Entryway Matting – The First Line of Defense

Identifying potential sources for pathogens in our buildings is more important than ever before, and employing proven facility maintenance strategies can help efforts to limit potential exposure of building occupants to these indoor pollutants and pathogens sources, and create a healthier building environment.

Entryway Matting is an important part of Step 5 of the WAXIE RE6 Building Re-entry plan as it helps to stop pollutants and pathogens at the front door, helping to improve indoor air quality. Entryway matting also prevents slip and fall accidents during the rainy/snowy months, creates a good first impression as people enter a facility, and prolongs the life of flooring. 

There has been a heightened concern over indoor air quality lately making a proper entryway matting system critical to the health and safety of building occupants. According to a recent article from CleanLink, “Eighty percent or more of the dirt that comes into a space is brought in by our shoes” and “there have been a lot of studies showing you can improve IAQ by as much as 50% just by installing good matting systems”.

A good matting system should include 10 feet of scraper mat outside, 10 feet of scraper/wiper mat in the vestibule between the interior and exterior doors, followed by 10 feet of wiper matting inside. 

Source: CleanLink

Entryway Matting Types

A commercial sized scraper mat is your first line of defense when protecting your floors and workplace. Typically the scraper mat is made from a durable material that has a textured top surface that provides an aggressive scraping action. To be the most effective your scraper floor mats should be placed outside the entrance to remove heavy soil from the feet of people entering your building. Click here to view Scraper Mats.

A scraper/wiper entry mat can help to eliminate most dirt, dust and soil from being tracked into your commercial building. Multi-directional brushing action of textured top surface removes dirt and moisture. Made from a durable material similar to the entrance scraper mat, you can expect a dramatic improvement in the life duration of your expensive flooring. Wiper/scraper mats should be used inside the front door or outside. Click here to view Scraper/Wiper Mats.

Commercial wiper mats, when used in a proper matting program along with scraper and scraper/wiper mats, can drastically improve the appearance and life of flooring. This being the third line of defense, in regards to matting, has incredible dust retention properties and contributes to improving the air quality and cleanliness of your facility. The positively charged microfibers attract hair, lint, dust and more from polluting the air. Wiper matting holds liquid and filth to save you on labor and time cleaning your floors.

New Matting Options

Recently to address concerns over the spread of COVID, matting companies have expanded their offerings. M+A Matting now offers the StepWell Sanitizing Mat, featuring a well that holds an abrasive insert and your preferred liquid sanitizer, followed by a carpeted section to help dry the soles of the shoes.

The Sani-Walk mat from Crown Matting is an indoor wiper mat designed for light traffic that utilizes dual anti-microbial technology featuring 99.9% antibacterial and anti-fungal control.

Entryway Matting – Cleaning and Maintenance

Once you have selected the proper matting for your facility, it is equally important to maintain your matting to maximize its life and effectiveness. Below are some important steps necessary to maintain matting.

• Daily Vacuuming: Entryway mats should be vacuumed daily to ensure dust and dirt is removed from the surface.

• Thorough Cleaning: Periodically matting should be hosed down with soap and water to remove all dirt and debris. A neutral cleaner can be used to remove any stains. Before placing the mat back in its place, clean the floor under and around the mat and make sure the mat is thoroughly dried before installing it back into place.