It may seem like a trivial task, but keeping gym floors clean is actually quite important.
It creates a more pleasant and sanitary environment for you and your family to work out in, as well as extends your Stall mats’ lifespan.
So, How do You Clean Your Horse Stall Mats in Your Home Gym?
The most effective way to clean your home gym stall mats is through a combination of vacuuming, mopping, and scrubbing. Start with a thorough vacuuming of every inch, followed by a complete mopping of the surface. Gym stall mats may need additional scrubbing depending on the accumulated dirt and grime.
Sounds simple? That’s because it typically is. However, the right tools and cleaning techniques will help you do it faster, more efficiently, and with time to spare.
Continue reading to learn more!
How to Clean Hose Stall Mats (The Best Ways to Clean)
Vacuum
Start by vacuuming every inch of your floor, including tight spaces and corners. This will remove any dirt, dust, or debris that could potentially cause scratches or other damage to your mats.
Horse stall mats possess a texture that allows dust and debris to collect on the surface. Plus, dirt will often fall through the gaps where two or more stall mats meet.
Move all your gym equipment to another room and remove the stall mats for maximum reach. This way, you can vacuum the floor too.
If moving every piece of equipment proves difficult, lift the mat’s edges and vacuum underneath wherever possible. Use different hose tips to reach the corners and crevices where excess dust may lie.
Proper vacuuming remains a crucial cleaning tip for any rubber gym floor, regardless of whether they’re horse stall mats or regular rubber mats.
Disinfect and Mop
Vacuuming Rubber horse stall mats is an important step. But the grime and sweat will remain on the surface.
Using water alone or ordinary detergents will not thoroughly clean rubber gym floors. Rather, grab a disinfectant.
Today, there are tons of disinfectant brands. That means you probably already have one in your home.
If you don’t, my personal preference is the Simple Green Disinfectant.
It’s an antibacterial cleaner, dish soap, and shiner all rolled into one. Either that or Pine-Sol Multipurpose cleaner works equally well for rubber flooring of any design.
These cleaners come with dispensers making them convenient for cleaning any rubber floor. Spray the cleaning fluid along the surface and edges of your rubber floor.
Next, use a home or sponge mop to clean the rubber floors. As you mop, draw an ‘8’ figure to ensure the debris isn’t pushed around elsewhere.
This action collects and pushes the dirt and mold in the same direction till the point of disposal.
Heavy Duty Brush – for Scrubbing
Grab a sturdy brush and begin scrubbing your entire stall mat. This step proves especially important in a basement or garage gym.
Garage gyms often develop excessive mold and debris on the flooring due to poor ventilation, and a good scrub brush can make the job easier.
Remember not to over-scrub the surface, though. You want to keep your gym floor clean without damaging the floor material. A decent bristle pad attached to a handle will work fine if you don’t own a heavy scrub brush.
As you scrub, don’t worry about the remaining moisture from the disinfectant. Allow the liquid to soak up the remaining debris before wiping it completely dry.
Rags or Towels
Many home gym owners rely on expensive drying products to wipe the moisture off their rubber gym floor. But I’ve seen from experience that an old rag or towel does the job just as well (if not slightly better).
The liquid disinfectant will soak the rubber and allow old dirt, grime, sweat, and sticky spots to dissolve.
Then you’ll use a towel or rag to wipe the flooring slowly and equally. Let any leftover moisture dry naturally (air dry).
Some people also like adding a few drops of their favorite essential oil. This addition can help freshen up your gym environment and encourage better a workout. So, go for it if you have the extra money.
Once your rubber flooring is completely dry, you can start moving the gym equipment back in. Once everything is in place, take some time to relax before you resume your workout again.
Bonus Tip
During long periods of cleaning rubber horse stall mats, the right footwear will do wonders for your feet. Crocs are a good choice.
These rubber shoes will allow your feet to breathe as you work and are lightweight, so you don’t have to spend a lot of energy moving around in them.
How Often Should You Clean Your Horse Stall Mats?
I clean my horse stall mats about 1-2 times per month. However, how frequently you clean should also depend on how dirty your rubber mats get. Some people may prefer to clean their mats every week.
Gym mats will develop dust and dirt depending on how often they’re used and how many people work out on them.
All of these factors contribute to the accumulation of dust and sweat on your gym mats, whether you are the only user or you share the space with family members or housemates.
A good cleaning every other week is sufficient for the average home gym with horse stall mats.
Why is it Important to Clean Horse Stall Mats?
Cleaning your horse stall mats becomes crucial when you realize how it affects their integrity, consistency, and durability.
Regularly cleaning your horse stall mats helps to prevent slipping, tearing, and other damage while simultaneously reducing the amount of dirt and bacteria transferred to your home gym equipment.
Furthermore, A clean horse stall mat will last longer and provide a more comfortable exercise surface.
Horse stall mats covering home gyms also last longer with regular cleaning.
So, even if you can’t perform every single step mentioned here, grab a bucket, disinfectant, and warm water solution to give your horse mats a good cleaning once in a while.
Gym mats that lose shape will also fail to protect your flooring from heavy weights.
Designs like interlocking gym mats require slightly less cleaning. But their floor protection pales in comparison to horse stall mats.
So cleaning your rubber mats remain the most affordable yet effective flooring solution for home gyms.
FAQs for Horse Stall Mat Cleaning
Can you Sweep and Mop a Horse Stall Mat?
Yes. You can sweep your horse stall mats and mop them as a temporary measure. It will at least make the mats clean enough to sit on.
However, mopping and sweeping alone is not enough to keep the mat clean and durable.
During your next cleaning, be sure to vacuum and brush it as well.
Can You Power Wash Horse Stall Mats?
Yes. You can use a power hose to spray-clean the mats outdoors.
Excessive force may ruin the rubber’s texture and surface. So, ensure that the hose is spraying at a PSI lower than 3000.
I’ve already listed a few ways you can give your horse stall mats a deep clean without power washers.
So, stick to these easy homemade actions if you want to cut expenses and ensure your mat lasts.
Can a Leaf Blower be Used Instead of a Vacuum?
A leaf blower can remove most of your dust if you can place your floor mats outside for cleaning.
But it won’t be as effective as a vacuum in removing dirt, hair, and other small particles from your horse stall mats.
Plus, the leaf blower’s high-powered air might end up blowing the dirt and debris around, making it more difficult to clean.
How Long Should it Take to Clean Horse Stall Mats?
The duration for cleaning your horse stall mats depends on your home gym’s available space.
I usually take a couple of hours to perform a proper cleaning. And that’s not counting the extra minutes spent tossing out dirty water or disposing of the dirt.
Do not worry about how long it will take to clean the mat but about cleaning it thoroughly.
Because generally, your floor mats only require proper cleaning a couple of times per month. So, try to get it extensively cleaned regardless of how long it takes.
Can You Use Water and Vinegar to Clean Horse Stall Mats?
Yes. Adding white vinegar to a bucket of warm water can help clean your horse stall mats to a certain degree. However, like sweeping, these are temporary measures.
You’ll still have to thoroughly clean with vacuums, scrub brushes, and rags for the best results.
Final Thoughts
Systematic cleaning of your horse stall mats will ensure that they last long, protect your floor, and provide ample shock absorption for a long time.
The steps mentioned above will help you clean your mats quickly and efficiently. You can also use this guide to clean other types of gym floor mats.
I hope you found this article helpful. If so, please share it with your friends who might need some help cleaning their horse stall mats. Also, feel free to email me if you have any questions.
