How to Stop a Rug Curling at the Corners

Corners curl because the rug has been stored or shipped rolled or folded, and the backing has taken a set.

The first thing to try

Reverse-roll it. Roll the rug the opposite way to the curl, with the curling face outward, leave it a day, then lay it flat. This works more often than anything else and costs nothing.

Weight and time

Lay it flat and put books on the corners for a few days. On a new rug this is usually all it needs — the creases from packing drop out on their own within a week or two.

Damp and flatten

Lightly dampen the corner, lay it flat, weight it, and let it dry fully. On a cotton backing this resets the fibre. Do not use heat.

After a wash

A rug dried scrunched rather than flat will curl. Square the corners by hand while it is still damp and let it finish drying flat — the shape it dries in is the shape it keeps.

What not to do

Do not iron it and do not use carpet tape. Heat deforms the backing permanently; tape lifts floor finish and leaves adhesive on the rug.