If you’ve chosen a high-quality bath mat but can’t deal with the growth of mold for your flooring accessory, then there can be different methods to effectively clean your bath mat. However, before moving deep into this discussion of bath mat cleaning, there are some important questions that need to be answered, right?
Like, why is there mold growth on even the most premium quality bath matting? A relatively simple yet explanatory answer to this question is that when bath mats, irrespective of their quality, are exposed to wet environments for longer periods, they offer favorable conditions for mold fungi to grow, and the results you already know.
And, that’s exactly what happens to mats placed in the bathroom environment. Hence, you should always hang your flooring accessory when not in use for drying purposes i.e. after taking a shower. Anyhow, this is a precautionary measure and therefore, not the point of discussion for today’s topic.
Cleaning Of Bath Mats For The Treatment Of Mold Growth
Adding to the previous discussion, there are many different methods that help you to treat moldy bath mats, however, the most effective of them all is washing the bath mats with a suitable detergent. In this article by Mats Dubai, we’re going to explain the perfect cleaning procedure of bath mats affected by mold growth.
Things You’ll Require For The Cleaning Procedure
Before further explaining the topic, you need to arrange for the following supplies to efficiently complete the installation procedure.
- Washing Machine
- A Medium-Sized Tub
- Laundry Detergent
- White Vinegar
- Hard-bristled Brush (For Scrubbing)
- A Pair Of Rubber Gloves
- A Bucket (Optional)
1. Machine Washing Procedure
As you know, there can be two procedures for washing mats i.e. machine-wash and dry-wash. First, we’re going to explain the machine washing procedure to cope with the mold growth issue and clean the bath mats effectively. Follow the details of the steps below to find out about this method of bath mat cleaning.
1. Check For The Product’s Compatibility
The deciding factor that lets you know whether your flooring accessory is machine washable is the compatibility details listed on the instruction label of the mat. This can be a small label or tag attached to the end of one side of the flooring accessory, in case you’ve bought it recently.
However, in the case of an old purchase, you should contact the care center of the mat manufacturer for further details. Generally, most non slip bath mats and other flooring accessories are machine washable until and unless you’ve made an exotic purchase. Once confirmed, you can move further to washing the mat following the steps explained below.
2. Place The Mat In The Washing Machine
Next, you need to put the mat in the washing machine with the addition of a suitable detergent powder and white vinegar. For this purpose, you should use hot water in order to kill any fungi, bacteria, or other forms of microbial agents.
The action of vinegar will sanitize the flooring accessory while detergent together with hot water will function to remove the mold and mildew growth. If one wash cycle doesn’t completely remove the mold growth, then repeat the process until you get to clean the mat thoroughly.
3. Put The Mat In The Dryer
Now, you need to dry the mat using a cloth dryer, but be careful as a high heat setting can damage the fabric structure of the mat irreversibly thus, leading to the waste of your investment. Also, the rubber backing of the mat can crack or peel off under such circumstances. Therefore, the best way is to drip-dry your flooring accessory by hanging it.
2. Hand Washing Procedure
In case, your bath mat is not compatible with machine washing, then the only option that you’re left with is to hand-wash the mat for an effective cleaning and getting rid of the mold growth. Follow these steps or cleaning protocols explained below.
1. Transfer The Mat To The Bathtub
In this case, you’ll have to make use of a bathtub full of warm water for cleaning your bathroom flooring accessory. First, make a foamy solution in the water by mixing laundry detergent and white vinegar together in the water. Then, place the bathmat in this solution and let it saturate for the next 20 minutes.
For this purpose, you’ll need to put on rubber or latex gloves to protect your hands from damage in any worst case scenario. After that time, take out the bathmat from the warm water and scrub the surface using a hard-bristled brush to remove mold growth. At last, go over the entire mat including the surface and the backing for a thorough cleaning of the flooring accessory.
By doing this, you’ll eliminate all the marks or spots due to dust, dirt, stains, or any other causes thus, making your bath mat look new and refreshing in appearance once again.
2. Clip & Hang The Mat For Drying Purposes
In this regard, there is the only thing that should be taken care of and that is discoloration due to sun damage. Therefore, you should prevent hanging your bathroom mat outside in the sunshine to prevent your valuable piece of investment from such type of damage.
In The End
Irrespective of the quality of your bathmat, prolonged exposure to a moisture-prone environment can provide favorable conditions for mold and mildew growth. Once affected, you’ll need to properly clean the flooring accessory for efficient treatment of fungus growth.
For this purpose, we’ve devised both hand-wash and machine-wash cleaning procedures to help you clean your bath mat within the comfort of your home. All you need to do is to arrange for the required supplies, spare some of your precious time, and follow these details for dealing with moldy bath mats and keep all major and minor damages at bay.
