Floor Mats: How to Avoid Stains

dcorneliusen asks,

Hi, I work in a nursing home and one of our residents uses a non-skid rubber mat on the floor so he can transfer independently. The mat is permanently discoloring the tile floor. Is there any product out there that would be non-skid and not discolor the flooring? Thanks!

Our Answer

Rubber mats are unfortunately one of the worst choices when it comes to vinyl floors. Tthe rubber chemical reacts with the vinyl and discolors it – many call this is a stain – but it’s a chemical reaction that cannot be cleaned.

Use a non-staining vinyl floor mat – vinyl on vinyl equals no reactions. If a home improvement is in the budget – you can replace the flooring with laminate, which is inexpensive and easy to install. It's also a very durable, hard surface suitable for anyone… disabled, or not!