How To Clean Ll Bean Waterhog

[And sometimes a Friday Family-Friendly Find falls on a Saturday! It's just one of those unexplained phenomena of the universe…yep, that's it ;).]

There are some home furnishing and decor items I honestly struggle with, for one reason or another. Most often, the problem is with functionality and/or durability. One such category is bathroom accessories. The quality is often lacking, sometimes even when you spend big bucks for the high end stuff. But that's for another day and, with a little luck, another Friday Family-Friendly Find!

Today's find is a solution for another one of those home products that has made me scratch my head in the past: the humble door mat. I'm talking about the mat (or rug, if you wish) that sits right inside the door where you and your family come in most of the time – a mudroom, a front door, a side door, back door, whatever. When those muddy shoes or snowy boots come in, do you want them stepping on a fine Persian hand-knotted area rug? Probably not! But we also don't want a silly ultra-utilitarian, ultra-ugly door mat because we like ALL the things to be easy on the eyes – especially the first thing you see when you walk in the door! Right!?

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LL Bean Waterhog mats have become my go-to solution for an inside doormat that won't sear your eyeballs, and actually does what it is supposed to do.

Friday Family-Friendly Find: LL Bean Waterhog Mat | Interiors for Families | Blog of Kelly Rogers Interiors — LL Bean Everyspace Recycled Waterhog Mat

The LL Bean Waterhog mats are made of recycled polyester, are highly absorbent yet stain resistant (how!?), and rubber-backed. The fibers are stiff enough to wipe your boots on, but soft enough to suck up the water. And, they're easy to clean – you can even hose them down!

You can find Waterhog mats in a wide variety of sizes and shapes (even runners!) so there is one for every space. There are many style options from which to choose and all sorts of customization options with colors, monograms, clever quotes, pets, holiday designs, etc.

But my preference for an item like this is for something that blends in with its surroundings (aka the floor it sits on) more so than it contrasts with it, or calls attention to itself. So pro-tip…go with the flow here and don't try to get too cute 🙂 Keep it simple and tasteful, and these can play nice with (and play defense for) your decorative area rugs nearby.

I recently bought the Waterhog Plaid Runner (of course I got plaid!) to place at the French doors that lead to our patio. We are constantly in and out, and plan to be well into the winter (thank you, firepit and new space heaters! It has been awesome for both keeping the dirt and water from coming in and getting all over our floor, and for giving a natural area to corral a couple of pairs of shoes. But what I love most is that it doesn't get in the way – I don't really notice it (and I don't want to!). It is also boy and beagle-approved. 🙂

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