How to Clean a Play Mat!

There’s no doubt that babies are messy! Between poonami explosions, the aftermath of mealtimes and all the spit-up, there is always something that needs to be cleaned. Luckily, with our Luxe Play Mats, cleaning is super easy! 

Here’s our easy guide on how to clean your Play Mat:

(Plus, keep reading to see a few hacks for removing those more difficult stains!)

It’s super easy to keep your Play Mat nice and clean. All you’ll need is a soft microfibre cloth, some gentle dishwashing liquid and warm water. Then, it’s as easy as wiping over the Play Mat! No need to use lots of elbow grease to try and lift tough stains as the colour may come off the top layer (and this is irreversible!). Gentle swipes across the Play Mat will certainly do the trick. 

How to deep clean your play mat:

If your Play Mat has been well loved for many years and is in need of a deeper clean, we recommend following the general cleaning instructions above. Then, spread some bicarbonate soda over the whole Play Mat and let it sit for 15 mins. The excess can be then gently wiped off with a soft cloth. To finish with a beautifully clean surface, completely dry the Play Mat and floor underneath, then you are ready to play again!

How to remove Pen from your Play Mat

Our handy hack for removing pen (eg. biro) is to use a dab of toothpaste (make sure it is non-whitening) and gently rub over the area with a soft cloth. This should help lift the pen stain out of the grooves without damaging the surface. Then, simply wipe off the excess toothpaste and it’s ready for play!

How to clean milk:

Don’t cry over spilt milk! Simply use some dishwashing liquid with a soft cloth and warm water to remove the excess milk. Then, be sure to completely dry the surface (and floor underneath) so no mould or nasties can grow!

How to clean any accidents:

For any little accidents that happen during nappy-free time, we recommend cleaning them with a 1:1 ratio mix of vinegar and water. This will help to ensure your Play Mat stays super hygienic. Then, wipe dry with a paper towel on both sides. 

Products to avoid when cleaning your Play Mat:

After lots of tests in our office to find the best (and worst) products for cleaning our Play Mats, we have found it is best to avoid using harsh chemicals like bleach and others that contain abrasive agents (eg. Gumption). These products can strip the colour off the Play Mat and cause irreversible damage to the top layer. 

Although handy, baby wipes should be avoided as they have been known to cause slight discolouration. 

Vacuum cleaners are usually okay to use, just make sure nothing sharp is sticking out of the head before running it over the Play Mat.

The tricky ones:

Unfortunately there are a few stains that are pretty tricky to remove. This includes tougher products such as nail polish and permanent marker. We have experimented with using cleaners such as hairspray and nail polish remover to assist with lifting those stains but have not had much success. So, if you do find one of these products accidentally ends up on your Play Mats, we recommend just flipping it over and using the reverse side (that’s another bonus of having a double-sided design!).

And finally, here are our top tips and notes:

Most products that you use to clean your babies bottles or high chair are totally fine to use on our Play Mats (as they are gentle cleaners!). 

If something would stain your leather couch or benchtop, it will probably stain your Play Mat too! So, things like red wine are probably best kept away from the Play Mat. 

Happy cleaning! 

P.S. If you love a satisfying cleaning vid like we do, be sure to give this a watch!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CTMYyCphYmQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link