Bathmats are placed in the bathrooms to prevent skidding and to keep clean and fresh. They add benefit to areas that might be prone to slipping.
Usually, bathmats are made up of polyester – the highest Microfiber quality, and Sustainable cotton.
They are not only absorbent but also help in retaining the moisture from the environment as well.
Usually, bathmats with a rubber backing are best suited for bathrooms, busy hallways, and kitchens. This creates a barrier against water and helps to make the surface skid-proof.
These mats, along with being handy in multiple ways, require a high level of maintenance. With daily wear and tear, things lose their quality, and hence their life depreciates.
To have quality retained, most items require special care and maintenance.
The rubber back creates a friction bond between the surface of the floor and the mat and grips the mats to the floor.
Due to frequent traffic, these mats get wet very quickly. It due to their absorbent nature, these mats must be washed and dried once a week.
You can just toss them in your dryers for a quick spin but be careful as they can permanently damage the rugs.
There are two types of bath mats with rubber backs;
- Woven cotton
- Synthetic 3M microfiber, with maximum absorption
Let us look at a few ways through which the woven cotton bathmats can be dried:
Clean The Mat
Before you plan to wash the bathmat, make sure you brush the mat using a hard bristle brush.
This will help get any debris or specs of hard material that could damage the washing machine.
A woven cotton bathmat is easier to brush, but it is hard to determine if the mat is clean.
After brushing the mat thoroughly, it is advised to give it a tough shake to lift any left debris from its roots.
Best To Wash It First
Before you proceed towards handling a wet bathmat, please note that bathmats with rubber backs are harder to deal with.
The excess water retained can create room for mold to grow, which could be dangerous for the skin.
Therefore, it is best to wash the rubber mat with a little washing liquid or fabric detergent.
This would help prevent mold build and remove any other chemical substance on the bathmats.
Use The Machine Or Dryer
The front-load and top load washing machines come with a different set of combinations. You can set custom wash on the machines as per your requirement.
Woven cotton bathmats tend to hold the liquid. Thus, it is hard to get detergent or soapy liquid out of it.
You can choose the hygienic setting on your washing machine that washes the mat at 80-90 degrees but be mindful that this might affect the nature of the rubber (we don’t want it to shrink).
At the same time, such a temperature will immediately work as a disinfectant. It will kill any infestation built up in the mats.
You can tumble dry the bathmat as well, at 30 – 40 degrees depending upon the quality of the bathmat. It will have two benefits.
First, you will get an air-dried feeling from the mat; secondly, you would not have to spend an hour waiting for it to be dried in the air (considering the wet weather condition in your region).
Sanitize The Mat
Once the mats are dry, you can use disinfectant spray (diluted spray) on the mat before placing them back in the bathrooms.
It will not only protect the bathmats for a very long period but will be friendly to your skin as well.
When dealing with synthetic polyester mats, most possibly the 3M Microfiber ones, or the silicone ones, they require slightly different care and maintenance. However, some of the procedures are the same.
Let us look at the different ways that you can dry such mats with rubber bases or backs.
Cleaning Process
It is advised to clean the mat using a hard bristle brush. Take your mats outside in the open; the best bet is your garden or the cemented garage. Flip the rug over with the rubber side facing upwards.
Wipe clean the rubber surface using disinfectant wipes or just a 3M wiping cloth. Ensure there is no water on the rubber surface, and it is as clean that your fingers do not glide through it.
Tap on the rubber surface to get the excess dust and dirt particles out of the mat. Once mats are clean, you can place the mat back in the bathroom and wipe the surface once if required.
What If The Mat Has Absorbed Too Much Water?
In this case, if the mat has absorbed too much water, 3M Microfiber’s tendency to retain a large amount of water can be extremely dangerous. Such mats have greater chances of mildew and black mold growth.
These mats need to be addressed properly, and for this, we need the black mold killer combination.
You can set the machine to a hygienic clean temperature. You can add drops of disinfectants to kill any bacteria built up due to excessive water retention.
For this, you will need:
- Oxygenated bleach
- Laundry detergents
- Borax
How To Do It?
- Add two caps full bleach to the laundry drum in the machine, along with half a cup of borax and a regular amount of your laundry detergent.
- Run the machine for 20- 30 mins on cold water intake, so the rubber keeps intact.
- Note: Make sure you don’t use regular bleach or white vinegar as a substitute, as they would damage the chemical composition of rubber, making the texture tough.
Once washed, hang your mats on the railing, or the laundry wire, so that the air dries and soaks away any moisture in it.
Let’s list down some ways on how we can prevent having soaking wet bath mats.
-
Use Towels
Let’s talk about the obvious. You can use towels to dry yourself up before stepping onto the mats.
This will prevent the water from dripping and hence the water building up in the mats. This will keep the mats wet to a minimum.
-
Have Replacement Mats Ready
Try replacing mats regularly, as in switching them for use. This will help you keep your mats running for a longer period and keep the water build-up to a minimum level.
It will save you time and effort to wash them again and again.
-
Quick Absorbing Mats
You should use mats that are quick in absorption and do not give you a feeling that you are standing in a puddle of water.
This helps keep the mats dry for a very long time, but yes, they require a high level of maintenance.
-
Towel Over Mat
You can keep a spare set of towels to be used over mats every time you shower or come out of the bathtub.
This will absorb the water dripping and keep the mat dry and fresh. You can, later on, wash these towels separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to dry bathroom mats?
The best way to dry mats is to toss them for a quick spin in the dryer. Just to add that little zing of freshness, you can put in a spoon full of baking soda to kill any odor as well.
Can bath mats with rubber backing be dried in a dryer?
Fortunately, the baths mats with rubber backing are very to wash. They already come with wash labels mentioned at the back. This means that the manufacturer mentions the necessary care steps.
Also, the mats are manufactured in a way that the rubber is not detached upon washing. You can flip the mat cover with the rubber back curved inwards.
How to dry memory foam mats?
Once the washing cycle is complete, you would want to give a nice stretch to the fiber before putting it out to dry.
Memory foam tends to scrunch up the structure and dry in the position causing it to crease.
How often should you wash your bathmats?
You should wash the mats once a week, and the best way to do it is to have replacement mats. This will keep the mats new and usable for a very long time.
Conclusion
Bathroom maintenance is the most underrated topic of discussion. Ironically, bathrooms are one of the most important parts of the house.
They require frequent check-ups and mat replacements so that the mat’s life lasts longer.
However, to clean the mats, you need to find the right combination best suits your settings.
Leave a Reply