Directions Before your child begins to paint the rug, fold the edges over one inch and iron before securing with a hot glue gun. Put the acrylic paints onto a plastic plate and let your child paint the canvas. If there is a specific design he has in mind, pencil the design onto the canvas before starting. If you want to do a family rug, handprints are a good option. If mistakes are made, let the paint dry and then paint. After the paint is dry, cover the rug with a few coats of clear acrylic. Once the acrylic is dry, the rug can be sponged clean with soap and water.