I have a large area rug from BJ's and I've had it for about 10yrs. Its stud up to dog and kids alike. I've cleaned it a few times but its still going strong. I would recommend putting padding under it, even if you do the area. It helps the nap on the carpet stand up more and allows you to get it cleaner. I'm now getting ready to buy a bigger one but this one will just be cleaned and moved to a different area.