Question re: cleaning cutting mat
 

When I cut batting (I usually use Warm and White/Natural), the batting fibers stick in cutting groves left from my rotary cutter. My mat is an Olfa mat. My questions are:

Do you have this problem?

If so, how do you clean your mat to remove those fibers?
(Note: I have used the rotary mat smoother which works okay, but seems like a lot of work.)

If you do not have that problem, what mat do you use? (I assume that would be the only difference.)

Any advice would be appreciated.

I keep an old cutting mat just for this purpose. Having said that I've
been cutting on a newish Wescott mat and it seems to clean fairly well.
Not sure how long it will last. The finish is a little different from those
green mats.

Have you tried a scrubby, or the wooly side of a sponge, with soap and water? That usually does it for me.

yes, a scrubby works well.

One of my mats has cm on one side, I use that for cutting batting, as even when you clean your mat, I think you still get little icky bits from the batting.

I've always marked and cut batting with scissors. Seems a good way to avoid the cost of a new mat!

I agree about the scissors. I had to clean batting out of my mat once and only use scissors now.

I have cut warm & white and polyester squares when making QAYG. Not noticed a problem.

Same here....my batting is on roll so I hoist up on my lengthy kitchen island and unroll what I need, mark and cut with scissors.

I think if you go on Youtube (sp?) or Pinterest you can find an answer there. I also seem to recall that the Olfa Company has how to clean and care for your mat on their website.

Get yourself a plastic scrubber, for washing dishes. Use it dry, I get mine at the Dollar Store.

I take a hunk of the batting scraps and wipe the mat with it. The batting fibers stick to it and it sort of pulls them up. If that fails, I use a sticky roller (lint roller) to clean the mat. That always works.

I don't use my mat for cutting batting, just use scissors. BUT cut a lot fleece for a project not too long ago and wow! that was awful on my mat! Soaked, scrubbed and sticky-rollered in various combinations, but finally got it pretty clean.

So just keep at it.

It helps if the rotary blade is really sharp.

I think trying to cut with a dull blade is very hard on the mat - and on one's hands and arms.

I just watched a YouTube video where the gal was cleaning her Olfa mat with an art eraser to get thread and batting and fabric out of the mat. That is what I’m going to try.

I second using an eraser. But then you have to brush away the eraser crumbles too.:rolleyes: