You can choose one of two ways to wash a bathmat: hand washing and machine-washing. The first way seems to be much more time-consuming, but it is the most effective.
Choosing the way to wash
Rubber mat can be washed both by hand and in the washing machine, but you have to follow some rules. First, make sure that rolled mat can be easily put in the tub. If the mat is too long it should not be washed in the machine. Secondly, the weight of the mat should not exceed the maximum load size of your machine.
Carpet mats made of synthetic materials also can be washed in a washing machine. Just choose a delicate wash cycle, with a light spin cycle. Water temperature should not exceed 40°C.
Machine wash is allowed for rubber mats and carpet mats with just a few exceptions. For the carpets made of polyvinyl chloride and microfiber, machine wash is unacceptable. Such materials require special care. They will completely loose their appearance after the first machine-wash. Moreover, microfiber and PVC also should not be exposed to various chemicals.
Washing by machine
Choose the instruction according to the material your carpet is made of and follow it.
Piled
For machine-washing a pile carpet, you need some liquid soap and fine salt.
Before putting the mat into the washing machine, you should use a hard brush first. It helps to clean the surface from dust and remove the hair stuck between the piles.
Prior to starting the wash, fold the mat four times and put it into the washing machine like that. Then prepare the washing solution. Mix four teaspoons of salt and 50 ml of liquid soap. Choose the finest salt and take any liquid soap you like. Put the washing solution inside the washing machine. Do not add any detergent and leave the detergent tray empty. Choose the most delicate and short-timed mode (express wash mode). The washing should not take more than 30 minutes. The key point – make sure there is no spinning after the washing completes.
Rubber
Here is a useful tip that will help to wash the rubber mat in the machine very well. Put a few small towels and washcloths into the machine with the item. They will replace brushes and washing will be much more effective.
Then there are only two steps left. The first is to start the machine washing using the delicate mode. Then, the second – after the washing please, make sure that the mat is dried properly. Remember that drying a rubber mat in the washing machine is strictly prohibited. The rubber material will be ruined.
Washing by hand
As well as washing by machine, there are some rules for every type of material that is meant to be washed.
Rubber mat
The easiest way to clean a rubber mat is to put it on the bottom of the bathtub. Then you should pour some warm water into the tub. Then put on gloves, because you also need to use bleacher. Pour two cups of bleacher into the bath, and then take a hard brush and scrub the mat with it. Scrub the mat with a brush on both sides.
Oftentimes, you will find mold appearing on rubber shower mats. It appears because of high humidity. To eliminate this problem, you should soak the mat in chlorine bleach solution. It is recommended to leave the mat in the solution for two to three hours. After completing the procedure, rinse the mat under the shower spray and hang to dry.
Microfiber and PVC
Find a flat and clean place in your apartment so you can lay out the rug. Then prepare a solution of soap and water – this mix has a mild cleansing effect and does not hurt the material. Carefully clean the surface. Rub the stains with a brush, but do not rub too hard, to avoid damage to the mat.
Next, wipe it with a damp towel or terry cloth moistened with water. After you have removed the rest of the soap solution from the surface, wipe the mat with a dry cloth. Make sure that you do some blotting movements so the fabric absorbs moisture. The final stage is drying.
Drying
If you do not dry the mat properly after washing, then you will certainly get some sort of fungus on your mat.
It is strictly prohibited to dry shower mats made of any materials under direct sunlight or near heating appliances (and especially on top of them). Otherwise, microfiber and PVC products will crack and become crumbling, cloth mats also can be deformed.
It’s best not to leave the rug in a small, closed room (in the bathroom or closet) – it will dry slowly, and bacterial growth in a humid environment will be very quick.
The best choice is to dry the mat in a well-ventilated room. Piled carpet must be slightly ruffled. After it dries in this position, the fibers will look the same as on the day of purchase.