I want to invest in a large cutting mat! but is it me are do they just stink?? i have bought a small one and i couldn't even stay in the room with it! I left it outside in the sun but didnt help! Any help how to get the smells out!!

I bought the biggest size mat Olfa had. In less then a month it started peeling. The response from Olfa was sorry, not our problem, mats are not guaranteed. I won't by Olfa mats again. I've never noticed a mat being stinky but I have read many have bought some that were. I think the answer was it was a bad batch and they were being replaced. I guess I should have told Olfa my mat stunk!

I've been using my Olfa for about 12 years, and no problems!

I've also been using my Olfa mats for many years with no problems.

I've just bought a new one 3' x 2' but haven't taken it out of the package yet so cant tell you if it stinks! Will let you know. ;) Look out with leaving it in the sun though as it could warp irreversibly. :?

I have a June Taylor and the Duraheal ones and they don't stink. Can you try wiping it down with antibacterial wipes?

I have the large green Olfa and it has never stunk...

I have an Olfa and love it

I have June Taylor, which has an ironing side and a cutting side and love it.
Also have an olaf that is large, good also

I guess the new Olfa's aren't made like the older ones. I have several older Olfa's and they are great mats. That's why I bought a new Olfa. The new one up beside the older ones has noticeable differences.

I've got a blue colored "Duraheal" mat and I love it. The plus, no stink!!

I don't think they all stink. I recently bought a 17" Olfa rotary mat (great mat, by the way!) and it had no smell out of the box. It's probably a good idea to purchase, in-person, only mats that are exposed to air so they can be given the "sniff test" before purchasing.

There are some plastics that outgas so much I won't have them in the house! Outgassing is a chemical process that can take a year to complete. Putting the mat in the sun will probably only increase the chance of it warping. It may need to be left outside to air for a year before it stops outgassing. This is similar to new-car and new-house outgassing. Google outgassing or offgassing of plastics for more info.

Mine originally smelled like a skunk. I mean literally would almost run you out of the room. I have had it now for about 6 months and don't notice any smell. Hopefully yours gets better

I have never had one with a smell to it.

Try sprinkling it with baking soda and leaving it on overnight. The next time you use the mat vacuum the soda off and it should absorb most of the smell.

Darren

Sorry to hear you are having such an awful problem with your mats. i have 2 olfa mats one is i think 17 x 24 and the other is 17 x 17 which is a rotating one and neither of mine have stunk. I am just a bout to go and buy a small one for piecing so will make sure it doesnt smell. I think the bicarb idea is a good one..maybe even leave a box of bicarb opened on top of the mat might help..put in a few drops of essential oil and maybe that will disguise the smell and dont forget to open your windows etc.

I have heard of them stinking but none of mine ever did.

Another possibility is to use a solution of half white vinegar and half water. Wipe down the matt and let it sit for a couple of minutes, then rinse and dry.

I haven't had a stinky one yet, but have had friends who have. It's not pleasant!

Julie Baird

I bought a Martelli (www.martellinotions.com) it doesn't warp. I do not like the very large white mats at Joannes the do not heal very well. I also have the Olfa, Fiskar.

My 10 year plus Olfa mat has never stunk, but I had a June Taylor and they really dull your blades fast.

When I changed rotary cutter brands in hopes of improving my cutting skills, I noticed that what I thought was wrong with June Taylor mats didn't seem to be a problem for me any longer. That mat does seem to have a harder surface and when I was applying extra pressure than necessary to get a good roll from the cutter the blades didn't last as long. With an easier roll accomplished with less pressure I'm pretty sure I like the harder surface better now....but, I'm still looking for a mat that I can honestly LOVE. Btw, my cutting has improved...now I need to find a way to measure consistently...lol...it's always sumpin', ain't it? smile

No problems with any of the mats I have..Olfa or otherwise. I haven't had them stink HOWEVER, I would caution you putting mats out in the sun. I know they do have a big problem warping if they are left in a car.

I got a large (2' x 3') Fiskars mat at Wal-Mart for about $25 I think and didn't notice any odor issues with it. I love it.

I purchased an omnigrid mat over the holidays and it did stink out of the plastic wrap. I just checked it and it doesn't have the nasty odor it had before.
Carol

I have a large olfa mat that I love. When I first bought it it smelled a little but eventually went away. I have bought other mats that smell so bad they gave me a headache :thumbdown:

The only mats I've ever bought were not in any type of packaging, so I've never noticed a smell. I have heard of them having an odor before, but I'm not sure if it's just one of those things that take time to get better.

My mom got me a june tailor and i've never noticed a smell.

I had purchased a fiskars folding mat so I could bring it to classes. When I got it home it smelled like a skunk!. I tried wiping it with vinegar, setting in the sun outside - the smell would not leave. I returned it to the store and they gave me my money back. Whenever I go back to this store, I still see a few on the shelf - and they all still smell!!!

I bought one a couple of years ago and it stunk so bad, I had to pull over to the side of the road and put it in the trunk. It took about a week and the smell faded. I thought they all stunk until aired. I find the white ones don't work very well so I just deal with the odor until it goes away...and it will.

Could there be something wrong with it that you could return it? I have never noticed a smell and I own 3 mats.

I have a Birch mat and haven't had any problems with it. I would return it, who knows what health effects these chemical odours could cause.

I had to return it :( :(! my daughter has asthma, (I only had it for two days (never got to use it)) and every time she came in the room it made her cough!!!!! I was not about to risk her health for a mat!

I have a small June Taylor one! If i can find one of hers in a bigger size i will snag it up!!

Thanks for all ya'lls input!!

Happy Shopping!

When you say "large" - what do you consider large. I just bought one from cutting-mats.net which is 37"X57" and it is wonderful. Both sides can be used so one for me and one for my DH. I also purchased a rotary cutter from them. Even with shipping the prices were better than going to a store. Before you buy anything give them a look.

about six months ago we got a bad batch of mats. they smelt so bad like skunk it took your breath away.
we called them (fiskars) and they told us to destroy them.
a friend of mine bought one, she put it in her trunk. took forever to get the smell out of her car.

It depends on whether you have a cutting table or not. I use Quilters Ruler or Salem Ruler for the table and keep a small Olfa by the machine. I like the Olfa because it doesn't scar as easy as the others. Haven't found one for the cutting table yet.

I've had my two olfa mats for about 20 years; only problem I had was with the one I lent to my daughter (need I say more?). I have always stored them on edge (behind a bookcase, desk, couch, something that will help it stand straight). I love them but realize I may need to replace them soon. The one my daughter borrowed got a bow in it (she stored it next to her frig) so I cut that end off and now it sits perfectly on my sewing table.

Yes I bought a olfa matt just recently and it did smell really bad. I called customer service at olfa and they refunded my purchase price because i still had the receipt. if i didn't have the receipt they requested that i cut off a piece and mail it back to them. I have since replaced it with another olfa mat that was on display at my local quilt shop that did not smell. My DH threw the first one out because it smelled so bad he couldn't stand it in the house and neither could i.

When I worked at JoAnn's it would sometimes drive you nuts the smell of those. Mine actually did clear up and is fine now. I
also have the big thick one that goes on their cutting table and
LOVE it.

I have purchased 3 cutting mats and my DD got me a self-healing one for Christmas which I totally love. None of them have ever had an order to it.