Mat Maintenance Toolkit: Keep your mats working longer

How to clean your mats, no matter what they are made of.

If you’ve just bought a new mat, you might be relishing in the reduced amount of cleaning you now have to do. One of the main benefits of door mats is the shoe cleaning process that they automate.

Although your cleaning efforts are undoubtedly less, you should clean the mat itself for optimal use and lifespan. The best way to maintain your mat depends on the mat itself and the environment it’s laid in.

Mat maintenance is easy. Start by identifying the materials you are cleaning. Some mats have a combination, so you might need a different method for the surface and underside.

Rubber mat maintenance

Rubber is one of the easiest mat materials to keep clean. All you need is a standard or pressure hose and some detergent for stubborn spots. Aim to clean your rubber mat once a month, but mats in dirty or high-traffic areas may need more.

Vacuum or brush your rubber mat every day to prevent build-up over time. This will minimise your monthly cleaning efforts.

Coir mat maintenance

Coir is a favourite for customers across all applications. But it has one major drawback: it sheds. Coir sheds its fibres. Check out this article for more about the pros and cons of coir matting.

Frequently vacuuming your mat’s stray coir fibres will keep your floors tidy and prevent slip accidents. We recommend daily vacuuming to keep your space looking neat all the time. Fitting your mat into a recess will also help contain the fibres until you reach it with the vacuum.

Plastic mat maintenance

Cleaning your plastic mats is similar to cleaning rubber.

The only plastic mats we currently stock are PVC chair mats. These are made with pure PVC that contains none of the toxic plasticisers other chair mats do. For that reason, we are proud to offer the only recyclable chair mats in Australia.

Nylon (carpet) mat maintenance

Nylon is the main material in most of our carpet surfaced indoor mats. It is best to vacuum nylon mats every day, but low-traffic areas might get away with a weekly vacuum. Additionally, stains and soiling should be cleaned as soon as they appear.

Optimal maintenance also includes regular heavy cleaning with a pressure hose or a washing machine.

Aluminium mat maintenance

Aluminium is more complicated than other materials because it has 2 (or more!) on its surface alone. Most aluminium matting has carpet strips alternating with aluminium strips. These look great but aluminium mats are the type we recommend least.

To maintain your aluminium mat, use a vacuum cleaner.

Sticky mat maintenance

Sticky lab mats have multiple layers of sticky sheets that you peel off to refresh. These don’t need cleaning – in fact, they do the cleaning. But, you need to change the sheets regularly to make sure they can do their job properly.

The only maintenance sticky mats need is to be replaced when the last sheet gets full.

Bog mat maintenance

Bog mats create a road-like structure to temporarily allow vehicles and heavy machinery access to sites with soft ground. As they are re-installed for individual projects, we recommend cleaning between each one.

Use a hose and scrubbing brush to regularly remove dirt from your bog mats.

Anti-static mat maintenance

Maintaining an anti-static mat is particularly important because static electricity needs a steady route to disperse across. If too much dirt builds up, more electricity might gather in that area, creating a shock hazard for anyone that steps on it.

Depending on the material of your mat, you can use a hose or vacuum to clean it.

General mat maintenance tips

1. Prepare the floor correctly

A mat laid on a dirty floor will need to be cleaned more often. Clean the floor below and around the mat before you install it. If your mat will be fitted into a recess, make sure the recess is clean too.

2. Maintain regular cleaning schedules

You need two cleaning schedules: daily and weekly/monthly. The best mat maintenance schedules have the most amount of cleaning, so try and fit as much as you can onto your schedule.

3. Allow mats to dry fully

A damp mat placed back on the floor can cause mould, deterioration of the mat and floor, and slips, trips and falls. Make sure your mat is completely dry before replacing it. To dry your mat, hang it out in the sun or – if you don’t get much – a warm dry room.

4. Store correctly

Between uses, make sure to store your mat in a cool, dry area. Just like replacing a wet mat, leaving your mat in the wrong place increases its risk of getting mouldy. If your mat is not UV-treated, do not leave it in the sun for extended periods.

5. Consider your space

The wrong mat for the job is one of the most common causes of a void warranty. Chair mats for carpet should not be used on hard floors and vice versa. Indoor door mats cannot be used outside… and so on. Our team of friendly matxperts are always happy to help you choose the perfect mat.

6. Use only gentle detergent

Harsh chemicals damage some materials, so if you aren’t sure, go for the gentle one. It is also better for the planet and your skin to use natural and gentle materials. For cleaning product recommendations, reach out to a matxpert.

Always maintain your mats properly

This mat maintenance guide should help you get started with your new (or old) mats. Daily cleaning and the proper care will help you get the most out of your mat. All our mats come with industry-leading warranties, which we feel reflect their high quality.

Unfortunately, improper care of your Matshop products can lead to a warranty becoming void. For more information – or for any other questions – our team is available on 1300 628 746 or via the chat box below.

For more mat cleaning information, check out this guide on how to clean your doormat.