With the changing seasons, you may notice more dirt being tracked into your home or office. Typically, autumn winds stir up dirt, leaves, and debris, which often find a home on your carpet or hardwood flooring.

There are two types of entrance mats, with many styles available for each type. Basically, an outdoor entrance mat lives on your porch or doorstep, which helps clean off shoes before customers even step inside the building. Inside entrance mats also trap dirt, but also act as a drying off area for wet shoes.

Many flooring specialists and cleaning companies recommend a combination of the two types of mats, because together they can eliminate pounds of dirt from being tracked into your building on a regular basis. The professional-grade doormats are designed to prevent up to 80% of the dirt from coming further inside your building.

Outdoor doormats are usually constructed from a turf-type material with thousands of tiny blades, similar to blades of grass. These blades scrape the dirt from the shoes as they walk over the mat, and since the blades are raised above the base, the dirt is trapped beneath the surface.

Interior entrance mats should be made from material that is durable, and backed with a skid-free surface. Instead of using scraps of leftover carpet, look for professional indoor mats that are thick enough to trap dirt, safe enough to stay in one place, and also complement your existing flooring. Indoor mats can also include your company logo or favorite slogan, for inspiration as you enter the building.

There are many mats available on the market, but no matter which mat you choose, starting with a clean floor will make a difference in the overall cleanliness and appearance of your building. ServiceMaster by the Border specializes in carpet cleaning, but we are also experts at cleaning hard floor areas and specialty flooring.