Keeping Mats Clean Makes Your Facility Healthier and Productive

The astute facility manager knows just how vital mats are. They keep dust, soil, moisture, and grit outside, keeping the inside of their facility cleaner and healthier.

The smart facility manager also knows just how important it is to purchase mats for the facility. Mats that are purchased are of much higher quality than rental mats. Plus, these mats are often referred to as “high-performance” mats, such as our Marathon™ mats.  Marathon is a high-performance mat that will keep its appearance for many years. It is designed to trap dirt and absorb moisture to keep floors cleaner.

But as astute, smart, and should we add savvy, most facility managers are, there is one more thing managers should know about mats: they must be kept clean for them to perform at their very best.

Here are Crown Matting Technologies suggestions on how to keep floor mats clean:

•    Mats should be vacuumed regularly, even throughout the day; frequency is determined by foot traffic and weather conditions.

•    Once installed, make sure the floor beneath the mat is also kept clean and dry to protect the mat’s backing. This will also help prevent the possibility of mold and mildew from developing.

•    On an interim or as-needed basis, mats can be cleaned using dry cleaning methods, such as the encapsulation method. With this method, encapsulates are sprinkled on to the mat. They absorb soils, which are then removed with vacuuming. 

•    The floor mat will eventually need to be extracted, especially when they become excessively saturated with moisture and soil. The extraction process injects cleaning solution into the mats and then extracts removes the moisture and soils, all in one step. Extraction is especially useful if mats have been subjected to heavy concentrations of soil, spots, or ice melt. Allow the mats to dry before re-installation.

•    If mats need to be stored, do not roll or fold them; this can damage or weaken the backing of the mat and cause curling. Instead, store them flat, one on top of another until they are needed again.

•    Flip the mat over occasionally and vacuum or sweep the backing; if soiled, use a damp mop or cleaning cloth and a mild cleaning solution to clean the backing; allow to air dry and reinstall.

If it is a quality mat such as the premium products offered by Crown Matting Technologies, effective vacuuming and using a carpet extractor on the mat, will remove soils and bring the mat back to life and prolong its use and wear.

For more information on mats, contact a Crown Matting Technologies Specialist in your area by clicking here.