Nothing says “welcome to our living space” better than an elegant, comfortable entrance mat, but as with everything in the modern age, they have their cheap copy. Usually, cheap PVC mats were made in the millions in some factories.
Sure, while saving a little money on cheaper options is advisable, you don’t have to compromise on quality. However, something being cheap shouldn’t stop it from performing its intended function. Most of these cheap entrance mats tend to be unappealing and highly uncomfortable, but they are pretty easily worn within a few years of use. In this article, I’d like to convince you that investing in cheap entrance mats isn’t the most innovative way.
1. Cheap Mats Slide Around Floors
These cheap mats tend to be industry-produced PVC-backed mats that do not provide adequate protection against slips and falls due to their smooth, friction-resistant surfaces. When stepped on, these smooth surfaces can easily slip across the floor, displacing them, ruining the office’s aesthetics, and making them uncomfortable to use.
2. Natural Rubber Mats Leave Marks On the Floor
Natural rubber, despite its relative smoothness, is well known for leaving marks on hard surfaces. This is a major advantage of using cheap rubber mats as entrance mats. To avoid this issue, it is advised that you lay your mat on dehydrated surfaces.
3. Cheap Entrance Mats Scratch the Floor
Dirt, especially coarse sand, tends to accumulate beneath cheap entrance mats, and over time, this dirt constitutes increased friction, which slowly begins to make the mat scratch the floor, ruining your floor and increasing wear to the mat. This is sometimes a result of just a poorly cleaned mat, but most of the time, it is usually a result of using cheap mats. If you want to curb this, you should keep your floor clean as often as possible.
4. Cheap Entrance Mats are Slip Hazards
As was stated above, cheap entrance mats, especially those made from PVC, tend to have shallow friction surfaces, causing them to slip easily. These surfaces are not simply those underneath but also those on top, those that your shoes will come in contact with. So, if your mat is loose, it can constitute a slip hazard and lead to injury.
5. They are Usually Hard to Clean
It is one common misconception that getting entrance mats will reduce or even remove the need for cleaning. This is untrue, and an entrance mat needs cleaning to remove dust, sand, and other desirables. While it is easier to clean quality, fur-covered entrance mats, it is often difficult to get sand off these cheap mats. Most of the time, cleaning the mat causes it to be left with mud stains and vigorous scrubbing is often required to get it off. Lastly, cleaning these cheap mats causes them to wear and tear, shortening their lifespan quickly.
6. Cheap Entrance Mat Discolours Your Floor
Due to a phenomenon known as color migration, your floor acquires some of the colors of the mat placed upon it. This is often due to small pieces of the mat embedding themselves in the floor due to wear and staining, just like the skid marks left behind by tires.
Choosing the right high-quality and elegant mat is no minor issue, nor is the installation. But you can accomplish this with the help of Mats That Matter. We at Mats That Matter are ready to assist you in picking the right entrance mat for the best price you can afford.