How To Clean Kitchen Rubber Floor Mats

How To Clean One of Those Anti-Fatigue Kitchen Mats

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Whether you're a professional chef in a restaurant or a home cook who spends hours prepping, cooking, and cleaning, a kitchen mat can be a godsend to keep your body from feeling the aches and pains associated with standing for hours.

But as you can imagine, kitchen mats get filthy! Spills from food, dishwater, and heavy traffic can quickly mar the surface.

Because these mats are often made of vinyl, rubber, foam, or even an encased gel, it's not like they can go in the washing machine. For these mats, you'll have to resort to a good old-fashioned method: scrubbing with soap and water by hand. Here's how to clean your kitchen mat.

How To Clean a Kitchen Anti-Fatigue Mat

What You'll Need

Broom and dust pan
Dish soap
Warm water
Bucket or bathtub
Stiff-bristle plastic scrub brush
Garden hose or pitcher

Instructions

Do a quick sweep: Sweep your mat or shake it above a trash can or outside to remove any debris.
Make a soapy bath: In the bathtub or a large bucket, add a few squirts of dish soap to warm water and mix to combine. Avoid using harsh or acidic cleansers, as they can be too strong for some mat materials. Do this outside if the weather is nice and you won't have to worry so much about splashing!
Scrub the mat: Use the plastic scrub brush to work the soapy water into the mat in circular motions, a few inches at a time.
Rinse the mat: To rinse the mat, spray it with a hose, run it under warm (not hot) water in the shower at the highest possible pressure, or use a pitcher-and-bucket combo like we did.
Let dry: Make sure your mat is dry before you put it down again, as you don't want to trap moisture between the mat and your floor.

Notes

Before cleaning your mat, be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions to make sure that this method will work. It should be fine, but it's always worth checking!
This is a project that's best done outside. A shower or a large bucket can also work if you don't have outdoor space or the weather is bad.

Ayn-Monique Klahre

Contributor

Ayn-Monique is a lifestyle editor and writer who's worked for Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, FamilyFun and more. She loves lattes, jogging and hanging out at the playground with her husband and daughters.

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