Can You Wash Bath Mats to Eliminate Odors?
September 30, 2019 | Blog, Home & pets, News, Odorklenz laundry, Remove mildew smell, Uncategorized
Odorous Problems with Rubber Backed Bath Rugs

Where to Place Bathroom Rugs
The decision on whether or not to place a bathroom rug inside of your bathroom is something that many people will carefully consider. There are many benefits to having a rug in this area, such as a pop of color and decoration, a comfortable material for standing on, and even an absorbent fabric to retain excess moisture that develops after taking a shower or bath. However, as we discussed before, rugs can also be an odorous culprit that will allow for a flooding of odors to swarm inside of this airspace. When placing a bathroom rug inside of this environment, it is important to be strategic in your placement of this material. Most people will select the location of this rug for in front of their showers/bathtubs or even in front of their bathroom mirror. The decision is up to the homeowner to decide, but this can play a major role in the potential buildup of odors overtime, where you chose to place this bathroom rug.How to Wash & Deodorize Bath Mats

Can You Wash Bathroom Rugs?
Before you throw your bathroom rugs into the washer for a quick spin to get clean and odor-free, it is essential that you carefully read the care label prior to using your washing machine to clean these materials. Additionally, this label will also identify which products can and should be used to clean the material such as bleach, laundry detergent, etc. These care instructions on bathroom rugs is due to the material that is used within the mat like cotton and synthetic fabrics and the rubber backing on the bottom of the rug.How to Wash Bathroom Rugs
Plastic and rubber backed bathroom floor mats are fairly standard in most homes, and this material will place a lot of restrictions on how to wash this rubber backed rug when placing it in the washing machine. There are many different settings on a washing machine, and when you are washing something like bathroom rugs it is critical to place these settings on the necessary option to protect the material and the quality of the rug. The washing instructions for these rugs is as follows in your washing machine;-
Look at the bottom of your mats to see if there are any noticeable cracks or peeling that has occurred on the rubber backing. If this is the case, then the mats rubber back may disintegrate inside the washing machine. When this happens, it can ultimately lead to clogging or damage to the drain of the washing machine. Therefore, it may be best to throw these rugs away and get new bath mats for your bathroom.
- If mats are able to be placed in the washing machine, then place the mats in the washer to be washed. Be sure not to overload the washing machine and place this wash load on a cold, gentle setting with normal detergent.
- After the washing cycle has been completed, the best method to dry these items is to hang them outside, or if you want to dry your mats quicker use the dryer and tumble dry on the lowest heat setting. However, be sure to never heat plastic or rubber backed bathmats because it can lead to damage to the mat’s material.
How Often Should You Wash Bathroom Rugs
How often should you wash your bathroom rugs? This is something that can be dependent on the conditions in the environment and the amount of use that your rugs are exposed to each day. Also, the material of the rug will play a role in how often to wash bathroom rugs, especially those mats that have non-skid rubber backings. This rubber backed rugs are not designed to withstand frequent washings in the washing machine, due to the construction of this rug. Therefore, it is a good rule of thumb to wash these bathroom rugs every 3 to 4 weeks.
Does Baking Soda Clean Carpet on Bath Mats?
A go-to odor removing method for most fabrics is the well-known deodorizer baking soda. Baking soda is a proven odor absorber that’s particles go deep down into the carpet to reach the base of the odor to absorb and neutralize the smells. This deodorizer can be easily applied to the fabric material of your bath mats to aid in the removal of most odors from the material – this can be a great alternative to performing a through wash in the washing machine. However, this solution will not be a super powerful solution, and may need to be performed multiple times to completely remove the odors.
Carpet Deodorizer Powder

Carpet & Rug Refresher
$12.99
✓ Made of Safe, Natural earth minerals that provide a complete odor elimination on fabrics like carpeting and rugs
✓ Fast acting, without the use of masking agents or fragrances
✓ Easy to use; Sprinkle on and wait approximately 15-20 minutes, then vacuum thoroughly from surface
✓ Can be used on upholstery, automobile interiors, and drapes to remove tough odors like cooking, pet, smoke, musty and mildew odors