Outdoor doormats trap dirt, salt, moisture, and debris before it enters the home — which means they accumulate significant build-up themselves. A dirty mat that isn't cleaned regularly stops being effective and becomes a source of mould and unpleasant odour. Different mat materials require slightly different approaches.
Coir (Coconut Fibre) Mats
Coir mats are the most common natural-fibre outdoor mats — the rough brownish bristle type:
- Take the mat outside and shake vigorously to dislodge loose dirt
- Beat the mat against a hard surface (fence, wall) to knock out embedded debris from the bristles
- Use a stiff brush to brush the bristles in multiple directions, releasing dirt from deep in the fibres
- Hose down with water and scrub with a stiff brush and dish soap for a deeper clean
- Rinse thoroughly and stand upright or hang to dry completely — coir mats must dry fully; a wet coir mat placed face-down develops mould rapidly
- Allow to dry in the sun when possible — UV exposure kills mould spores
Rubber Mats
- Hose down both sides
- Scrub with a stiff brush and dish soap
- For mould on the underside: scrub with a diluted bleach solution (1 tablespoon per cup of water) — rinse thoroughly
- Allow to dry before replacing — a wet rubber mat placed on a hard floor can mark or stain the surface
Synthetic (Polypropylene) Mats
- Shake and brush to remove loose debris
- Hose down and scrub with dish soap
- These mats can often be machine washed on a gentle cycle with cold water — check the care label; air dry
Winter Maintenance
- In Toronto winters, salt and sand build up rapidly in outdoor mats — shake and brush weekly during winter to prevent the mat from becoming a salt deposit that tracks back into the home
- Bring coir mats indoors or store under cover during extended wet or icy periods — prolonged wet exposure degrades the coir fibres