How To Care For Different Outdoor Mattings?

Welcome or entryway mats function as the first line of defense against dust, dirt, grime, and debris by preventing all these particles from entering the home. Also, these mats can absorb moisture content easily and prevent slip-and-fall injuries on wet, slippery floors.

Besides, the all-important first impression of your aesthetic taste is majorly dependent on your choice of mat design and style. Having all that said, you’d be convinced of the importance of door mats at this point.

However, these welcome mats are the least to be taken care of and are often neglected when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. This way, these floor mats get damaged and cease to be functionally beneficial earlier than expected. With that being said, one can’t blame the factors of durability and resilience for not being promising.

In this article by Mats Dubai, we’re going to explain how proper care and regular cleaning can keep your welcome mats super functional, long-lasting, and aesthetically appealing, as well.

Cleaning & Maintenance Of Different Types Of Welcome Mats

When doormats are not being regularly cleaned and properly taken care of, they lose their structural integrity to dust, dirt, and moisture damage thus, becoming less functionally effective besides losing their aesthetic appeal, too. There are many different types of welcome mats available depending on the material composition such as rubber, vinyl, polypropylene, fabric, coir, etc.

Adding to that, cleaning and maintenance practices for various types of mats differ greatly and we’re going to explain them to help you keep your welcome mats appealing and functionally beneficial all the time. Besides, the life expectancy of your outdoor mats will be increased by a factor of many folds just by regular cleaning and scheduled maintenance practices.

1. Soft Fabricated Door Mats

Some people love to place design door mats comprising either geometric or 3D patterns. These are the fabricated mat types incorporating different layers of highly inter-woven fabrics into their design. If you’re looking to clean one such mat comprising soft fabrics, then follow the steps described below.

• First remove any surface dirt, dust, or debris from the mat by shaking the mat vigorously in the air outside your home.
• Then, using a vacuum pump with an attached brush at the top, clean the surface and the backing of the mat thoroughly.
• If the mat surface is stained, then wash the mat for better results. For this purpose, you can dip the mat in a non-damaging detergent solution for about 10-15 minutes. Also, you can rinse or scrub the stained area to get rid of stains, spots, and unappealing marks.
• Now, rinse the mat with water and let it dry completely.

2. Coir & Other Natural Fiber Doormats

Some fabricated mat types are those that comprise stiff fabrics like coir, cotton, sisal, jute, etc. All these types of fabricated mats, when dirty, are difficult to be cleaned using standard household cleaning techniques and therefore, require special care treatment. For cleaning these types of fabricated mats, ahead is a precise method which guarantees super effective outcomes.

• Shake your mat vigorously to remove surface dust and dirt trapped in the fabrics. Then, hang the mat using clips on a clothesline and beat the mat using a wooden stick.
• Vacuuming both sides of the mat should be your priority after that. Don’t forget to vacuum the placement area of the mat underneath, too.
• Now start the cleaning procedure using a wet and stiff-bristled brush to get rid of the stains and surface spots on the mat.
• Also, these types of stiff-fabricated mats catch bad odors due to stains and moisture. If that’s the case, you can sprinkle some dry-cleaning powder on the mat surface and scrub the powder into the mat fabrics using the stiff-bristled brush.
• Hang the mat to dry and make sure to place it under the shade for preventing the effects of sunlight i.e. discoloration.

3. Rubber & Other Synthetic Material Door Mats

Door mats can also be made from synthetic materials like rubber, nylon, acrylic, polyester, and many other options. These types of door mats primarily focus to deliver well in terms of function because their characteristic features include an anti-slip backing, high durability, extreme resilience, grooved surface (to efficiently remove dust, dirt, and debris off the shoes), and a couple of other beneficial aspects.

The right way to clean these mats is described step-by-step below.

1. As these mats are free from fabrics, so there will be no accumulation of dust or dirt in the mat structure. And having that said, the cleaning of these mats starts with vacuuming the surface.
2. Mostly, rubber mats are chosen by pet owners and if that’s the case with you, then you should remove pet hair from the surface using a stiff-bristled brush.
3. For stubborn spots and stains, you can apply a solution of vinegar and water mixture to the desired area for efficient cleaning of the mat.
4. Most of the time, adhesive stuff like gums get stuck to the mat surface. For removing such sticky items, you can make use of specific gum removal sprays.
5. The best possible way, however, is to thoroughly wash the mats with soap and water.
6. The last step when cleaning a mat is always to rinse it with water and let it dry on its own.

Not to mention that mats comprising synthetic composition materials are not damaged easily and therefore, last for a longer period as compared to fabricated options.

Cleaning Practices For Outdoor Rugs

Some people use small rugs in place of mats in their home entryways. These rugs act as welcome mats and function the exact same way. For cleaning such outdoor rugs, you should take into account the material composition of the rug because there is an enormous difference in the fabric structure and reaction to different cleaning practices.

If you’re looking to clean an outdoor rug comprising natural, soft fabrics, then opt for the method described for cleaning soft-fabricated door mats and vice versa. However, if you’re looking forward to the cleaning of rugs containing olefin or polypropylene as the composition material, then the procedure is described below.

• For cleaning olefin rugs, you can create a solution containing a proportionate amount of water and detergent. In case, the rug has turned black due to grime and dirt accumulation, place the rug in a tub containing a solution of either shampoo or soap with water. Let all the grime dissolve into the solution. Then, thoroughly rinse the outdoor rug and leave it to dry.
• To clean polypropylene rugs, you need to start by removing all the dust and dirt with a vacuum cleaner. Then, spot-clean the stains and marks on the rug’s surface. Wash the rug and scrub the fabrics for more effective cleaning. Hang the rug under the shade and wait for it to completely dry.

Care & Maintenance For All Types Of Outdoor Matting

In addition to regularly cleaning the outdoor mats, you should also pay some heed to the care and maintenance schedule devised for the welcome matting. For this purpose, you should opt for a deep cleaning treatment every once in a while depending on the condition of the mats. Also, vacuum the outdoor matting thrice a week for maintaining its aesthetic appeal and functional worth.

End Notes

Outdoor mats play a significant role in keeping your home free of dust, dirt, debris, and moisture. However, welcome mats remain super functional and aesthetically appealing only when they are regularly cleaned and cared for. In this article, we’ve described the cleaning practices of different types of entryway mats including soft-fabricated, natural fiber, and synthetic material door mats. Additionally, we’ve explained how one can care for olefin or polypropylene rugs used as outdoor matting.