How To Clean Horse Stall Mats

Picked up some horse stall mats and wondering how you are going to clean those heavy monsters? I have been there! In this article I will show you how.

What Are Horse Stall Mats?

Hopefully if you're reading this article you're fairly familiar with horse stall mats. But if you're not, just know that they are very popular flooring option for home gyms because they're so durable and yet so affordable.

📖 Related Article: If you are looking to get the smell out of horse stall mats then you may actually be interested in this article of ours How To Get the Smell Out of Horse Stall Mats

Why You Need to Clean Horse Stall Mats

Usually you need to clean horse stall mats because places like tractor supply keep them stacked outside and they heavily exposed to the elements.

Also the most of them are constructed of recycled rubber and the oils from that process may still be on or secreting from the mats.

Consider Cleaning Them Regularly

Unclean home gyms can cause some serious infections such as conjunctivitis (or pink eye), ringworm, athletes’ foot, plantar warts, impetigo, common cold and flu, etc. (2)(3)

Even if you are the only one who exercises there, it will likely start stinking within a week. Your sweat is the number one contributor but other flying debris and general dust also make it filthy and stinky. 

How to Clean Them

1. Mop or Scrub Them With Distilled White Vinegar or Some Other Cleaning Agent Your Prefer

We personally found distilled white vinegar to be very effective for cleaning horse stall mats that we had just purchased and getting the smell out of them.

Sounds simple but you will have to be a bit careful here, so moisture/water doesn’t seep in through the edges and between the mats. 

A lot of people use specialized gym floor cleaning solutions. Some suggest using disinfectant wipes, rubbing alcohol, etc. You might also come across people who advise using vinegar or lemon juice. But they are not necessary. Rather, acidic cleaners and bleach, if used regularly, can damage the mats.

You can either wipe the rubber stall mats with plain water or add a small quantity of household cleaner. You may occasionally use disinfectants but a standard household cleaner is more than enough to clean the horse stall mats for your home gym. 

2. Do Not Allow Water to Seep Through Your Rubber Stall Mats 

Horse stall mats are not totally waterproof but they do not obviously absorb moisture like a carpet.

Further, water can seep through the edges and gap between the pieces of the mats. If it reaches the floor, it will damage your carpet or wood. The wet floor will then start harboring fungi and mold, which will make your room stink. 

Wipe the mats using a sponge mop. Make sure the mop is not oversaturated by squeezing the excess moisture out. Change the water and cleaner solution frequently so you don’t keep using dirty water, which defeats the purpose. 

Let the horse stall mats dry naturally. If you want to speed up the process, you can use a floor fan such as the Commercial Electric 16 Inch Turbo Floor Fan. One of our team members had bought it to keep his garage gym cool during summer. 

Wrap up 

That's it. It doesn’t take too much effort to clean your horse stall mats. You should clean your home gym at least once a week or more if needed. 

References and citations: 

1- WNEP. 2021. Study Finds Gym Equipment Dirtier Than Public Toilet Seats. [online] Available at: <https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/study-finds-gym-equipment-dirtier-than-public-toilet-seats/523-ea0261f8-3655-4f31-a5ec-267dbc8d4ab0> [Accessed 23 November 2021].

2- Listverse. 2021. Top 10 Diseases You Can Get from a Dirty Gym – Listverse. [online] Available at: <https://listverse.com/2021/09/02/top-10-diseases-you-can-get-from-a-dirty-gym/> [Accessed 23 November 2021].

3- Health.com. 2021. 8 Gross Infections You Can Catch at the Gym–and How to Avoid Them. [online] Available at: <https://www.health.com/condition/skin-conditions/infections-germs-caught-at-gym> [Accessed 23 November 2021].