Often Cricut cutting mat gets dirty and loses its stickiness after several uses. Frequently using a Knife blade causes more dust or debris that will likely stick to the adhesive on your cutting mat. In most cases, it makes users wonder whether they should clean Cricut mats or buy a new one. So if you find that your mat is losing its stickiness, then keep patience! You don’t need to throw it away anywhere. However, you need to follow some steps to get rid of these dirty Cricut mats.
Through this post, we will cover some tips for cleaning your Cricut mats.
How to Clean Cricut Mats?
Generally, Cricut mats have a sticky surface that assists in holding the material on while going through the Cricut machine. However, there are 4 different types of Cricut mats, and each comes with a different level of stickiness. Plus, the mat should last for 40-50 uses before it wears out.
You might be surprised that the cutting mats do not last forever. And it will indeed lose its stickiness and start to wear out after several usages. But don’t worry; you can increase the life of the Cricut mat by cleaning it while taking care of it between uses.
How to Extend the Life of Cricut Cutting Mats?
The best way to extend the life of your cutting mats is to keep clean Cricut mats whenever possible. Given below are some simple methods to keep the Cricut cutting mats always clean.
Using a Scrapper or Lint Roller
There are many alternatives to the Cricut Scraper tool that you can use, such as an unused credit card or plastic gift card, to remove the scraps from your mats. You just need to drag the edge of the card across the mat’s surface to remove all the scrap pieces.
Choose the Right Mat for the Suitable Material
You should always use the LightGrip mat with delicate papers, the StrongGrip mat with heavy-duty materials, and the FabricGrip mat with fabric.
Replace the Plastic Protector Sheet
Although Cricut mats have a clear protective sheet, you should always keep your mat clean by covering the mat with the sheet between projects. And in case you find your sheet dirty again, then wipe it off with a wipe or Windex.
We hope the above 3 steps will help you extend your Cricut mats’ life.
Should You Clean Cricut Mats Regularly?
It depends on the uses; for example, if someone crafts with Cricut mats every day, they will need to clean mats more frequently than someone who makes designs once a week. However, most Cricut mats require you to clean cutting mats after 2 to 4 cuts, which also depends on the type of materials you use. But we recommend you clean the mat whenever you notice the material is not sticking as earlier.
Similarly, you should clean Cricut mats when you see a lot of debris, denim, glitter vinyl, leather, etc. Also, when you cut wood material with a knife blade, it is essential to clean it. Whereas, if you are working on smooth material like vinyl and cardstock, then less cleaning will be enough.
Conclusion
In short, the cleaning process for Cricut cutting mats is easy and doesn’t cost as much as buying a new one. In addition, you should use the Cricut cutting machine until it loses its adhesive completely. However, there are many items available in the market that you can use to clean Cricut mats. We have mentioned those items in this article, including the tips to extend the life of Cricut cutting mats.
FAQs
Question 1: How do I clean my Cricut mats?
Answer: You will need these things to clean the Cricut cutting mats.
- Plastic Cricut Scraper tool
- LA’s Awesome Cleaning spray
- Warm water
Once you have these items:
- Then, spray the mat with LA’s Awesome Cleaning agent
- And let it sit on the mat for 5-10 minutes.
- Use the Cricut scraper tool to scrape the residue off the mat’s surface.
- Rinse the mat with warm water and hand vertically to dry.
See, how does it look now? You just renewed your Cricut cutting mats and also got your stickiness back! Now you are ready to reuse it.
Question 2: Which is the best sticky mat for Cricut?
Answer: Blue-LightGrip is one of the best mats as it comes with a stronger grip. The advantage of using a mat with a stronger grip is that the adhesive remains so strong that no one can remove it quickly. Moreover, material like printer paper, sticker paper, cardstock, and standard vinyl provides the best cut with Light Cricut cutting mats.
Question 3: Are Cricut cutting mats reusable?
Answer: Yes, the reusable mats are designed to meet all the crafting requirements and provide flawless cuts every time. In addition, the Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore machines are compatible with these mats, and the clear film present on the mats guards them against dust and any residue scraps, providing a better and longer life.
Source URL – HOW TO CLEAN CRICUT MATS
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