# Cleaning borris mats?



## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Anyone have some advice for how to clean borris mats? How long do they take to dry?


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## Tedology (Mar 3, 2015)

Hi Minky.

I cleaned mine for the first time yesterday. Based on some advice I read on here (I believe Kuildeous? Pardon the spelling), I just used my machine and hot water and some vinegar. I'm currently hanging them on my shower rod to dry.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Well that sounds easy enough. How did they come out?


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## erikablanchettexo (Nov 25, 2014)

If you're worried about your washer being too rough on them, you can always hand wash them. 

Hand wash with baby shampoo
Rinse
Let it soak in a bath full of hot water & a cup of vinegar for 10 mins. 
Hang to dry


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## LilCritter (Feb 25, 2014)

I machine washed mine and they came out a bit more flimsy from being roughed up by the machine... if you're really worried, you can spray them down with a hose and then do a vinegar soak.


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## Tedology (Mar 3, 2015)

Yep, mine came out a bit more flimsy, but that's to be expected. Happy to report there is no smell (of vinegar, rat pee, etc.)


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## QueenBea (Feb 12, 2015)

I always machine wash mine and dry them.


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## Kuildeous (Dec 26, 2014)

I've machine-washed mine quite a few times. I'm noticing a difference, especially since I bought three new mats and could compare them side-by-side. 

Being more pliable, the mats can be easily lifted by the rats. My Loki really loves pulling up a corner and kicking it back with her hind legs. In general, they just let the mats flop back down, so it's not a big deal. One time a mat edge got caught up under a box, creating a pocket about 8 inches deep. That hidey hole suddenly became open season for pooping. 

In general, I've not had a problem with the mats. They're a bit ratty on the edges, and they flip up more easily, but I can easily just go buy six more for under $7.


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## Jackie (Jan 31, 2013)

So wait are we talking an ikea carpet for a cage liner? Tell me more! I have an ikea here. Is this for a critter nation? Looks like they'd fit nicely on the 2 small shelves


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## Jackie (Jan 31, 2013)

just measured, so you could do 2 on each larger surface. 6 would cover a dcn?


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## LilCritter (Feb 25, 2014)

6 would cover a DCN; however, on the larger pans, you will have a bare strip. Most people leave it if their rats don't bother with it too much. I just cover it with ceramic/granite tiles. 

This is a thread explaining a lot about the Borris mats: http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?256506-Shavings-vs-Fleece-vs-IKEA-Borris-Mat


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Here's how I washed mine: 

- sprayed lightly with Nature's Miracle "Just for Cats" Stain and Odor Remover (I love this stuff; it's not just for cats!) 

- hosed down forcefully to remove debris

- air dried flat

They came out like new! But the first time I had them hanging to dry and some of them fell and dried all crumply. So I had to re-wet them and dry them flat.


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## Tedology (Mar 3, 2015)

Minky said:


> Here's how I washed mine:
> 
> - sprayed lightly with Nature's Miracle "Just for Cats" Stain and Odor Remover (I love this stuff; it's not just for cats!)
> 
> ...


Thanks, Minky! After you sprayed them with Nature's Miracle, did you let it "soak in/set" for a while?


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

It had about 5 minutes to soak in before I rinsed it out. The directions say to let it dry on the surface before rinsing, but I didn't feel like waiting around. But it still worked after only 5 minutes!


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