Walk-Off Mats: A Complete Guide

Walk-off mats are one of the most critical aspects of building maintenance. Yet, despite their importance, floor mats are often one of the least understood and most neglected maintenance items.

In this guide, we’ll cover the most frequently asked questions about walk-off mats plus provide tips on how to maintain them. As an added bonus, we’ve also included the pros and cons of renting vs buying your entryway matting.

 

What Is a Walk-Off Mat and Why Is It Important?

Walk-off mats, also called entrance mats or commercial matting, are floor mats placed at the entrances of buildings or worksites. No matter the environment-office, healthcare, retail, education-walk-off mats serve a few very important functions.

• Safety.

  During rainy or snowy days, walk-off mats help prevent slip-and-fall accidents from wet shoes contacting hard floors. Serious injury can occur, particularly for elderly or disabled individuals, and so having walk-off mats can help prevent liability issues and costly lawsuits.

   

• Cleanliness.

  Experts estimate that around 70-80% of the dirt that enters the facility is tracked in by people's shoes, so properly placed walk-off mats will greatly reduce the amount of dirt and soiling that gets carried into the building by foot traffic. Up to 24 pounds of dirt can be tracked in by just 1,000 people coming through an entrance over a 20-day work period! The estimated cost of removing a single pound of dirt from a modern building can exceed $600. (Source: ISSA)

   

• Appearance.

  Walk-off mats need not be boring or ugly. Thanks to modern manufacturing and design techniques, mats are available in a wide range of sizes, colors, and textures to complement the interior design of any facility and promote a more attractive appearance.

 

Floor mats are designed to stop the dirt before it gets into the building, reducing overall maintenance costs and improving safety. Every facility, regardless of size or traffic, should use walk-off mats to reduce soiling and protect the flooring investment.

 

How Long Should Walk-Off Mats Be?

Studies show that at least 15 feet of matting is needed to remove most dirt and debris from foot traffic in a facility. Around eighty percent (80%) of soil brought into a facility can be trapped within the first 12 feet after stepping onto a carpeted surface.

 

How Long Should Walk-Off Mats Be?

While it may be tempting to lay down just any old floor mat, facility and maintenance managers should take the time to carefully choose the best-performing option for their facility. Cheaper, low-quality mats don't perform as well, nor do they last as long, which leads to higher overall maintenance costs that could easily be avoided.

Rubber- or latex-backed mats should be avoided, as they can stain the floor. Vinyl-backed mats are recommended.

WALK-OFF MATS GENERALLY FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES:

• Soil Removal/Scraper Mats. This type of matting has a coarse texture and is designed to brush gritty dirt and soils from the bottoms of shoes. These mats can hold large amounts of dirt/soil.
• Liquid Removal/Wiper Mats. This highly absorbent matting is designed to absorb water during wet weather (some mats can absorb up to 7 gallons!). These mats prevent moisture from being tracked onto hard floors or carpet.

Both types of walk-off mats should be used in combination for maximum effectiveness. Absorbent mats generally have very little soil-holding ability, so incoming foot traffic should pass over the soil removal mat first before passing over the absorbent mat.

 

Where Should Mats Be Placed?

For maximum effectiveness, floor mats should be placed at the entrance to any area where foot traffic moves from a dirty surface to a clean one.

KEY WALK-OFF MAT LOCATIONS MAY INCLUDE:

• Building entrances
• Service entrances with direct contact to the outside
• Hard surface area in a kitchen to a carpeted dining area
• Entrances into tenant apartments and condominiums
• Entrances from a warehouse or industrial area to an office area

 

How To Maintain Your Walk-off Mats

The key to protecting the useful life and longevity of your walk-off mats is regular cleaning and maintenance. Floor mats should be cleaned on a regular basis-more often, in fact, than carpet.

If accumulated soil is not removed, mats become overloaded and cannot prevent soil and liquids from entering the building. The mat becomes the source of soil rather than the preventative tool it is supposed to be.

Tips For Proper Maintenance

• Vacuum floor mats regularly. Mats should be vacuumed daily in high traffic facilities or weekly for low traffic facilities.
• Deep clean mats using hot water extraction to remove heavy soiling. Mats should be deep-cleaned every 1-2 weeks in high traffic facilities or every 1-2 months in low-traffic facilities.
• Hang mats to dry or speed dry using an air mover Make sure mats are dry before placing them back into service.
• Keep surrounding areas, such as porches, sidewalks, and driveways clean to prevent building guests from walking through excessive dirt and soiling before entering your facility. Use a broom to sweep exterior entryways regularly.

 

Owning vs. Renting Walk-Off Mats

When it comes to commercial floor mats, many facility managers choose to engage in a rental program without properly researching the advantages and cost savings associated with floor mat ownership. Renting may seem easier, yet when you compare the pros and cons (not to mention the costs), buying the mats and maintaining them yourself is usually a lot more cost effective.

Advantage #1: Cost Effective

Rental mats are an expensive long-term matting option. At an average cost of $0.30 per square foot per week, a single 3' x 5' rental mat can cost $234 per year. If you need six mats, your annual rental cost is over $1,400. In contrast, buying a high-performance 3' x 5' floor mat costs around $100 and can last for 5-10 years when properly maintained.

Advantage #2:Better Maintenanceand Cleaner Floors

Rental mat service intervals range from weekly to bi-weekly or monthly. However, many facilities find they need to clean their mats daily for best results. Some rental agreements for anti-fatigue or kitchen mats don't involve pickup or cleaning at all. It is left up to the facility to take care of the mat themselves while still paying a rental fee. Facilities that own their mats have greater control over the frequency of cleaning, which leads to better overall performance and cleaner, safer floors.

Advantage #3:Quality Guarantee

The age of a rental mat may vary from brand new to 8-10 years old. Plus, the quality and appearance may vary greatly between service intervals, so you're never sure how your mats will look from one delivery to the next.

On the other hand, when you purchase a new floor mat, you know you're getting a high-quality, high-performance product that meets the needs of your facility.

Advantage #4:Wider Selection andCustom Options

Most mat rental programs offer a limited selection and small sizes, which force facility owners to lay down multiple mats at entrances to properly trap dirt and moisture. The result is unattractive, to say the least, but also poses a trip hazard due to gaps or overlapping areas.

When purchasing your matting solution, you can choose the best size, shape, and style to perfectly suit the needs of your facility.

Advantage #5:Environmentally Friendly

There's the perception that renting floor mats is a greener solution, however, rental programs require fuel for pickup and delivery, energy for washing and drying, plus there's the added chemicals and wastewater. You can choose floor matting made with recycled materials that lasts for several years before it needs to be replaced. Plus, cleaning the mats on-site requires less fuel and creates less waste overall.

So,When Should You RentYour Floor Mats?

Renting may be a better option if you meet any of the criteria below:

• You have a small facility with limited time, equipment, and staff who can properly clean and maintain your mats
• You're not sure which floor mat is best for your building and want to explore colors and styles without a long-term commitment
• Your facility will soon relocate or experience a major remodel, so a short-term matting solution is needed before a buying decision can be made

 

Jon-Don Is Your Source for High-Quality Walk-Off Matting

Jon-Don offers a variety of floor mats options, from scraper mats to anti-fatigue to absorbent and more! Shop a variety of colors and styles to best fit your facility.

Not sure which mat is best or how much you need? Contact a Jon-Don Floor Care Expert today for a free consultation. We can help you get the right products to keep your facility looking great.

Call today at 800-556-6366