When it comes to cleaning kitchen mats, there are some tactics you must employ because these kitchen mats tend to get extremely dirty and they will need tact and expertise in cleaning them thoroughly.
Although these mats are quite essential in your kitchen.
This is like the first contact that you or anyone have when they are about to enter your kitchen.
The kitchen mat saves you from a lot of stress and prevents you also from having some minor kitchen injuries such as slip accidents.
However, as a result of constant spills from water, oil, and other kitchen substances, the kitchen mats absorb this dirt and they become extremely dirty and it can turn into a tedious job if you don’t know how to clean them thoroughly.
Read: How To Keep Kitchen Floors Clean While Cooking
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Different kinds of kitchen mats
This is important to note because when you clean blindly, ignoring the physical makeup of the object, you may be damaging the object instead of maintaining it.
The kitchen mat comes in different types. There are some that have been made for hard floors, tiles, etc., some are built for hard scrubbing, and others aren’t.
The kitchen mat comes in anti-fatigue mats, and these anti-fatigue mats come in different types.
There is the rubber type, the foam, and the gel type.
There is also the commercial kitchen mat that is widely used in most kitchens.
Anti-fatigue rubber kitchen mats
These mats are usually used for hard floors. They can be washed or cleaned out in the open so that it drains fast and dry quickly.
First, take the mat out, and tap them gently against a stone or wall to dust out dirt. Next, rinse the mat with water to wash away the tiny dirt still stuck to it.
Then get mild dish soap and mix it with water. Put the mixture into a spray can and spray the solution generously on the mat.
Get a brush that can reach the corners of the rubber mat, including the tiny corners that you cannot reach.
Get a scrubbing brush or an old toothbrush to scrub the mat as you spray the mixture.
You can use a bristle brush for soft mats so that they can come out clean.
Once you are done with scrubbing, you can now rinse the mat with clean water again to get rid of the soapy dirt. Afterward, leave it out to drain and dry. Once it is dry, take it in to resume work!
Read: How To Deep Clean Kitchen Floor
How to clean anti-fatigue foam kitchen mats
The foam mat should be handled delicately because it has been technologically designed to handle and give you support by cushioning your feet while you work in the kitchen.
So check the manufacturer’s manual for the cleaning procedure for this mat.
But if there is none, you can clean this mat thoroughly in your kitchen with no fuss.
If you have a vacuum cleaner, you can vacuum the mat thoroughly on both sides. The vacuum cleaner will absorb all the dirt, dust, and other debris that have accumulated in the foam mat.
Be careful not to use a scrubber or toothbrush. This is because the foam mat is waterproof, and using the scrubber, can damage the waterproof print in it.
But the best you can do if you notice any stain on it is to wipe it gently with the aid of a soft, damp cloth and mild dish soap to clean it.
Avoid using harsh chemicals as well because this can have a debilitating effect on your foam mat.
As soon as you are done wiping with the damp cloth, get a dry microfiber cloth and dry the foam with it.
Then put the foam mat in place to air dry before you can use it again.
Read: Best Way to Clean Kitchen Floor Grout
How to wash anti-fatigue gel kitchen mats
These mats have also been designed for special cushioning and massaging effects.
It comprises a powerful gel in the mat which helps to nurse the pain faced by your feet which is caused as a result of standing for too long in the kitchen.
In cleaning this kind of mat, you need to be careful so that you do not use the wrong set of tools to clean it. Otherwise, they may cause damage.
Abrasive brushes, for instance, can damage the surface of this gel mat. So get a mild brush to remove this loose dirt.
Get a bowl and make a mixture of mild dish soap and water. Then get a soft sponge or soft cloth to apply the soapy water to the mat by scrubbing gently.
Next, use a damp cloth to wipe off the soapy water, then dry the mat thoroughly to drain out the water.
Meanwhile, avoid using harsh chemicals to clean your gel mat.
Can you use a steam cleaner to clean your kitchen mat?
It depends on the kind of kitchen mat that you are using.
If you are using a foam mat, then the steam cleaner will be good for it, but if you are using a rubber or gel mat, it is not advisable to use a steam cleaner because of the adverse effect it may have on the mat.
Can you use abrasive cleaning agents and soap?
Not every man can endure the use of harsh chemicals/cleaning agents and abrasive brushes.
The rubber mat may not have any reaction when these things are used, but the foam and the gel mats will have a negative effect when these things are used on them.
Furthermore, their commercial mats exist. This kind of mat requires more cleaning effort even though they look simple.
They tend to have more build-up of grease and other debris due to the high commercial activities done in these commercial kitchens.
These kinds of mats are used in commercial kitchens.
And the mats in places like these should be vacuumed daily to remove crumbs, dust, and other debris.
So to wash it, you may need to take the mat to an open area, then use either a degreaser or a mild dish soap and gently rub it in with a brush. Then rinse it with the use of a hose if you have one.
Rinse it thoroughly and hang it to dry. In conclusion, washing the kitchen and maintaining them isn’t as difficult as you project it to be.
You only need to know how to clean it by using the right cleaning tools and the right cleaning agents.