XO2 entrance mats are manufactured by highly reputable market leaders using the best materials available. To get the most out of your floor mat or matting system, thinking about the best way to position and look after your mats is important. Correct maintenance and positioning of your new floor mat will maximise its effective life and ensure you get the best value for your money.
Some floors are naturally slippery or can become slippery due to poor maintenance. They can be potentially danger, causing slips and falls. That’s why it’s essential to maintain the floors, but more importantly, the door mat.
Floor matting maintenance tips
Our cleaning experts have a few important tips for you:
1. Positioning your floor mat.
• It should always be placed on a spotlessly clean dry floor free of dirt, sand, grit, or detergent residues.
• Position the mat inside the entrance. This removes the excessive moisture from people’s feet during the rains.
• If a mat has been rolled up for some time, lay it out safely in direct sunlight for an hour or two until it’s completely flat.
2. Vacuum or sweep the face of the mat daily.
• All dirt, grit, and sand should be removed daily. Vacuum the mat with a professional vacuum cleaner fitted with either a spinning brush tool or a brush strip tool. Most floor mats require brush agitation to remove the dirt properly.
3. Clean under the mat regularly.
• The floor beneath the mat must be clean of any dirt. This reduces mat movement. Various solutions however are available for the securing of your mat to the floor if required. If a mat is placed on a shiny, slippery floor or even on some carpeted surfaces the mat may move and should be secured.
• If you are using removable mats, make sure your mat has grippers on the backing (not smooth). This reduces the movement and allows moisture to escape from underneath, which is more hygienic and helps avoid nasty smells.
4. Deep cleaning of floor mats.
Some dirt and grime cannot be removed with a vacuum cleaner. You can use an all-purpose carpet spotter like Houdini. If you need to deep clean the whole mat here is our recommendation:
In a nutshell:
You spray a cleaning detergent onto the mat face, agitate with a broom or soft brush, and wait 5-10 minutes before rinsing.
• Dilute iExtract or a similar water-based neutral carpet detergent with warm water and apply liberally onto the surface. Then agitate with a broom or soft brush.
• Allow the chemical to dwell on the surface for 5-10 minutes before scrubbing again.
• Rinse thoroughly. Rinsing ensures all detergent and emulsified dirt are removed. This can be done by a portable spray and suck machine, a garden hose, or an adjustable high-pressure water blaster. If you use a water blaster, the pressure should not damage your mat.
• Allow to dry completely before putting the mat back into service.
For severely soiled floor mats this process may have to be repeated. It is important that you do not use solvent cleaners, highly alkaline cleaners, very hot water or rotary scrubbers on your entrance floor mat. Hot water spray and suck machines, or a carpet bonnet system can be used effectively just as they would on carpets.
In case of difficult stains, we recommend you investigate XO2’s 'Express Carpet Stain Removal' system.
5. Drying your floor mat.
• Always lay the mat flat to dry.
• Never fold the mat when moving it. The best method to move a mat is to roll it up whenever possible.
• Allow the mat to dry completely before putting it back in service.
• Avoid damage to the mat’s edges while storing or drying.
6. Maintain and repair mat edges.
• All mat edges should be inspected regularly, maintained, and repaired or replaced if damaged or worn out.
• Be careful when polishing floors around a mat. The pad or brush should not make contact with the edge. Remove the mat before carrying out any floor cleaning around it.
Remember to always follow the floor mat manufacturer’s instructions. If you’re looking for help maintaining your entrance mat, get in touch with us today.
Have a great day.