Your Ultimate Guide to Keeping Your muk mat in Tip-Top Shape!

We love sharing tips to help you extend the life of your muk mat, which is why we thought we would compile everything you need to know in one handy place.

Did you know that muk mats are UV protected?

The artificial turf in muk mats is made from UV-protected polypropylene materials. As a result, your mat won't fade or discolour over time and will maintain its gorgeous vibrant colour. However, as with any plastic material, the artificial turf can be damaged by intense heat. This damage can be anything from curling corners, flattened blades or melted blades.

Prolonged exposure to full sunlight can, over time, expedite the wear and tear of your mat, especially if used frequently, and you may see the grass blades becoming flat and compact.

Here's a tip!

To fluff your mat back up, the trick is to wait until the warmest point of the day.  Pop your muk mat in the sun for about 10 minutes.  The heat will make the recycled plastic blades softer and more malleable.  Use your fingers, a broom or a plastic rake and push the blades in the opposite direction and then move your mat to a shady place to cool into place.

Check out our reel here, where we demonstrate how to do this with a well-loved mat!

It's important to remember that your muk mat can heat up in the warmer months, so be aware of little tootsies on the road or at home!

No matter the outside temperature, different materials, when left in the sun, can heat up and retain heat, getting hot to the touch. Items left on your muk mat for a while may heat up and leave permanent marks on your mat. So make sure you don't leave scooters, chairs or other items on your mat, especially if left in the sun.

Remember! It's not the outside temp that's an issue. It's how different materials retain heat when left in the sun. A road can get damn hot and cook an egg on a hot day, but that doesn't mean it was 100 degrees outside.

Speaking of intense heat!

Let's talk about something you probably haven't thought of refracted light.

What's refracted light? I hear you ask.

In straightforward terms, when sunlight is focused through refraction or reflection, it can concentrate the sunlight across a specific surface, resulting in a significantly larger radiant heat flux than the surrounding environment.

Bit scientific?

Think of the magnifying glass effect and what happens to light when you focus it through a magnifying glass. The energy created from the focused sun's rays can be hazardous if focused incorrectly and have disastrous effects such as a fire. Unfortunately, refraction is a risk year-round, not just a summer issue.

How does this relate to you?

Caravan manufacturers are designing their equipment to be more energy efficient, which is great news for avid campers. New vans are cooler than ever thanks to materials that are designed to bounce and reflect heat away from your van, so your cooling systems are more energy efficient.

This bouncing effect can amplify the sunrays and intensify the heat.

The good news is that the polypropylene synthetic fibres of muk mats are non-toxic and non-flammable, meaning they won't catch fire and burn. But with extreme heat (such as refracted light), the artificial grass blades can singe or melt all together. So, although this is rare, please keep this in mind and take care to avoid and store your mat away from reflective surfaces such as glass, checker-plate patterned aluminium and stainless steel.

Refracted light can look like this👇

Rest assured that this phenomenon is rare, and conditions must be just right. Your muk mat is designed to take the brunt of your dirty adventures and will stand the test of time with a bit of insight into refraction and our easy-to-follow care tips!

Want some other handy tips?

☀️ Cleaning is a breeze!

You can shake the dirt from your muk mat by holding and shaking ONLY from the corners of the mat (not by the velcro strap, as this may compromise the binding). Then, rinse or wash with water and hang to dry completely. You can also use a low sud detergent such as laundry liquid. Wet your mat, pour a small amount onto your mat, running your fingers through the blades for a deep clean. Rinse and dry well.

The Velcro strap and binding are colourfast; however, contact with some cleaners may lead to dye leaching and transfer.Once you have washed your muk mat, ensure it is completely dry before placing it on any susceptible surface.

☀️Slip slop sliding around?

If using your mat on a slippery surface, a non-slip mesh is recommended underneath. 

☀️ Storage

For easy storage, roll up and secure with the handy Velcro strap and pop your mat away in your muk mat storage bag in green or grey.

☀️ Looking a little shabby?

The artificial turf of muk mats is carefully cut to achieve the best results from the grass filaments when scraping the muk from your feet.

Over time, your mat may start to look a little shabby on the forward edge. To give your mat a tidy-up, simply use a pair of sharp scissors and trim the unruly blades to neaten the edge.

Check out this video for more information.

☀️ Smelly mat?

Prolonged use and exposure to moisture can cause odour-causing bacteria to build up in your mat filaments.

We suggest following our cleaning tips above and hanging it in the sun to dry. You can also use artificial turf cleaners, deodorisers (available at your local hardware), or natural products like baking soda and vinegar. Sprinkle your mat with baking soda and leave overnight, shaking it out in the morning.

Keeping your mat dry will help to minimise any odour.

We hope you find these tips valuable and that they help prolong the life of your muk mat! Happy travels!