Entrance matting can only perform effectively if it is regularly cleaned and maintained. The whole purpose of entrance matting is to wipe moisture, and trap dirt and debris before it is walked into a building. For this reason, it will inevitably get soiled and carpet pile can become flattened if it isn’t well-maintained.
There is nothing worse than a shabby entrance mat that is clogged with compacted dirt. Not only does it look untidy, it is also fairly pointless! Very often this leads to more dirt being walked into a building, than if there had been no mat all!
And then there is the all-important aspect of moisture control. This is much more than a ‘cosmetic’ benefit in terms of interior floor protection. Wiping wet footwear is essential where people are walking on to smooth floors to reduce the risk of slipping.
Many commercial areas (such as shopping centres) or public services such as railway or bus stations have got wise to the problem and more modern facilities install longer lengths of matting to reduce the risks. Even so, there is still a requirement to regularly clean entrance matting, and routinely check that there are no obstructions or trip hazards.
Cleaning Techniques
Regular vacuuming is recommended to remove dry soil and any gritty particles. This should be done on a daily basis in high footfall areas. Spills and splashes can generally be removed by Spot Cleaning but speed is of the essence, when dealing with potential stains. When a really thorough clean is required, Deep Cleaning Hot Water Extraction is especially effective. This involves a solution of cleaning agent and water being sprayed on to the mat, and then powerfully vacuumed to remove dirty wet soil.
The Sales Team at COBA flooring recently came across an ingenious range of cleaning machines, which are working very well with our entrance matting. The M Class range is from a company called Rotowash and they feature twin cylindrical, contra-rotating brushes that are housed in an aluminium unit, holding both clean water and dirty water containers. They also claim to use up to 90% less water and cleaning chemical than other conventional cleaning methods.
Cleaning Guidelines for Entrance Mats
We have cleaning guidelines for all our entrance matting products so please get in touch with COBA flooring if you require advice on cleaning a specific mat.
