. You won’t have to wash this mat every week. (If you are daring, and if you have a washing machine that can ‘massage’ cloths instead of ‘putting them through the wringer’, then you might try using the washing machine, on your own risk). Common sense.
3. Make it Anti-slip.
It appears that lots of bathroom accidents happen because people slip and fall. This is so easily avoided by picking the right backing to begin with. Or, if your particular mat still slides on your particular bathroom floor, than walk over to Target or equivalent and pick up a thin anti-slip under mat. They only cost a few bucks. In fact, don’t leave the house, just order one online here: Get an Under mat Today!
RECYCLED / HANDMADE RUGS
Rug making patterns, instructions & tips:
- Here’s how to Make the nice ‘n’ thick Bathroom Rug from Old Towels that’s shown above.
- Contemporary ‘grass’ Rug (soft on feet; shown on the right)
- Recycled knitted Cabled Sweater Rug
- Contemporary Handmade / Crochet Area Rugs
- Rugs for Kids Bedrooms and Play rooms
IMAGE SOURCES
Bathroom rug: Michelle Kaufmann, http://michellekaufmann.com/2008/09/green-it-yourself-video-eco-bath-rug
Green grass rug, photo + pattern: Lion Brand
Cant wait to try this one!
I want to try this project but question why it cannot be machine washed since it is made from towels?
What are “unfinished” towels? K.
Hi Kay,
Well, washing machines are tough on clothings and textiles. Projects made with unfinished edges will fray, and are therefore best washed in a bucket with mild soapy water, and only once in a while. Towels have tiny loops and many come off when you cut up a towel. t-shirt yarn is less fray-ey, and I personally think is more practical and in the long run, more aesthetically pleasing, particularly when short strips are used. Hope this answers your questions.
Rose
I agree with you in using t-shirt fabric instead…..before reading this article I have made to date 2 rag rugs……. green and white sewn on canvas background. They came out very well finished…love them so I plan to make 5 more colours.
I gasped when I saw these! They are beautiful and fun! I put these on my project list and will give them a try for sure :)
If you cut the towels on the bias, they won’t fray as much…..it’s not as ‘easy’ but the mat/rug may last longer.
I want to make one from towels and some from old Tshirts too…
luv them
hugs
I love this idea and I am keen to try it out but where do you find the plastic canvas in that size?
–> this question is answered in the text itself.
I have not been able to find the instructions on the towel rugs and want to try them where on your site do I find them.
Hi Valerie, the link is the first in the link section below the article, i.e. https://www.finecraftguild.com/eco-friendly-bath-mat-fun-diy-project-to-do-in-the-easter-break/ You will find step by step instruction and an entire video explanation with details and howto. Hope you enjoy making the towel rug. ~ Rose
2 Hours? Are you kidding?? This is likely to take an entire day.
I am just wondering if you need to finish the edges? I love the idea and am anxious to make one!
Hi Janet,
Well, it may depend on what type of canvas/base you’re using, but generally speaking you do not need to finish the edges of the mat as the towel strands will hang over them. Hope that makes sense.
Rose
Do you cut the t-shirt the same size as the towels?
I’m in the middle of making one of these and it is way harder than I imagined. The canvas/matting piece keeps breaking even though I’m using the exact one from the tutorial and cut the towels exactly as directed to. Also, this creates a disaster of a mess. Little pieces of towel bits are everywhere. I feel like the first strips I tied on will be completely frayed to nothing by the time I finish. Is anyone else having troubles?!
Do you cut the tshirts the same size as the towels.
Depends. I would not.
Look at where the rug is going to be.
How much tshirt yarn you have.
Tshirt yarn is a lot less thick than towels.
Consider these 3 factors, and voila…
You’ll know what’s probably best.
Remember this is not a science
But an art and recycling project.
HAVE FUN with it and experiment
I am having a mess of a time. How do u keep towel from fraying? Does it ever stop? Cute idea, just not what I expected!
use leftover fleece, no fraying.
Sharon, that’s brilliant! Great rug making idea. But what to do with those unused to-be-discarded towels then???
Sharon, that’s brilliant! Great rug making idea. But what to do with those unused to-be-discarded towels then???
I don’t know what they are using but this does not work. I have the right size or the size that is in the link for the mat and my 5 towels and and latch hook and let me tell you. it doesn’t come through the holes. they show you them tying them but let me see you get that towel in this tiny hole. towels too thick.
Sounds like you have high pole, high quality towels! That’s not a bad thing, but a good thing. But it does mean that you’ll have to make the mat differently if the towels don’t work through the holes. Try catching the strips with a crochet hook and some thin yarn in the same color as your towels. This might work a lot faster than tie-ing knots, anyway… Try it!