Top Five Things to Consider When Purchasing a New Doormat

Doormats and entrance mats are a good way to keep dirt and debris outside your home or business building.

Purchasing a doormat usually seems like a straightforward job but there are still a few things to consider before you buy.

Here are five things to think about before buying your doormat.

1. Placement

Will your mat be placed outdoors or indoors? For an outdoor mat it will need to be more robust and able to withstand the elements. One of the most important features would be to be waterproof and to drain water easily, as you wouldn’t want to be stepping on a soggy mat when its purpose is to clean your shoes so dirt and water don’t get indoors. Rubber can be a good choice for an outside mat.

For indoor entrance matting you can choose from a range of materials and colours that will fit the inside of your home or company building. As the door-mats won’t have to withstand the elements as much as an outside one, indoor mats come in a wider range of choices.

2. Thickness

When deciding on the thickness of your indoor door mat take into consideration that your door will have to pass over it. Is a thick mat going to stop your door from opening smoothly? A thicker door mat can be more comfortable to walk over but if it is going to stop your door from opening properly you may want to consider a more low-profile mat that will not have the same effect.

3. Maintenance

Another thing you need to think about is the maintenance of your mat. Most thinner mats can be easily swept or vacuumed to keep the mat clean. If you are using rubber or vinyl mats, they can easily be wiped clean. Both of these options are quite low maintenance. 

A thicker mat, like one made from coir, will need a bit more attention than the previous examples. These mats will have longer fibres between which dirt and debris can stick, so they will need more regular maintenance. 

4. Size

The size of your doormat is the easiest thing to find out as it depends on the size of your doorway.  A standard size single door, for example, will benefit from a 60cm x 90cm doormat. For double doors, and bigger or custom-made ones,  measure carefully to decide what size will fit best.

5. Purpose

Finally, we come to the main purpose of your mat – to keep your shoes and the inside of your home and office building clean. The purpose of an entrance mat is to scrape the dirt and debris from your shoes before the threshold.

Author Bio: First Mats started life as safety matting specialists, but have since expanded to become a complete industrial and commercial supplies company. The focus of First Mats is to provide safety-focused products that improve the wellbeing of staff through quality approved products, backed up by extensive knowledge. www.firstmats.co.uk