How Do You Preserve a Cricut Mat?
than just buying more, although it is a good idea to have a supply on hand.
I have had my Cricut for 4 years now and although I have upgraded to the newer machines, I am still using some of my original mats. I have a really simple solution for keeping them going for a long time.
Scrubbing is NOT the Answer
I am quite aware that some people will scrub the mats clean and then reapply a tacky glue on the surface. Scrubbing will take off the stickiness of the mat.
This has worked for many and items like Alene's Tack It was the miracle glue to use. That is until now when they have changed the formula and it no longer works the way it used to do.
There are also spray glues and glue sticks that remain tacky as well. I have tried both but often fail here as I miss a spot of two. I can still use them but for inticate cuts, not so much!
Gentle Treatment is the Way To Go
Cleaning your mats of debris after each usage (or day) is the ideal thing to do. Use a scraper and get off the excess bits. If you are using your mat heavily or even using materials that leave a residue, cleaning the debris might be a bigger challenge.
Here Comes the Dawn!
The best solution is to wash your mats with a gentle cloth or sponge using Dawn 3x dish soap. Do not press hard as the Dawn soap will attach the residue and not the stickiness.
Once you mat is clean, hand it up to dry - just use a clamp to hold it in position so it is flat when drying.
Do this when you think your mat is not sticking the way it should - or even more often than that.
I must admit that it is tough to throw out a totally used up mat and in 4 years I have only tossed 3.
Until Next Time...
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