A circut mat is a surface where it is used to cut for various projects. It is used in various craft and DIY projects. It is one of the important materials for circut cutter machine.
There are various kinds of mats for different projects. One needs to be careful and wise to choose the right mat for that project. Circut cutting mats are specifically made to match commonly used crafting materials for your die-cutting machine. Four mats are used frequently for creating successful crafts and DIY projects. They are.
- Light Grip (Blue)
- Standard Grip (Green)
- Strong Grip (Purple)
- Fabric (Pink)
These mats have a strong stickiness compared to other mats. Because of that, it becomes too tough to replace the wrong mat with the right one for that project. Every sticky substance loses its stickiness property after some time and becomes dirty. Such mats are not used in any projects.
These circuts mats can be cleaned to bring back the stickiness property for that mat. To clean a mat is expensive as it needs to send to a store for professional cleaning. By following the the the the the below ways one can save some money or save a trip to a store for cleaning a mat.
Cleaning of a Circut Mat:
Circut mats require often cleaning as the more it is used it becomes dirty and loses its stickiness. Most of the mats require cleaning after they are used for 2-4 cuts. It is better to start cleaning a mat as soon as the material or objects do not hold on to the mat used for the project.
Depending on the material used one need to decide the frequency of cleaning. Soft materials like “vinyl and cardstock” requires less cleaning. Materials like debris, denim, glitter vinyl a lot of cleaning.
Ways To Keep A Mat Clean:
- Clean the mats regularly with a lint roller or scraper.
- Always replace the plastic protector sheet
- Use the right mat for the appropriate material used in that project.
To clean mats we require tools for efficient cleaning and the best outcome possible. Below are some of the tools mentioned which are inexpensive and easily available. Some of them are available at your homes or offices.
Tools Used:
- Plastic Cricut scraper tool
- lint roller
- Alcohol-free baby wipes
- Dawn dish soap
- Dish brush
- LA’s Awesome cleaning spray.
Note:It is not compulsory to use all tools to clean a mat. It varies from mat to mat and the material used on that mat.
Various methods are used to clean different kinds of mats.
Kinds of Methods:
- Light-Kind Cleaning Methods
- Medium-Kind Cleaning Methods
- Heavy-Kind Cleaning Methods
Light-Kind Cleaning Methods:
One can use it to clean the mat after every project so that it is in a good condition.
The Scrapper tool is used to clean the mat. Use this tool to remove excess leftover material from the mat. It is better to use a Scrapper XL tool for the best outcome. Gently pull the scrapper tool from the surface so that it removes the excess of small material, dirt, or hair particles from the mat.
A lint roller is used to remove small material or pieces from the mat. It is very simple to use and cleans the mat easily. We need to roll the tool over the mat so that the particles stuck to the roller and the mat is cleaned.
Baby Wipes:
It is a very cheap tool to use in cleaning a circut mat. This is an easy way to clean the mats by erasing the spills and the mess from them. It is a convenient item to use whenever any craft is created, or DIY project work is going on. Use alcohol-free baby wipes for better results.
To clean the mat just wipe the mat in a circular motion until you have the cleaning surface. Keep in mind that the adhesive of the mat is safe. Do two or three wipes to clean a dirt mat. Apply gentle pressure while wiping the dirt from the mat. Once it is wiped the mat needs to be dried completely before further use.
Irrespective of methods mat needs to be dried before further use. Do not use a towel to dry the mat as it leaves more fuzz on the mat which is not right. Do not dry in heat as it can damage the mat. The best way to dry a mat is to hang up the mat vertically. Place the meat on a drying rack. It will dry the mat completely.
Medium-kind Cleaning Methods:
Use warm water and dish soap to clean the mat. It is good to use a mild dish wash like Blue Dawn for better results. Never use hand wash or lotion with oil to clean the mat.
- Use any one of the tools mentioned above to remove excess material from the mat.
- Lay the mat on a flat waterproof surface, like a kitchen counter. Using a clean dishcloth or a soft dish brush, gently scrub the surface of the mat in a circular with soap and warm water.
- Dry the mat with the steps mentioned above completely before any further use of the mat.
Heavy Kind Cleaning Methods
This method is applicable when your mat is too dirty or having hard materials on the mat. It is not easy to clean such mats as it contains an excessive amount of dirt and the mat is too rough or hard. The best cleaning spray to clean this kind of dirt or materials is LA’s Awesome Spray. It is available on both offline and online platforms.
Steps to use the LA’s Spray to clean the Circut Mat:
- Spray the mat with cleaning spray.
- Let the mat sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Use a squeegee or scraper tool to scrape the residue off the surface of the mat gently. The keyword here is “gently
- Use very light pressure, so you do not damage the mat.
- Rinse the mat with warm water. Lay flat or hang vertically to dry.
Out of four mats, the pink fabric mat is different and delicate as it uses a different adhesive from the other mats. Be careful while cleaning as it gets damaged by a snatch or scratch. To clean this mat, you can use the tweezer tool to remove larger pieces of leftover material. Never use any spray for cleaning as it is dangerous.
Out of all the materials found on this circut mat, “Felt” is a material that is very difficult to clean. There is a separate procedure to clean this from the mat. use an older pink or green standard grip mat that you do not mind getting dirty. Set it aside for your felt projects, and do not worry about it.
You can also try baking the sheet of felt with freezer paper and sticking the paper side down onto the mat. This will hold the felt in place while the Circut cuts and protect the Cricut mat from lint and fuzz. By doing this pink fibre mat is ready to use.
Steps to regain stickiness for a Circut mat:
- First, remove remaining stickiness from the mat which covers either soft or hard materials found on the mat. This ensures that there is enough adhesive on the mat.
- Apply plain rubbing alcohol or Goo Gone on the surface, then go over it with a
- Slowly spray or stick the spray on the surface of the mat in equal amounts slowly and carefully. Read the instructions in the label before using it.
- Sometimes one coating is enough to regain the stickiness for some Circut mats. Otherwise, it requires two to three brushes to regain the property of stickiness.
- After applying wait for 15-20 minutes for the adhesive to settle well on the mat. Then remove the tape from the sides without causing any damage. Check the mat twice to see whether it regained the stickiness property or not.
Circut Mat is an important tool for creating crafts. To maintain a well-conditioned mat is necessary. I advise following the mentioned steps in detail. Also, it is good to maintain a routine of cleaning the Circut mat.
If you are not aware of the steps even after going through the article it is best to seek professional help at the nearby store. Follow the steps carefully to use one mat for a long time without any damage.
