The Beginner’s Guide to Cutting Mat Care and Maintenance

Look After Your Cutting Mat and It’ll Look After You

If you’ve ever wondered how to properly clean and care for your cutting mat, you’re in exactly the right place! I get this question all the time, so I reached out to the very top, the folks at Olfa Japan, where high quality mats are made, to get the lowdown. By the way, their advice applies whether you’re using an Olfa or any other brand of cutting mat.

So if your cutting mat is starting to look a little tired or you’re not quite sure how to help it last, don’t worry - I’ve got you covered.

Don’t Cut in the Same Spot Every Time

I know it’s tempting as we all have our favourite measurements and cutting setups, but try to rotate your mat or shift your fabric around. Cutting in the same place over and over will wear deep grooves into the surface.

Little known fact: Cutting mats are made of PVC with tiny rubbery particles inside that shift aside when you cut, and then move back again afterwards. This is the ‘self healing’ bit.  But if you keep cutting on the same spot? Those particles eventually give up and leave...so it stops healing itself!

So go easy on your mat and use different areas as you work. A simple trick is to flip your mat over once in a while, or when one side is looking a little world-weary. Most are double-sided, and switching sides can help extend its life.

Avoid Temperature Extremes

Cutting mats are a bit fussy when it comes to temperature. Too hot or too cold and things can go pear-shaped quickly.

•    Hot cars or direct sunlight can soften the PVC and cause warping.

•    Freezing garages or sheds can make them brittle and prone to cracking.

TOP TIP: Your mat wants to live somewhere “just right” - not too hot, not too cold. Think of it as the Goldilocks of the quilting world.

Keep Your Iron Far, Far Away

We’ve all had that moment - you’re in the middle of a project and think, “I’ll just press this quickly on top of my mat with a towel.” Stop right there!

Even with a layer of insulated wadding, heat from your iron can melt or warp the mat underneath and they never really recover. It’s damage that can make cutting frustrating later on because your mat becomes distorted, and even a little bit of distortion can affect how your ruler and rotary cutter sit when you're measuring and cutting.

Let’s just say: your mat and your iron are not friends.

Clean Up Fluff and Threads

All those lovely fabrics we cut leave little fluffy bits behind, especially in any tiny grooves. Here’s how to tidy up:

•    Use sticky tape to lift off fluff and threads.

•    Rub with a white eraser to dislodge debris from the grooves.

This is a good first step before moving on to the spa treatment below…

Give Your Cutting Mat a Gentle Bath

(If you have a cat who thinks your mat is a perfect place for a daytime snooze, this one is definitely for you!)

Yes, really! Every few months (or when it looks like it’s been through a quilting marathon), give your mat a soak in lukewarm water with a bit of mild dish soap. Here’s how:

  1.    Fill your bathtub or sink with lukewarm - not hot - water.

  2.    Add a little dishwashing liquid.

  3.    Use a soft cloth or face flannel to gently wipe it clean.

  4.    Let it air dry flat - no propping it up to dry!

Always Store Flat

Along with avoiding the iron, this might be one of the most important tips of all: Store your mat flat. Not leaning up behind the door or wedged into the corner of a cupboard.

Why? If your mat gets bent or warped, it’ll never lie quite right again. So whether it’s under your sewing machine, under a bed, or tucked beneath the sofa, just keep it flat and out of harm’s way.

Click this image if you'd like to watch the video, otherwise carry on reading below.

Your Cutting Mat Is an Investment

A good cutting mat should last you for years if you treat it kindly. Clean it now and then, store it safely, and move your cutting around and it’ll serve you faithfully through all your sewing and quilting projects.

Happy quilting,
Kim x

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