Entrance mats or doormats can make a big difference to your home. A good quality mat can help to keep the rest of your flooring clean and free from debris, mud and water, and can also provide a nice accent to your aesthetic.
Here are our top five things to keep in mind when you are picking your new doormat.
1) Indoor/outdoor
Where you are planning to put your mat is a huge factor in your decision. If you are looking for a classic ‘welcome’ mat that sits outside your front door, you’ll need a robust, long-lasting and weatherproof material like rubber. It also needs to be able to allow water to drain away quickly — if not, you and your guests will be stepping on a sodden mat, which is not particularly comfortable and does little to clean or dry the soles of the shoe. An indoor mat doesn’t need to be so robust, and there are a lot more materials to choose from.
2) Pile
Pile refers to the thickness of the mat, or the depth of the walkable surface. Similar to a carpet, pile can be extremely low profile (almost flat like a linoleum or vinyl flooring) all the way to very deep, which is more comfortable to walk on. When it comes to an entrance mat, bear in mind that your door needs to pass easily over the mat, so if your door clearance is very low, you need to get a low-pile entrance mat.
3) Cleaning
We all like to keep our homes clean and tidy and, as an entrance mat is one of the first things guests see when they visit, you need to make sure it is easy to clean. Low pile mats can be swept or vacuumed quickly and easily, whereas deeper piles like a coconut coir will need more attention. Rubber or vinyl matting can be wiped clean or washed.
4) Shoe cleanliness
What is the purpose of your mat? If you are looking to provide a surface for people to dry and/or clean the soles of their shoes before progressing through your home, then deeper, more hardwearing materials are the way to go. Coir matting is the absolute workhorse here, but the drawback is that keeping the mat clean is more difficult. A cotton or microfibre mat is a nice mid-point between the deep-piled coir and the low-profile rubber or vinyl — you get absorbency and mud/dirt retention, with a relatively easy to clean finish.
5) Size
This is probably the easiest decision as it is (or should be) entirely determined by your doorway. A standard sized single front door will be nicely covered by a standard 60cm x 90cm mat. Double doors, patio or conservatory doors will likely need a larger mat. Measure the size of the threshold and ensure that there is enough width and length for comfortable stepping and wiping.
Author Bio: First Mats started life as safety matting specialists, but have since expanded to become a complete industrial and commercial supplies company. The focus of First Mats is to provide safety-focused products that improve the wellbeing of staff through quality approved products, backed up by extensive knowledge. www.firstmats.co.uk
