Keep your area rugs in place with rubber backing. An area rug can be almost any sort of floor covering, ranging from a welcome mat designed to allow guests to clean their feet at the door to lovely designer rugs that define a conversation corner or help divide an open floor plan. It can even be a play rug that is printed with roads and towns, ready for the younger set to run cars or set up housekeeping on it. One thing these have in common: if they are not in some way secured, they can become a falling or tripping hazard.