Entrance mats are a key part of health and safety in a building or workplace, stopping the spread of dirt and moisture throughout a building and minimising slip and trip accidents. With the torrential rain we have been having recently, an underperforming entrance mat can be very costly, not just with the maintenanc and cleaning costs, but in potential litigation as well!
So, we thought we would compile some of our tips and tricks for extending the lifecycle of your entrance mat. The tips and tricks outlined below should help you get the most out of your entrance matting, and if after a while these tips stop working, you know where to come to get a new one 😉
1. Daily Maintenance
We recommend you vacuum daily with a powerful suction machine fitted with rotating head brushes. The brushes will agitate the pile, loosening the dirt, which is then removed by the suction action.
For entrance matting systems with Vinyl, abrasive and serrated inserts, you can generally enhance their appearance and effectiveness by regularly cleaning with a damp mop and a low foaming detergent.
2. Chewing Gum Removal
Chewing gum is generally considered one of the most annoying and hard to remove items from any surface, especially textile surfaces like entrance mats. So here are our tips on how to remove it from your entrance mat.
For mats with textile inserts – Freeze the gum with a freezer spray, shatter the gum with a hammer and agitate with a scraper, then vacuum up the fragments. Simple! This should be done on a daily basis, chewing gum left longer may require more than one treatment (and may annoy any visitors or staff if stepped in, euch!).
For Vinyl, abrasive and serrated aluminium systems – Freeze the gum with freezer spray and carefully scrape or chip off the frozen gum, taking care not to damage or scratch the inserts.
3. Stain Removal
We’ve divided the various types of common, and for your sake, we hope, uncommon stains into 4 categories and paired it with the stain remover we would recommend.
- Category 1 Stain: (Caramel, Honey, Jam, Soft Drinks, Fruit Juice, Gravy Ketchup, Liquors, Cocoa, Salad Dressing.) We recommend using PROCHEM* Neutral Spot Remover
- Category 2 Stain: (Berries, Blood, Coffee & Tea, Cream, Milk & Ice Cream, Eggs, Fats, Grass Stains, Pet Food, Vomit) We recommend using PROCHEM* Blood and Protein Remover
- Category 3 Stain: (Adhesives, Asphalt & Tar, Oil & Grease, Lipstick, Butter, Food Oils & Lard, Crayon, Chewing Gum, Oily Cosmetics, Ointments) We recommend using PROCHEM* Grease, Gum and Tar Remover
- Category 4 Stain (hopefully the rare ones): Urine, Faeces, Hair Oils, Beer, Fresh Latex Paint, Mayonnaise, Tannin, Chocolate) We recommend using PROCHEM* Urine Spotter Remover.
4. Periodic Maintenance
If the matting has open splines or is one of our Pedigrid systems, dirt will fall through the slots in the mat to the matwell beneath. These mats will need to be lifted periodically and the matwell cleaned out. The frequency with which this will need to be carried out will depend on the volume of traffic, but as a general rule the mats should be lifted weekly in heavy traffic areas.
If the matwell is overdue for cleaning the mat may start to lift at the edges and there may be an audible “crunch” underfoot. We don’t need to tell you that even a slight lift at the edges of a mat could be the difference that causes a customer or staff member to trip and fall. So it’s important this isn’t neglected.
Inspect the matwell regularly to ensure that the base is sound and level, any cracks or unevenness should be rectified immediately, failure to do so could lead to damage or premature wear.
5. Deep Cleaning
In high traffic areas the matting should be deep cleaned four to six times a year with more of the cleans undertaken in the winter months. Deep cleaning can be carried out using a water spray extraction method whereby a dry cleaning compound is brushed in to the pile where it binds to the soil and is then vacuumed out. A couple of pointers though:
- Water temperatures should not exceed 60°C
- Detergents should be used sparingly
- Only use chemicals suitable for cleaning carpets
- Strictly follow manufacturer’s instructions
If after deep cleaning and regular maintenance your mat still isn’t looking fresh or performing well, get in touch and we can help you choose a new one. Our Pedisystems range has a wide range of entrance matting options to suit any budget or environment with a 5 year wear guarantee on our carpets.
*Please note that it is generally a good idea to check with the manufacturer of your entrance mat before using any of the chemical remedies mentioned above. If Construction Specialties (CS) is the manufacturer (that’s us) then you’re good to go, we’ve tested the chemicals mentioned above on our entrance matting systems.
Download the Pedisystems Brochure
Find out more about our range of Entrance Matting Systems
What’s in the brochure:
- introduction to entrance matting
- product selection guide
- product features & benefits
- detailed technical information
- customisations, logos & design options
