How to Clean Cricut Mat? How to clean a cricut mat and make it sticky again? – If you are wondering these things, this article is for you.
A Cricut machine often comes with a Cricut mat, which serves as a surface for the materials to adhere to during the cutting process. After multiple uses, these mats can accumulate dirt, residues, and lose their adhesive. It’s time for you to clean them to ensure optimal cutting results for future projects, but how to clean Cricut mat effectively without damaging it?
In this blog post, CustomAny will provide you with 3 simple and effective methods to clean your Cricut mat and restore its adhesive like new. By following these easy steps on how to clean Cricut mat, you can ensure the mat remains in top condition, ready for your next crafting
Why we need to clean the Cricut mat
Before finding the answer for how to clean a cricut mat, let’s see why we need to do it first. Cleaning the Cricut mat is crucial for maintaining its effectiveness and usability. Regular cleaning is important because it can:
- Restore mat’s stickiness: Cleaning the mat helps remove dirt and residue, so it may regain its stickiness.
- Ensure precision: A clean mat provides a smooth surface for materials to adhere to, preventing slippage or misalignment during cutting. This ensures more precise cuts.
- Optimize performance: A clean mat ensures that your projects turn out exactly as intended, without any issues caused by a dirty or worn-out surface.
- Extend lifespan: By keeping the mat clean, you can extend its lifespan and ensure that it remains usable for longer periods.
How to Clean Cricut Mat
Cricut machines have become a familiar tool for those who love DIY. They offer an easy way to cut material for various projects, including custom sticker cutting, felt cutting, leather cutting,… To maintain its precision for cutting projects, let’s explore 3 methods on how to clean Cricut mat.
1. Using Dish Soap
When the mat has accumulated dirt, debris, or adhesive residue from various materials used during cutting, such as paper, vinyl, or fabric, you need something to clean off these residues from the mat. Dish soap is effective in breaking down these contaminants without causing damage to the mat’s surface.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Gentle dish soap
- Lukewarm water
- Soft sponge or cloth
- Clean towel
How to clean Cricut mat with dish soap:
- Fill a sink with warm water.
- Add a small amount of dish soap and mix it.
- Submerge your Cricut mat in the soapy water, ensuring it is completely covered.
- Allow the mat to soak for a few minutes to loosen any dirt or residue.
- Gently scrub the surface of the mat with a soft sponge or cloth.
- Use water to clean any soap residue and dry with a clean towel.
Dish soap can be considered as a gentle way to clean your Cricut mat, so it ensures the mat remains in its condition.
2. Using Rubbing Alcohol
When to clean your Cricut mat with rubbing alcohol? It’s suitable when the mat has accumulated stubborn adhesive residue or grease from materials like vinyl or fabric. Rubbing alcohol effectively dissolves these substances without damaging your mat’s surface.
Tools you will need:
- Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)
- Cotton balls or pads
- Clean towel
How to clean Cricut mat with rubbing alcohol:
- Add enough rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball or cotton pad.
- Use it to gently wipe the surface of your Cricut mat. You should focus on areas with adhesive residue or grease.
- Continue rubbing until the residue starts to lift off the mat.
- Use a clean towel to wipe away any remaining alcohol and residue.
- Allow the mat to dry completely before using it again.
3. Using a Specialized Cleaner
Using specialized cleaners for cleaning your Cricut mat is essential for effectively removing tough residue and maintaining its stickiness.
Cleaners specialized for Cricut mat are specifically formulated to clean without damaging mat surfaces. They can effectively clean various materials from the Cricut mat, including adhesive residue, grease, dirt, and other tough-to-remove substances. They’re ideal for use when standard cleaning methods are insufficient in removing stubborn contaminants.
Some common types of specialized cleaners used for cleaning Cricut mats include:
- Windex Multi-Surface Disinfectant Cleaner
- Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner
- Dawn Dishwashing Liquid Soap
- Goo Gone Original Liquid Cleaner
Things you will need:
- Specialized Cricut mat cleaner
- Clean cloth or paper towel
How to clean Cricut mat using Specialized Cleaners:
- Apply a small amount of specialized cleaner to a cloth or paper towel.
- Gently rub the cleaner onto the surface of the Cricut mat, focusing on areas with stubborn residue.
- Allow the cleaner to sit for a few minutes.
- Wipe away the cleaner and residue from the mat with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Clean the mat again using warm water and let it dry before using it for the next project.
How to make the Cricut mat sticky again?
You may face the situation when Cricut mat loses its stickiness. To restore the adhesive, the first step is to clean it thoroughly. Sometimes, a simple cleaning is all it takes to regain your mat’s adhesive. However, if cleaning doesn’t work, you may need other methods to make it stick again.
This is a step-by-step guide to do it.
Step 1: Clean the mat with our 3 recommended methods in the previous section.
Step 2: Apply the new adhesive
- Tape off the edges of the mat with masking tape or blue painter’s tape to protect the outer border.
- You can use adhesive like Krylon Easy-Tack Repositionable Adhesive, or other similar products from reliable brands including Loctite, Spray n Bond, Tacky Glue, Zig Adhesive, or Aleene’s.
- Apply thin, even layers, gradually onto the surface of the mat until you see the adhesive cover all the surface.
- Allow the adhesive to dry for the recommended time, usually around 10-15 minutes.
- Lastly, peel off the masking or painter’s tape from the edges of the mat.
Before using the mat for your projects, remember that you should test the adhesive by lightly pressing a scrap piece of material onto the surface to ensure it adheres properly.
However, if it finally doesn’t work as you expected or resticking Cricut mat seems daunting for you, consider purchasing a new one.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of how to clean Cricut mat is essential for maintaining its effectiveness and ensuring precise cutting results for your crafting projects. Choose the most suitable method from our 3 recommendations above to keep your Cricut mat in top condition and restore its stickiness like new.
For more tips on using printing and cutting machines for DIY projects, you can visit our blog page here.
Cricut mat cleaning FAQs
Q1: Can we clean the Cricut mat without any damage?
A1: Yes, you can clean the Cricut mat without causing damage. However, it’s important to avoid using sharp objects or abrasive cleaners that could potentially scratch or damage the surface of the mat.
Q2: How often should you clean your Cricut mat?
A2: It’s recommended to clean your Cricut mat regularly, ideally after every project or whenever you notice dirt, debris, or residue accumulating on the surface. Keeping the mat clean helps maintain its stickiness and ensures optimal cutting results.
Q3: When do we need to change the Cricut mat?
A3: You may need to change your Cricut mat when it no longer adheres materials securely during cutting, even after cleaning. Signs of excessive wear, such as deep cuts or tears, may also indicate that it’s time for a replacement.
Q4: How to Keep the Mats Clean?
A4: To keep your Cricut mat clean, consider cleaning it after every project. Use tools like a scraper tool, lint roller, or baby wipes to remove dirt, debris, and residue from the surface. Regular cleaning helps maintain the mat’s stickiness and prolong its lifespan.
Q5: How to Make a Cricut Mat Sticky Again?
A5: To make your Cricut mat sticky again, you need to know how to clean Cricut mat first. If cleaning alone doesn’t restore its stickiness, you can apply a new adhesive using specialized adhesive sprays.
