Soil is everywhere. It is a part of the earth we live on and managing it is a vital part of our everyday existence. Even the least sophisticated commercial facility requires some type of soil management program. At the heart of soil management is the concept of prevention - prevention of contaminants from entering a building. 85% of all soil enters a building on the feet of building occupants. Of this, at least 80% is dry soil and the rest is oily. The dry soil can range from large particles to powder-like dust. Over the years, many products have been developed and sold to help keep soil at the door and out of the building. The International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) has estimated that it costs 600 dollars to find and remove one pound of soil after it has been allowed to enter an average building. This cost is primarily labor. Since entrance mats stop and contain soil and water, it is obvious that removing soil from a mat can be less expensive than removing it from a building since the soil is concentrated in a localized area.

Four things an entrance mat should do:

Stop soil and water at the door

Most, if not all mats claim to do this. The most effective mats provide a combination of scraping and wiping to stop the maximum amount of contaminants.

Store soil and water for removal

The most effective entrance mats are designed to provide a place for soil and water to go to for storage. It is important that the storage be designed for maximum storage and ease of removal when the mat is cleaned. It is important that the mat provide a way for the contaminants to be contained so that water cannot spread to the surrounding floor creating a slip/fall hazard. Water that flows off the sides of the mat is referred to as seepage. Mats with flat borders allow water to seep off the edges, thus increasing one’s exposure to slip and fall. Excessive floor damage is also created by the water seepage around the perimeter of the mat. Higher performance mats provide a dam that will hold the water back from floor surfaces and from reattaching to one’s shoes.

Minimize tracking of soil and water

This capability is best accomplished by a BI-level construction that provides an upper surface for walking and a lower area where soil and water are stored until removed by cleaning. The amount of soil that a mat allows to be tracked back on to patrons’ shoes is commonly referred to as the performance threshold. The best mats on the market maintain this BI-level construction thereby trapping large quantities of moisture and dirt keeping not allowing it to reattach to peoples shoes and be tracked further into the facility. Low performance mats such as those with ribbed or square patterned face yarn alone will not hold up under foot pressure, thus allowing more water and dirt to reattach to shoes and be tracked into respective facilities. Look for a permanent rubber membrane that will support the face yarn throughout the mat’s productive life. High performance mats have a permanent rubber reinforcing membrane that will permanently support the textile face, increasing product unity and extending useful product life.

Provide a safe surface

The mat should be slip-resistant to prevent slipping on the floor when it is walked on. Also any water on the mat should be contained in a reservoir below the traffic surface to prevent slipping on flooring surface adjacent to the mat. Rubber-backed mats provide a better slip resistance than vinyl-backed mats. Rubber-backed mats do not curl as do vinyl mats thus reducing trip and fall exposure. Some rubber-backed mats have cleated surfaces on the bottom that further enhances non-skid properties and allows moisture to dry from underneath the mat.

Entrance mats may also be scraper mats that provide the first line of defense against soil. Scraper mats should always be used with other entrance mats that will provide wiping properties to remove fine soil and water from feet.