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A doormat is more than just a welcoming sign at your front door. Instead, it holds onto all the dirt caught on your shoes and keeps it from entering your home.
Figuring out how to clean doormat fibers efficiently depends on the material and how badly it is stained. Let’s look at the common doormat materials and the best cleaning methods for each one!
How to Clean Coir Doormats?
Coir is an organic fiber made from coconut husks, so it’s a popular choice for people who want to keep things eco-friendly. Here’s how to clean coir doormats at home:
Consider Cleaning Your Coir Doormat Without Water
You can start by shaking much of the excess dirt, stones, and grime in a well-ventilated area. Just move the mat away from your body and shake it. Alternatively, you can put it on a sturdy fence and beat it with a broom.
If the mat type can take it, you can scrub any accumulated debris with a stiff brush. For example, printed varieties might need a gentler touch.
When you’re done shaking and scrubbing, vacuum the coir mat. You can even sprinkle sodium bicarbonate, work it in, and let it sit on the material for 30 minutes before vacuuming again.
Clean Your Coir Doormat With Water
After vacuuming, you can hose down your coir mat to tackle stains. However, you have to note that coir doesn’t bode well with harsher settings. Instead, a regular jet will work just fine.
It’s best to start the jetting process at the top of your mat. Then, you can put it up on a clothesline to dry.
Use Natural Soaps for Stubborn Stains
If the mat requires deeper cleaning, you’ll need natural soap, warm water, and a stiff brush. Just scrub gently and hang the coir doormat again to dry.
You can also let a second layer of sodium bicarbonate soak up any wet or foul-smelling stains. Meanwhile, you can tackle oil stains with white vinegar, coconut oil, and water.
Plus, coconut oil coats can add a layer of protection to your coir mat when it’s clean and fully dry again. This oil helps prevent the growth of mold and mildew and traps dirt from entering your home.
How to Clean Jute Doormats?
Unlike what you might have heard, shampooing or steam cleaning won’t be the best option when cleaning a jute doormat. As it happens, water can destroy the material and can cause shrinkage.
So, finding alternatives to regular rinses is figuring out how to clean jute doormat strands.
Here are the standard options:
Spot Clean Your Jute Doormat
A few random spills are bound to happen, especially with a carpet as absorbent as jute. In these cases, a cleaning cloth will be your best friend.
Just pat it down, coming from the rim of the spill and going inward. Whatever you do, don’t rub a jute doormat, or the fibers will start to fray!
On the other hand, acidic spills demand a different tactic. Those stains call for club soda. Remember to blot the mat dry with another cloth when the stain is out of the mat’s hair.
Vacuum Your Jute Doormat
Vacuuming can be an ideal option for cleaning jute mats, especially since you know that water and jute shouldn’t mix.
That’s why regular vacuuming should be a part of your chores. It’ll help maintain your rug close to its original state.
To do so, use the regular attachment to suck as much debris as possible. Make sure to use the low setting to avoid ruining the material.
How to Clean Straw Doormats?
Straw doormats are like those made of jute; the less water you use while cleaning, the better.
Here are three steps to help you figure out how to clean outdoor doormats made from straw:
Beat Your Straw Doormat Clean
Beating your straw mat outside is a crucial step. To do this, pop it on a clothesline before beating it with a broom.
Give the mat a go with your vacuum once you have loosened the dirt. A vacuum will suck up the muck that didn’t get out the first time.
Clean Your Straw Doormat With Baking Soda
Baking soda not only has a variety of uses inside the house, but it’s also a dry way to deodorize your straw doormat without exposing it to water.
How can you do that?
Well, dredge the entire mat with baking soda and wait a few minutes for the baking soda to do its thing. Then, you can pick up a brush to push the powder deep into the strands. When you’re done, power up the vacuum again to remove the baking soda.
Spot Clean Your Straw Doormat
If the doormat is still seriously stained, use gentle and natural soaps with only a bit of water to wipe out the soap. Try to limit the mat’s exposure to water as much as possible.
After wiping the mat, let the sun do the rest by hanging the straw doormat on the clothesline.
How to Clean a Bristle Doormat?
Regular bristle doormats can be much more durable than the other kinds above. So, deep cleaning won’t cause severe damage to the material.
Remove the Visible Dirt From Your Bristle Doormat
Start by shaking your mat and only stop when you can’t spot any dirt falling from the fibers.
Next, you can vacuum the doormat. Just remember that there could be more pesky ingrained clumps of dirt because of the bristle structure.
Clean Your Bristle Doormat With Water
Get a cloth, a bucket, warm water, and gentle detergent after removing the excess dirt. Dunk the cloth in the cleaning mixture and use the moisture to break up those tougher blobs on either side of your mat.
Instead of soap mixtures, you can also blend baking soda, water, and vinegar. Just put everything in a spray bottle to spray the cleaning agents over the stains and let the mat soak for a while.
Scrub Between the Bristles and Let It Dry
An old toothbrush can help you scour the mud away. You’ll need to rinse the mat until the water runs clear.
Don’t forget to let the doormat dry once everything is flushed with water to avoid mold growth.
How to Keep Your Doormat Clean?
Figuring out how to keep a doormat clean is just as important as the cleaning process itself. After all, you probably don’t want to go through deep cleanses too often and risk ruining the material too soon.
Here are some simple tips and tricks to maintain your welcome mat:
- Let the mat dry thoroughly before using it again to avoid muddying it.
- Shake out the dirt from the mat every other day.
- Vacuum the doormat every week.
- Try to avoid stepping on the mat with particularly muddy shoes.
That said, some experts still recommend changing the doormat every six months. So, these maintenance tips will only slightly extend the mat’s lifespan and make the scheduled clean-ups easier.
Key Takeaways
Every doormat will need good shaking before anything else. Next, you can sprinkle baking soda to eliminate germs and bad odors. This loosens the dirt before giving it a run with your vacuum.
A coir doormat can tolerate soap and water, but you might want to add coconut oil to seal the material. On the other hand, jute and straw doormats aren’t good with water, so you’ll have to tread lightly.
Remember to let all kinds of mats dry well after cleaning.
