Rotary Cutting Mat Care

by in Sewing Tips

Rotary Cutting Mat Care When was the last time any of us have considered the condition of our cutting mat when cutting pieces for our project? Does the subject come up only when the cutting mat has fallen into such a state of disrepair that actually making a straight, clean cut is almost impossible? If you are like most of us, unfortunately we don’t often take time to consider how to make our rotary cutting mats last a little longer. Let us offer just a few pieces of advice that we have learned and you should be able to get a lot of life out of your rotary cutting mat.

Rotary Cutting Mat Basics

The self healing rotary cutting mats are an indispensable too. After using a rotary cutter, the surface of the green self-healing mats will “heal” or close after cutting with a razor sharp rotary cutter thus leaving no visible slice in the mat. There is a practical limit to the amount of slicing and dicing these things can take and eventually will need to be replaced. Keep an eye on the surface and if you begin to see visible marks on the surface it is probably time to consider a replacement. Even if you aren’t seeing surface damage but you are having to push down on the rotary cutter with additional force, for safety sake consider a replacement.

While rotary cutting mats can absorb quite a bit from a rotary cutter, they do not fair as well against other sharp objects. Try to avoid piercing the surface with pins or needles etc. And a not from personal experience, it is a good idea to move the mat or cut in a different location when using scissors. Mats can heal a lot of things, but getting cut in half is not one of them.

Cleaning Rotary Cutting Mats

From time to time there may get to be a mishap, i.e. spilled coffee or the like, that needs a bit of clean up. All that is needed is a lint free cloth (don’t make another mess trying to clean up the first one) and a solution of mild dish washing liquid and water. There are also specific cleaners on the market as well, but a little soap and water seems just as convenient. Just avoid using any harsh cleaning chemicals or liquids especially those that may contain alcohol and/or ammonia.

One other cleaning related item, when you are cutting very linty fabrics (Cuddle for instance) you may notice a little trail of fibers sticking to the mat where you just made a cut. They aren’t stick to the mat as much as they are stuck IN the mat. It is important to clean the fabric bits out of the mat so it can get back to healing the cut. Fibers that are embedded in the mat can be extract with a little bit of friction, use you thumb or finger and rub along the line where the fiber are and the should come right out. A small rubber tool could also be used, just not anything that would leave residue behind, like the pink pencil erasers from the school supply aisle.

Travel and Storage for Rotary Cutting Mats

When transporting a mat, which you will need to do to get it home or if you are taking to class or a retreat, be very conscious to not roll the mat. Rolling a mat will cause the cuts to open up and the mat can crack. Talk about shortening the life of your cutting mats. Along with not rolling the mat up, do your best to keep it out of direct sunlight and avoid extreme temperatures for your mat.

Sunlight will rapidly hasten the break down of the self healing surface on the top of the mat. Avoiding temperature extremes will not expose the mat to being warps, cracked and otherwise disfigured. It is very hard to cut straight on a warped mat.