The Best Ways to Clean Your Entrance Mats

Posted by Entry Matting on October 15th, 2019

By taking the time to clean your entrance mats, you can expect them to continuelooking fantastic, extend the life of your flooring beneath and even help to improve the indoor air quality in your workplace. These mats have the ability to trap a lot of allergens, dirt and even animal dander – by the time they actually look like they need to be cleaned, there’s a lot of hidden dirt and other substances that need to be removed. Here are 5 easy tips that you can implement in your workplace:

 Vacuuming

1. It’s important that you give the mats a thorough vacuum at least once a week, although heavy traffic areas might actually require vacuuming more frequently. If your workplace is professionally cleaned, ensure that you ask them to go over the mats (as some companies tend to go around them). Failing to regularly vacuum them can shorten their life, as hidden debris could potentially damage the fibres, as well as become the catalyst for allergies and other health issues.
   
2. Thoroughness
   By taking your time when vacuuming, you will go a long way in removing deeply embedded dust, dirt and allergens. Make sure that you clean the entrance mat several times from multiple directions (using crisscross patterns and overlapping strokes). Moving the vacuum slowly and smoothly will give it the best opportunity to work effectively. If you don’t trust that your cleaners will do this to your satisfaction, it’s worth bringing in your own vacuum and giving the mats a once over.
   
3. Odours
   To help neutralise odours in your entry door mats (which are prone to picking up smells from outside, such as damp and animal waste), sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on your carpets and let it sit for about 15 minutes before vacuuming off. This works before baking soda neutralises the pH in the surrounding air, which actually allows it to absorb bad smells. Other products only mask the bad smell; once they’ve dissipated, the odour will return in full force.
   
4. Spills
   Be sure to attend to any spills as soon as you notice them (although it’s best to get them as soon as they occur, this is not always possible with multiple people going in and out all day). If you’re using a chemical solution to clean the entrance mat, be sure to test it on an inconspicuous area of the fabric first to ensure that you won’t fade its colour or otherwise damage it. Remove as much of the spill as possible by blotting at it. Some more natural cleaning solutions include vinegar and dishwashing liquid.
   
5. Outside
   Place a doormat outside of all the entries to your workplace so that people are encouraged to wipe their feet before they set foot inside. This will ensure that the more obvious dirt and mud is removed from the soles of people’s shoes before they even have a chance to trek it across your mat. It’s also a good idea to sweep outside your entries often to help prevent the tracking of pollen, dirt and other debris inside.

If your workplace utilises entry matting, we hope that the above list of tips has given you a better idea of how to maintain them. By using the correct methods to clean the entrance mats, you will not only keep the mats themselves in tiptop condition, but can help to extend the life of your floors and improve the indoor air quality of your workplace. On top of the tips we have outlined above, it’s also a good idea to have the mats professionally cleaned on the odd occasion to really get down deep.