Mat Maintenance

self-healing mat soaking in a tub of tepid water

A couple of months ago, I did something crazy and gave my self-healing mat a soaking bath. Why?  I read this article and did some research online. None of my research revealed that the mats were ruined this method, so I gave it a try. (Note: self-healing mats come in all sizes and are used for many different crafts, not just quilting)

It was recommended that the mat be flat, but my large mat did not fit in the tub, so I was cautious to keep both edges in the water and carefully removed the mat from the tepid water after about fifteen minutes.

Once out of the tub, I gave the mat a good scrub with Murphy's Oil soap, as explained in the following response that I found on the OLFA site.

source
click image to enlarge

using a nail brush to give the mat a good cleaning
with Murphy's Oil soap

My mat is now clean and a bit brighter. Is it like new? Of course not, but I didn't expect that. My mat does seem to have fewer sections that have deep grooves.

Other maintenance is recommended for the mats:

source

Will I soak my mats again? Yes, probably a couple of times a year just for preventative maintenance, especially since I live in a dry climate.

What maintenance do you do on your self-healing mats?