Washing Bathmats

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Definition please?

Everyone I know refers to a bathmat as the rubber thing with (usually) suction cups that goes INSIDE the tub to prevent slippage. What you stand on when you exit the tub is a drip mat. Then there's regular bathroom throw rugs and toilet lid covers. I don't use a bathmat, but if I did I think I'd just leave it in the tub when I wash it out once a week with some LCB. As for dripmats and throw rugs, the drip mat gets hung over the side of the tub to dry, then washed with the throw rugs that get washed once every two weeks in the commercial Maytag TL's we have here, and dried on a rack. Commercial dryers are murder on rubberized backing. When I replace them, I try to look for ones without that. Bed, Bath and Beyond usually carries them.
 
Bath mats

I always wash bath mats on cottons 60oc with steam wash and 1400rpm spin. They're just standard white cotton but are quite heavy and the other set are white too but rubber backed. We've never had any problems, my old machine (dyson) used to lower the spin to 1100 or 800 in unbalanced conditions but the LG seems to go all the way to 1400 and balances really well!
 
"Everyone I know refers to a bathmat as the rubber thing with (usually) suction cups that goes INSIDE the tub to prevent slippage."

 

That one stays in the tub and is soaked in bleach water.   Then hosed down with the sprayer.    I pull it up so the suction cups get a rest and a cleaning during this process and then it is hung on the back of the tub to dry until next usage.  For those afraid of chlorine, I guess you can just hose them off with a milder cleaner.  I don't believe in taking germ prisoners, My Dad used to fight athlete's foot all the time.  I don't worry about it--Chlorine is your friend.

 

 

 
 
I always had out-of-balance issues when washing rugs (or anything else heavy for that matter) in TL washers but have never had any trouble in either my Maytag or Whirlpool FL machines.   The kitchen and entry area rugs get washed in a load by themselves and then are line-dried.  My bathroom rugs are reversible cotton chenille and they get washed with bath towels in hot water and go in the drier.
 
Tub mat: rubber suction cups
Bath mat: thick terry cloth
Bath rug: bound synthetic potentially with rubber backing
Bath carpet: unbound synthetic potentially with rubber backing, cut-to-fit

I can see that a tub mat would not necessarily be good in a FL...bath mats would need to be done 2 at a time...rugs/carpets as they fit
 
Washing bath mats is not a problem in my Whirlpool. I did once wash a large door mat in it, though. While it went pretty okay and it did spin eventually, I don't think I'll do it again. The final spin was rather violent compared to a usual spin cycle. :) Watch:

 
To me a bath mat is the rubber thing you put in the tub.  I toss those in the washer often.  A Bath rug is what you step out of the shower/tub onto, these often have the annoying easily destroyed rubber backing.  I've managed to keep some of the rubber backed rug lasting a lot longer by simply not placing them in the dryer - for me it's doubled or tripled their lives.
 
Confusing

I assumed that the bathmat was the same as a rubber backed throw rug. But I guess it can be that heavy terry rectangle that you often find hanging over the edge of the tub in a hotel room. Or it could be the solid rubber anti-slip mat for use in the tub while showering.

So confusing.

Malcolm
 
Costco spa mats

I haven't had problems washing rubber backed mats in my Frig FL, but I use delicate cycle and cold or warm water. After 3-4 years, however, the backing seems to flake no matter how carefully I treat it.

I recently bought three very thick "spa" bathmats from Costco which have no backing, they are reversible and have the same woven finish on both sides. They are heavy, so I wash all three at once to balance the machine. I don't use delicate since there is no rubber backing. They are very thick and absorbent, and hence hold a lot of water, even if spun at high speed. They thus take longer to dry, but they come out clean and don't seem to give the washer any trouble.
 
Thanks for the responses everyone. The consensus seems to be:

1. Buy straight cotton ones, don't buy rubber backed ones. This will allow for better washing action and they can be put in the drier.
2. Don't put just one bathmat in, put in a few or balance the load out by putting other items in with it.
3. Use the low spin speed cycles.

Well, a trip to Ikea is now in the works!

Thank you very much everyone!
 
Response to Ronhic

Ronhic says:
 
> I really don't quite understand why North Americans appear to have so many issues with front load machines.
 
Hi Ron. Part of the problem is that we grew up with Top loaders and for the majority of us, we've always had top loaders. It's only within the last few years that front loaders have become affordable here. It doesn't help that North Americans can't seem to build a decent front loader. (Speed Queen/Huebsch excluded.)
 
So, while it may seem stupid to some degree, there's a little bit of different thinking that has to be done on my part now. Like, how I don't have to worry about putting the washer on a low agitation speed setting for fear it'll destroy my pillows. :-)
 
Response to Malcolm

Yeah, the mat I was referring to was the rubber backed kind with a rug ontop that you put outside of the bathtub. :)
 
@qualin

In the bathrooms, I have only the all-fabric woven kind. No rubber backings. The only issues affecting FL spin are balance issues, as they (the Costco "spa" mats) are bulky and heavy.

Some lines of towel manufacturers make all-fabric bathmats to match their towels; these are of lighter construction (though thicker than the matching towels) and don't cause balance issues. I have a few of these, and I place them right outside the tub. However, as an area rug near the sink (the tile floor is not heated and gets COLD in winter), I use the spa mats from Costco described above. They are larger than a standard bathmat that matches your towels.

The rubber-back mats I described earlier are small area rugs for high traffic areas. You seem them in US hardware stores, as well as middle-market retailers like Target and Kohls. I use them at most places where there is a door to the outside, as an "indoor doormat" to supplement the outside one, especially if there is rain. I have a "mud room" area, but guests who enter via the front door can't access the mud room without walking through the house, nor can someone entering from the patio door (which opens on to a carpeted area...). There are often printed in cheery patterns or look like fake berber carpet (usually they are olefin or other synthetic). Costco sells these as "kitchen rugs", I guess a way to brighten or decorate the kitchen. Since I have cold tile in the kitchen, I appreciate the rug's warmth outside of summer.

I once bought one for the entry to the kitchen, because my late Rhodesian Ridgeback, Korky, began to have separation anxiety after he became ill with cancer. Whereas before he didn't need to keep me in his line of sight while I was in the kitchen, now he wanted to be at my feet all the time (and he wasn't seeking food, for 10+ years he was not allowed in the kitchen and knew it was off limits). The rug is about 18 x 40 inches (like a short runner) and was sold with a 30" half round matching rug (to use next to a door) from Target. The runner was just large enough to let him lie down comfortably while staying out of my way in the kitchen. I used to recycle my frayed/old kitchen rugs at his favorite spot to lie down in the garage...when I was working in the garage, he liked to have the garage door open so he could check out passing pedestrians and survey the scene outside (he did this even before he became sick). These two rugs are still in good shape and are washed about once a year. Once the backing becomes flaked, however, out they go and I buy some new ones.

The rationale behind these high-traffic rugs is that they are washable, so you don't have to toss them out if they get soiled beyond what the vacuum cleaner can fix. In general, the washability claim is true, they come out nice, clean, and bright from the washer---but my experience is that in 3-5 years, the backing starts to yellow and peel, at which point it's no longer safe to wash. My strategy is to look for bargains (say, Costco) and to regard these rugs as short-term investments, five years max.

They make rubber-backed rugs for bathroom use, but I've never bought them. For the bath I use all-fabric mats or rugs, and keep them clean with periodic laundering. The advertising on the Costco "spa" mats showed them used as a small area rug in front of a sink/vanity, NOT use right outside a tub/shower. I use them similarly, as a comfy area rug in the bathroom.
 
Qualin...

Oh, have no fear, Australia is not that much different from North America when it comes to historical washer choice. 90% of us grew up with a top-load machine in the laundry. However, times change and people who purchase a machine different to what they are historically used to, do so in the knowledge that it will be different to use.

 

Least, they SHOULD think like that.

 

My mother went from a top-load Simpson fluid drive to a front-load ASEA nearly 23 years ago. It took her basically a a couple of weeks to feel right about what to do and how to do it. That is, to put everything she would normally put through (and more - there used to be a HUGE amount of hand washing in our house) and see it came out clean.   Initially there were concerns about capacity and we did have one pretty indepth discussion about how full to fill it so she tried filling it to the top with the dirtiest clothes in the house - my fathers brick-laying work clothes and his gardening clothes. Warm cotton short wash and they were clean provided her with sufficient evidence that this small machine could clean better than her former (speed queen based) Simpson.   All I did was repeat what the sales person told me - fill it up until the drum moves back and forth and then take one medium sized item out. Or, as has been described on here, 'until you can JUST get your hand on-top of the load' or 'to the top edge of the drum opening'.  

 

I don't know about over there, but here, owners manuals seem to always advise 'comfortably full' or something similar. To me, and I'm sure many others, that means 'FULL', but not stuffed...but doesn't mean half full or 3/4 full.  

 

Finally, people who purchase something different to what they are used to should be prepared to complete the cycle of change and learn how something different works, including, in the case of a washing machine, how to load it appropriately, type of detergent to use etc. It does get a little tiring hearing about how people are used to type 'X' and now don't like type 'Y' because it's different in some particular way.
 
Thanks Ronhic. Well, I learned something interesting! I thought that Australia laundered the European way due to 50 hz / 220 volt power.

Thanks for the information.

To PassatDoc:

I think I'll consider purchasing non-rubber backed mats from now on due to their short longevity.
 
I never had problems with washing my rubber backed bath rugs. Not even when I am washing only one. I have an Ikea bath rug with rubber back, my AEG takes well care of it. AEG, being fussy with spinning, never has a problem to balance one bath rug.

Ofcourse I never put a rubber backed bath rug in the dryer. That ends their life much sooner.
 
@ Louis: I never have balance problems with rugs, but the backings begin to flake and peel after 3-4 years. After they are no longer washable, I move them out to the garage to serve as area rugs (in front of washer/dryer, one for the dog* to hang out, etc.), and when they are finally too dirty and the vacuum cleaner no longer helps, out they go. The dog's rug, which is usually a former kitchen rug, gets dirty fairly quickly, so when it no longer can be washed (like once every three months), then it goes in the trash. A quick inspection of the rubber backing tells if it is safe to wash or not.

One factor that may affect my rubber backing longevity: my rubber back rugs are in high-traffic areas: kitchen, inside doors that lead to outside or garage, or in front of washer/dryer. They get more foot traction than say in the bathroom. I take my shoes off and leave them in the garage, so the rugs stay cleaner than if I walked on them with shoes on, but eventually everything needs cleaning.

I never ever put a rubber backed rug in the dryer. I hang them to dry after washing on delicate cycle, cold or warm water, no bleach of course.

*like in Holland, Americans treat their dogs as family members ;)

Louis, below is one of the leading brands of kitchen cleaning powders in the USA (not a joke, the brand is like 100 years old). Notice the stereotypical Volendam outfit with klompen. There are still people in USA who think people in Holland (outside of Volendam) own outfits like this. No one I know in Holland owns such an outfit, but they do own outfits from V&D


passatdoc++11-12-2011-10-39-3.jpg
 
I've been washing a variety of rubber backed bath (drip) mats and rugs for a decade now in the Neptune 7500 with no major problems.

I take care to use only a very gentle liquid laundry detergent, never a powder. Powdered detergents are much more alkaline and can attack the rubber.

I also use the warm (105F) temperature setting. The wash cycle (regular or gentle) doesn't seem to make much difference, nor does the spin speed. I try to line dry the rugs as much as possible, weather permitting, but mechanical drying works fine, although I use a lower temperature setting and normal dry moisture setting (as opposed to "more dry" or "very dry". For natural fiber (cotton or bamboo) I'll often run a line-dried mat through a no-heat fluff cycle in the dryer.

I have noticed that some rubber backings deteriorate much faster than others. Some deteriorate just lying of the floor with no washing. I avoid those. The best mats I have run across are a bamboo fiber based bath mat with a very minimal rubber coating on the underside. It gives them just enough grip but doesn't flake off that I can see.
 
terminology

Here's a photo of the "luxury spa" mat that Costco calls a "bath rug". It's nearly an inch thick. I use it as a rug in front of the vanity. Much cozier in winter than a ceramic tile floor (single story home, no basement, and that slab gets COLD in winter). To keep the floor dry when I step out of shower, I use a "bath mat" (thickly woven coarse towel designed to be laid on the floor, often matches a line of towels but thicker and not as soft).

This Kirkland item is fairly heavy. I bought three of them (two for master bath, one for guest bath) and typically I wash two or three of them together to assist the washer in its balancing task. Although my dryer has a moisture sensor, these mats still feel damp even after a Heavy cycle on "high" temperature. So at that point I hang dry them on a large wooden sweater drying rack and in another day or so they are bone dry.

When I purchased them about a year ago, Costco offered them in green and blue (I bought some of each) and they "sort" of matched the green and blue Kirkland Egyptian towels (the bath towels that sell for $7 each), but it was clear that the mats were not an addition to the towel product line. I haven't ventured near the towel section lately to see if they are still sold. I can't remember the price but it was at least $12, maybe more like $15-20 each. These things are substantial in size and heft.

Bath mats (the kind that form part of a collection of towels) tend to be very durable. I have two that I purchased from Company Store in c. 1988-9 that are still in decent shape. They are woven more coarsely (but sturdily) than bath towels. Their longevity is partly due to their rugged construction, and probably also due to the fact that many people do not wash these mats as often as they wash their bath towels. I use a towel twice and then wash it, whereas the bathmat goes in the washer perhaps twice per month maximum. Basically, only my feet touch it, and those feet are clean, right out of the shower. The bath mat is then hung over the shower (glass) door to dry. The Kirkland "bath rug" stays on the floor in front of vanity all the time and is used like a small area rug. I don't wear shoes inside the house, but I launder these mats periodically.

passatdoc++11-14-2011-10-10-40.jpg
 
What Else?

I never will buy any outside tub mat that's not cotton like a towel, I am no fool. I wash all of my towels and bath "rugs" in one wash every 4-5 weeks. My weekly sets of towels are the same-one bath, one hand, one washcloth(or fingertip), and one bath rug. I use my towels cycle on the Samsung and it works just fine! I have not used a bath rug per-se that is always on the floor, in many years. All of my towels and the bath rugs are hung-up on their own hook or rod. BTW, isn't anyone as annoyed as I am of the HUGE, "normal size" of today's towels? I have only a few of them,and all other towels range from about 40 years old to about 8 years old. They are in pretty damn good condition! My actual bath tub mat is a durable, stinky, Chinese plastic Rubbermaid(13.00), and it gets washed in my kitchen sink with Miele Ultra Color Powder. The towels always get a hot wash with either the Miele powder or Persil Color Gel.
 

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