How to Clean Your Cricut Mat & Make Them Sticky Again

So, the first question here is, do you need a cricut mat in every cutting project? Well, the answer is neat- "yes."

Because this tool typically helps the cutting objects stick to the surface so that it doesn’t pop out or lose its pace while striking an arc.

Moreover, it’s vital to stabilize the material on the platform for accuracy in every cut.

But what happens when your cricut mat creates build-ups of debris and grimes? It loses its sticking essence, and thus your object doesn't stay glued to the mat anymore.

And to help you clean the tool and make it sticky again, I have lined an article today.

Let’s check it out!

A Brief Cricut Mat Anatomy

As I have already mentioned that a cricut mat is basically a surface where you place the cutting objects and cut through them.

But are you supposed to use the same kind of product for every project? Or how does it work in different practical aspects?

Well, to begin with, let’s talk about why this accessory is crucial when it comes to DIYing.

First thing first, the core aspect of using a cricut mat is because of the adherence it yields. Initially, the stickiness ratio will determine the firmness of the grip or the security.

Now the diversity emerges when it comes to cutting materials.

For instance, when you intend to slice through heavy material and use a cricut mat with light grip, it will possibly hinder your project.

Because a heavy object requires a relatively stronger grip than lightweight objects do.

Moreover, the stronger the grip, the stickier the mat is. Hence proved heavy objects need stickier cricut mat than lightweight objects do, and this is where the differences arise.

Here let’s comprehend the worst possible scenarios that can happen if we want to cut a regular paper or vinyl on a high grip cricut mat.

Well, the material will possibly stick to the mat permanently, and separating it from the mat will be next to impossible. 

I mean, it’s quite foreseeable, right? If you use anything more than a particular object requires or do something that's considered as "being extra," such incidents are likely to happen.

Hence, while purchasing a cricut mat for your projects, make sure you buy different types of the product depending on the variety of crafts you are going to work with.

Also, make sure that your product appears with a protective shield or cover to endure dust.

Quick and Easy Steps to Clean Your Cricut Mat

Your mat is no longer sticky to hold your objects because the sticky properties need to breathe.

Mostly, dirt and grime build-ups block the stickiness and things don't buckle in your materials anymore. Hence, it's important to clean your cricut mat to retrieve the stickiness again. 

So, there's luckily numerous ways to clean your cricut mat, and here I am going to provide each of the methods one by one. Have a look!

1. Mild Cleansing Method

So, the first method is all about gentle cleaning or scrubbing on the materials which absorbed less debris, or the build-up is new and easy to remove with one or two attempts.

In these cases, you can use masking tape or lint rollers. Let's see how it works.

Lint Roller

Typically, a lint roller has a one-sided adhesive paper or a plastic barrel, which is placed on the center of the spindle incorporating a handle. With this tool, you can remove the dust from your carpet or any other upholstery.

Similarly, it allows you to clean the debris from your cricut mat. So, this is how you are gonna do it,

• Run the lint roller through your tool
• Go gentle while waving the roller across your mat.
• Continue doing it until you reach your anticipated outcomes.
• Follow this process regularly to prevent dirt build-ups

Your lint roller's sticky contents will soak up the dirt, grimes, and residues and ensure an effective cleansing in no time.

Moreover, the tool is comparatively stickier than your cricut mat; thus, it functions well against it and helps to remove the remnants by accumulating the dirt with each roll.

However, lint roller application is the easiest and most cost-effective method to clean and rejuvenate your less tacky cricut mat miracles. Now, test either it is back to life or not; placing your material on the surface and pulling it outward to ensure the grip.

Baby Wipes or Wet Tissues

Now baby wipes are something that I keep for my makeup removal, and I am sure many of you use it in various cleaning spheres such as glistening your mobile screen or wipe off the coffee spills from your cloth.

Hence, not necessarily, you are restricted from using it anywhere except cleaning your baby.

So, let's see how you can clean your cricut mat by using baby wipes or wet tissues.

• First thing first, avoids using any sort of scented, moisturized, or bleachy baby wipes because these contents might provide an opposite reaction while coming to the contact of a cricut mat.
• Try to purchase the plain and subtle ones without any alcohol or lotion solvents.
• Now when the wipes are in hand, lay the mat and keep wiping on the polluted regions until it’s clean and sticky again.

Soap and Water Solution

Soap and water cleaning is one of the most preferred conventional hacks for literally any cleaning affairs.

Moreover, you can make your own solution just by mixing any detergent or dishwasher soap or liquid with water and blend them well until the dissolves. Make sure you keep the water proportion greater than the soap portion.

And this is how you are going to use it to clean your cricut  mat,

• Pour the soap and water solution in a bowl.
• Take a sponge or scrubber.
• Soak it in the solution
• Squeeze it
• Now, run it gently across the dirty places or scrub it, creating a little pressure where the debris is rigid and hard to clean.
• Make sure you don't use warm water for making the solution.
• Avoid chemical or lotion based soaps.

2. Deep Cleansing Method

If the dirt on your cricut  mat is aggressive and the stickiness has disappeared, you will require some deep cleansing. Because in this case, a lint roller or baby wipes won't be fruitful enough. Hence in order to do some deep cleansing, you can follow these steps,

Use Degreaser

Basically, a degreaser is a cleaning agent that helps to soften the grease and grimes from the surface. This is mostly used on hard and solid surfaces where the frequency of absorbing oil is great.

Hence when it comes to deep cleansing your cricut mat, degreaser works wonders. There is a wide range of cleaning adhesive that you will find for reviving your circuit mat.

For instance, Zep heavy-duty cleaning adhesive, Goo gone, Purple Power Cleaner Degreaser, etc. are the most used and most competent cleaning adhesives.

However, you aren’t bound to buy them if you don't already have them. You can also use any sort of cleaning adhesive in hand. Let’s see how you are gonna clean your cricut mat using a degreaser.

• Before anything else, make sure you have given a good read to the direction of using it and precautions. Also, perceiving the chemical intensity is important because the excessive chemical can wither your cricut mat’s attributes.
• Lay your mat on a surface and start spraying the degreaser focusing on the contaminated areas.
• Avoid using your hand and take a scraper or squeegee to smear the adhesive all over the dirty places. If you don't have any scrapper, you can also use a hard card piece.
• Don’t start scrubbing just after spraying. Give it some time and let it sit for a moment.
• If the debris seems too gross, allow more time because the longer it stays, the more efficient outcome it provides. Now, the time duration is determined according to the degreaser you are using. Flip the side of the bottle, and you will find the required time.
• Take your scraper and start brushing the dirty adhesive out of your cricut  mat. The reason it comes off easily is that the consisting chemical helps to dissolve the dirt, making it easier to remove.
• Once you are done, use a soap solution to remove the excess residue.
• Allow it to dry wholly, and ta-da, you are all done!

So, these are two methods for mild cleansing and deep cleansing of your cricut mat. Now let’s see how you can regain the stickiness.

Easy Ways to Restore The Stickiness of Your Cricut Mat

For retrieving your circuit mat’s stickiness, follow these steps,

Step 1 – Use alcohol to remove the original stickiness, as it will be favorable in terms of applying sticky composition again. Also, the previous layer might not respond well with the new adhesive. Hence removing it is important.

Step 2 – Once you are done extracting the sticky coating, you can use the Zig-2-way glue pen for replenishing the stickiness.

Step 3 – To do that, you need to take some masking tape to make a shield on the edges so that it's free from stickiness because there should be space for resting your fingers when working.

Step 4– The area is clearly marked on the circuit mat, where masking is necessary. Now, apply the tape on the edges.

Step 5 – When you are done with the masking, take the glue, or you can also use scrap booking glue, quilt basting spray, spray adhesive, etc. to make the mat sticky.

Step 6 – Spread it all over the mat and keep overdoing the gluing consistently. Three or four coatings should be ample in this regard.

Step 7 – However, don’t be too greedy while doing so because excessive stickiness might interrupt your project later. In contrast, if you want a high grip for heavy duties, then surely you can be a little extra.

Step 8 –Now let it dry so that it can merge with the mat appropriately and doesn’t permanently stick to your materials. When it's dry, remove the masking, and you are good to go!

So, by following these steps, you can easily make your circuit mat sticky again!

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If you don’t find any of them useful, you can also use contact papers on your circuit mat. Just stick the paper’s gluey side up on the mat and remove it when it gets gritty.

Using this allows you to hold the cutting material, and on the other hand, your circuit mat grips the paper.

So that’s a wrap! I hope it helps!