Door mats are one of the first things that your guests see when they arrive at your home. For that reason, you want them to be stylish and functional – they can even say something about the type of person that lives beyond the front door. Similar to indoor rugs, doormats serve many functions, and take a lot of foot traffic, after all every person that steps inside your home has first stepped on your mat. The originally simple task of buying a doormat has gotten more confusing. This guide will help you choose the perfect mat for your house.
Essentially, size matters. You want your doormat to be the biggest that space allows for, to catch as much dirt as possible. If your mat is too small, people will walk straight into your home without wiping. People generally choose rectangle shapes, that way you can cover the whole entrance to your door so that people can’t side-step them. Some people turn their mats vertically, so that people have to walk down a ‘red carpet’ of sorts, this way their feet make contact with the doormat as many times as possible before coming into your home.
Your doormat, no matter what it looks like, is going to take a beating. People will be walking all over it, scraping mud onto it, dripping water onto it – and that’s just when it’s in use. During the day when you don’t have guests arriving at your house, your doormat is having to withstand constant exposure to the elements. That’s why it’s a good idea to choose a design that is UV rated, so you can have peace of mind that it will last. That being said, any damage that’s happening to your mats is good. It means that you aren’t scratching and staining the floor underneath.
The front of your home – with muddy shoes coming in and out – can be a major slip hazard. Mats can help prevent slips from occurring, and help keep water out of your home by trapping it within thedoormat instead. That’s exactly why you need to choose the right material for your door, otherwise you can make it even worse! Outdoor mats are usually made with rubber and are designed to grip to your front entrance. Indoor ones however, can sometimes be made from fabric, like a regular rug. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to stick a non-slip pad underneath, especially if your floor is a slick material like timber or tiles. That way it won’t shift under foot traffic.
Don’t just choose any old sturdy doormat – you still want it to look good. After all, you’re going to be seeing it every time that you step into your house. We recommend choosing a style that compliments your home, but in a few shades darker. That way dirt won’t show up as easily, especially if you’re looking for an indoor option. Outdoor mats tend to be made from rubber or coir, and you can be more flexible with the interior. Choose a fabric that’s easy to wash or vacuum, and you shouldn’t have any problems. The outside doormat takes the brunt of the dirt – your inside mat is just for excess moisture.
Your façade is the first thing people see when they arrive at your home. With a good quality doormat, you’ll not just keep mud and dirt out of your house, but make a statement in your entrance way. Do yourself a favour, and keep your floors looking their best well into the future – invest in a doormat today.
