Any crafter knows just how much use and abuse their Cricut mats take. Although it’s not always easy to keep your Cricut mats in mint condition, an easy place to start is by cleaning them. They might not last forever but with a little care and attention, you’ll get a lot more cuts from each Cricut mat you own.
So how do you wash a Cricut mat?
Save yourself a trip to the craft store by properly cleaning and caring for your Cricut mats. You should clean your mats after every 2-4 cuts using water, dish soap, Windex, or sanitary wipes. After cleaning, you may have to reapply a coating to restore your mats’ sticky texture.
If you’re unsure how to clean and care for your Cricut mats, keep reading!
We’ll walk you through a handful of cleaning methods and teach you how to make your mats sticky again. Don’t waste time and money going to the store when you could get more life out of your current Cricut mats.
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How to Wash a Cricut Mat
Cricut mats can be washed with water, dawn dish soap, windex, clorox wipes, and baby wipes. An easy way to keep your Cricut mat clean from minor dirt is to keep clorox or baby wipes in your craft room. For best results, clean your mat after each use.
In this section, we’ll introduce five ways to clean Cricut mats. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages so consider which will work best for you.
How to Clean a Cricut Cutting Mat with Water
If your Cricut mat is covered in dust or debris, clean it with water using the following technique:
- Use tweezers to remove large pieces of debris. Do not scrape the mat as scraping it can push debris deeper into the material.
- Place your mat on a firm surface to keep it supported then run lukewarm water over it in the sink.
- Use a hard-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub the mat with small circular motions.
- Pat the mat dry with some paper towel.
- Make sure to air dry completely before using it again.
This method works well if your Cricut mat is lightly coated in dust. They often become dirty if left for too long but some simple water and scrubbing will fix the problem. Be warned, though, your mat may take time to dry and you cannot use it if it’s still wet.
How to Clean a Cricut Cutting Mat with Dawn Dish Soap
If your Cricut mat is very dirty or greasy, warm water might not be enough to completely clean it. If this happens, use a gentle detergent such as Dawn dish soap to cut through the grease:
- Clear away larger pieces of debris using a pair of tweezers, making sure not to scrape the mat.
- Lay your mat flat on a firm surface to help support it.
- Apply a small amount of Dawn dish soap to a hard-bristled brush and scrub the detergent into your mat using small circular motions.
- Rinse the mat completely in the sink.
- Pat dry with a paper towel and then leave it to air dry completely before using again.
We don’t recommend using detergent on a Cricut mat unless it’s absolutely necessary. The detergent may break down your mats’ natural stickiness, forcing you to reapply a sticky coat. However, this method is highly effective if your mat is very greasy.
How to Clean a Cricut Cutting Mat with Windex
On the other hand, if your mat is only moderately dusty, you can clean it with Windex or another common household glass cleaner. These solutions are good at breaking down sticky bonds without completely ruining your mat:
- Remove any large pieces of debris using tweezers.
- Lay your mat flat on a counter or other hard surface.
- Spritz Windex or another household glass cleaner onto your mat.
- Gently rub the solution into the mat using a brush.
- Rinse the mat in the sink and leave it to dry before using it again.
Using Windex is a happy medium between a detergent like Dawn and a quick rinse with water. However, avoid being overly abrasive or you may rub the sticky coating off your Cricut mat.
How to Clean a Cricut Cutting Mat with Clorox Wipes
Sometimes, your Cricut mat just needs a quick wipe to remove dust and debris. Clorox wipes are strong enough to clean away some of the grime, but still gentle enough to protect your mats’ sticky coatings:
- Remove large pieces of debris using a pair of tweezers.
- Lay your Cricut mat flat on a hard surface.
- Rub away dust and grime using a Clorox wipe. Continue rubbing until the wipes no longer turn dark or grimy looking.
Using Clorox wipes to clean your Cricut mat is both easy and gentle on the material. However, you will need a lot of wipes if your mat is quite dirty. In this case, it’s best to use a different method.
How to Clean a Cricut Cutting Mat with Baby Wipes
Last but not least, you can also use baby wipes to clean your Cricut mats. Baby wipes are even gentler than Clorox wipes, allowing you to quickly clean your mats between each use:
- Remove large pieces of debris using a pair of tweezers.
- Lay your Cricut mat flat on a hard surface.
- Rub away dust and grime using a baby wipe. Continue rubbing until the wipes no longer turn dark or grimy looking.
Baby wipes are not very effective if your mats are quite dirty. Save them for minor cleanups.
How to Make a Cricut Mat Sticky Again
Depending on which method you use to clean your Cricut mats, they may lose their distinctive stickiness. Detergents and strong chemicals can break down the bonds that make up the sticky coating but don’t worry—you can reapply a sticky coat after the fact.
Simply Wash Your Mat
Oftentimes, Cricut mats begin to lose their distinctive stickiness when they’re covered in dust and grime. Before you go out and buy a new mat, try cleaning it with warm water. Sometimes simply cleaning away the dust is enough to restore your mats’ stickiness.
Use a Glue Stick
If your mat has lost its stickiness after washing, you can use a ZIG Memory glue stick to reapply a sticky layer:
- After cleaning and drying your mat, prime the glue stick by pressing it into a piece of paper until the tip turns blue.
- Run the glue stick across your Cricut mats, covering it as evenly as possible.
- Let the glue dry on the mat.
This method takes a little more effort but you can easily recoat a Cricut mat up to 25 times with a single glue stick. Do not use a standard Elmer’s glue stick.
Use a Spray Adhesive
Alternatively, you can purchase a can of sprayable adhesive to quickly and evenly recoat your Cricut mats:
- After cleaning and drying your mat, lay it on a flat surface.
- Prime the can of adhesive by shaking it.
- Spray an even coat of adhesive over the mat.
- Let the adhesive dry before using your mat again.
This method is quick and easy and you’ll get a lot more applications from a can of spray than a glue stick.
How Long Do Cricut Mats Last?
Cricut mats last for a few hundred cuts, but the lifespan can be increased by maintaining a clean mat. Properly clean your mats and reapply an adhesive coat when it starts to lose stickiness and your Cricut mats should last around 6 months. Remember, most of the time a simple wash will restore it to its former sticky glory!
Summary: How to wash Cricut mat and make sticky again
Warm water, Clorox or baby wipes, a gentle detergent such as Dawn, or some Windex to clean your Cricut mats. Water is preferred as it is the most gentle option to clean your Cricut Mat. Detergents are effective, but they can reduce the stickiness of your mat.
If they lose stickiness, apply a glue stick or adhesive spray. Your mat should last for a few hundred cuts or about 6 months. Keep your mat clean to increase the lifespan.