Kitchen Mats

Kitchen Mats

Kitchens tend to be as different as the people who utilize them, but they can all benefit from the use of rubber kitchen mats. A commercial kitchen is going to be far different than the cooking area within a home, and within that same scope—the kitchen within a house may be very different than the kitchen within an apartment. Because of this, when it comes to safety, comfort, and sanitary applications, no two kitchens will ever have the same specific needs. Of course, it goes without saying that all kitchens should be safe, they should be comfortable, and they should be clean, but the way that these requirements are approached can be varied. For example, not all cooking areas will require kitchen mats—some may just need one or the other! Rubber kitchen mats, although they are essential for comfort, may be required in varying degrees of thickness depending on individual preference. However, one thing that we can all agree on is the fact that safety flooring is imperative whether you have a commercial or private kitchen, a bar, pub, dinner, or restaurant, or any other sort of food service local. A larger kitchen runner made of rubber is going to provide a wide area of slip resistant surfacing, which can be used by many employees or family members at once, while a smaller option could be good for just the head chef. Long kitchen mats are perfectly suited for food preparation lines or for those huge industrial sinks, all of which are locations that are prone to seeing spills and high levels of activity.

Safety within a kitchen can come in a variety of forms, all of which are imperative. It is important to be aware of your surroundings when you’re working with hot pots and pans. It’s also important to know your limits regarding how much you can carry.  Any mess should be cleaned up promptly for both slip prevention as well as hygienic reasons, and children and pets should never be allowed around open flames or hot surfaces. Oftentimes, in food service environments, water, grease, and oils can drip and end up on the floor. For that reason, your floor should provide you with traction and grip to help you avoid potential slip and falls. A rubber non-slip kitchen mat is designed to keep you on your feet even when moisture is present. And because some rubber kitchen mats use nitrile, you could even have a grease resistant surface that will help protect you when oil and grease are present. Another popular design for kitchen mats is the use of drainage holes, which allows water to be channeled away almost immediately. This is a great quality to have, especially in commercial kitchens where staff may not always have the time to stop and clean up a spill.

It’s unfortunate that more employers and managers don’t consider the comfort of their employees within food preparation locations. Comfort goes hand in hand with efficiency and even safety. As I am sure we all know— standing and moving around requires more energy than sitting. Often, kitchen floors will be tile or concrete, to facilitate cleaning, but these are hard and cold surfaces that offer minimal support to feet, ankles, and backs. A rubber anti-fatigue kitchen mat can offer the supple and elastic comfort of rubber, which will help employees stay focused on the task at hand rather than on aching joints or bones. This can lead toward greater efficiency from workers, while also keeping them alert and vigilant against potential risks that could lead to serious or even fatal injuries.

When it comes to food preparation, the sanitary conditions of a kitchen are extremely important. If a commercial eatery doesn’t adhere to the health and safety codes of its state, then that business can be closed. These serious consequences are there for a reason—with salmonella poisoning and E. coli contamination being things that are commonly seen on the news; the threats posed by unsanitary conditions are a very real threat. Rubber floor mats for kitchen won’t just provide slip and trip safety, but because rubber is a naturally water-resistant material, they will also help inhibit the growth of mold and mildew. Commercial kitchen mats may be comfortable for humans, but rubber is an inhospitable environment on which bacteria has a hard time thriving. And regardless of size, small, or large, kitchen mats are easy to clean. A broom is enough to remove debris, and a damp mop with a mild detergent can be used for more thorough cleaning. Also, because of the ease of installation of these products, a kitchen runner, mat, or a set of interlocking tiles, can easily be removed and taken outside to be hosed down.

All About: Rubber

How to Cut Rubber Flooring

Kitchen mats and runners are a great solution when it comes to these three essential issues. Rubber is the ideal material for creating an anti-fatigue kitchen mat as it can provide both comfort and non-slip properties that make kitchen environments safer and more productive. Available in a wide range of styles, sizes (even custom cut lengths), and colors, rubber kitchen mats, tiles, and runners are all available options for commercial or private locations.