Repairing a cutting mat to new condition
09-13-2010, 08:25 PM
#131
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Forest Grove,OR
Posts: 6,400
Thank you for the information, my mat has to be at least 25 yrs old, its one of the biggest ones, and I love it, besides I can't buy a new one, but its one of those things I don't want to part with, maybe I can get my son to soak outside for me, under some wet towles, I love my mat. I had no idea that the could wreak your blades. thats all I need is duler blades. God bless.
09-14-2010, 12:20 AM
#132
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Queensland Australia
Posts: 1,388
Originally Posted by BellaBoo
I was reading quilt blogs this morning and kept clicking random links and found this info about mats.
If you have a self healing cutting mat it needs to be re hydrated to stay self healing. When the moisture is gone the mat dries out and will have cut marks and dull your blade. Soak the mat in room temp water for about and hour, let dry. That's all you have to. The mat will be soft and be like new again. I have one old mat soaking now. I'll post if it makes a difference. I don't think June Taylor mats are self healing. I have an Olfa one soaking.
If you have a self healing cutting mat it needs to be re hydrated to stay self healing. When the moisture is gone the mat dries out and will have cut marks and dull your blade. Soak the mat in room temp water for about and hour, let dry. That's all you have to. The mat will be soft and be like new again. I have one old mat soaking now. I'll post if it makes a difference. I don't think June Taylor mats are self healing. I have an Olfa one soaking.
09-14-2010, 07:09 AM
#135
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: lexington ky
Posts: 1,418
Originally Posted by Sewze
Originally Posted by AlwaysQuilting
This is from
http://www.generations-quilt-pattern...tting-mat.html
OLFA Cutting Mats love moisture!
It is recommended that you soak your mat from time to time. Your self healing mat loves moisture.
To soak it, put your mat in a bathtub or large container (would have to be large so it can lay flat) and soak it for 15-20 in a solution of 1/4 cup white vinegar to every gallon of cool water. Let me repeat, cool water. Do this every so often to help extend its useful life.
Then use a squirt of mild dishwashing soap (Ivory) and clean the mat with a mushroom brush (soft is the key word here). The purpose of this gentle scouring is to remove the fibers that get trapped in the cuts marks preventing the cuts from "healing".
Keep 'em clean, keep 'em moist, keep 'em flat and NO heat. Your cutting mat is not a coffee cup coaster!
http://www.generations-quilt-pattern...tting-mat.html
OLFA Cutting Mats love moisture!
It is recommended that you soak your mat from time to time. Your self healing mat loves moisture.
To soak it, put your mat in a bathtub or large container (would have to be large so it can lay flat) and soak it for 15-20 in a solution of 1/4 cup white vinegar to every gallon of cool water. Let me repeat, cool water. Do this every so often to help extend its useful life.
Then use a squirt of mild dishwashing soap (Ivory) and clean the mat with a mushroom brush (soft is the key word here). The purpose of this gentle scouring is to remove the fibers that get trapped in the cuts marks preventing the cuts from "healing".
Keep 'em clean, keep 'em moist, keep 'em flat and NO heat. Your cutting mat is not a coffee cup coaster!
09-14-2010, 10:38 AM
#136
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 15
Originally Posted by AlwaysQuilting
This is from
http://www.generations-quilt-pattern...tting-mat.html
OLFA Cutting Mats love moisture!
It is recommended that you soak your mat from time to time. Your self healing mat loves moisture.
To soak it, put your mat in a bathtub or large container (would have to be large so it can lay flat) and soak it for 15-20 in a solution of 1/4 cup white vinegar to every gallon of cool water. Let me repeat, cool water. Do this every so often to help extend its useful life.
Then use a squirt of mild dishwashing soap (Ivory) and clean the mat with a mushroom brush (soft is the key word here). The purpose of this gentle scouring is to remove the fibers that get trapped in the cuts marks preventing the cuts from "healing".
Keep 'em clean, keep 'em moist, keep 'em flat and NO heat. Your cutting mat is not a coffee cup coaster!
http://www.generations-quilt-pattern...tting-mat.html
OLFA Cutting Mats love moisture!
It is recommended that you soak your mat from time to time. Your self healing mat loves moisture.
To soak it, put your mat in a bathtub or large container (would have to be large so it can lay flat) and soak it for 15-20 in a solution of 1/4 cup white vinegar to every gallon of cool water. Let me repeat, cool water. Do this every so often to help extend its useful life.
Then use a squirt of mild dishwashing soap (Ivory) and clean the mat with a mushroom brush (soft is the key word here). The purpose of this gentle scouring is to remove the fibers that get trapped in the cuts marks preventing the cuts from "healing".
Keep 'em clean, keep 'em moist, keep 'em flat and NO heat. Your cutting mat is not a coffee cup coaster!
09-14-2010, 11:30 AM
#137
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: north central Kansas
Posts: 189
was reading all the comments about repairing a cutting mat with interest---have olfa mats and they were were getting a bit rough--notice said 'getting' rough---past tense---thought about the part about soaking them in water---have no place to do that and keep it flat---took a spray bottle from bath & body works that had a real fine spray---wiped down that mat with a scotch brite pad and then sprayed the mat with a fine mist and wiped it off---not completely dry---left it a bit 'damp'---did that several times yesterday and today and it feels almost as smooth as new---worked for me---hope this works for someone else---worth a try anyway
09-14-2010, 02:08 PM
#139
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 624
Originally Posted by PatriceJ
Originally Posted by kathy
kewl, I'm going to try it when I get home, I had been thinking about wiping it down with sewers aid.
:mrgreen:
09-14-2010, 02:10 PM
#140
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 382
As for my Olfa mat, I tried this. I put it on hte back pirch, wet down a towel,covered with other part of towel. Wet down with vinegar water... I used my mushroom brush, not so good. Scrubbed with teh wet towel...Some better. I have VERY deep cuts in my mat... I keep having trouble with blades, seems like they don't stay sharp for very long and I tend to lean very heavily on them to get them to cut. I only use one or two layers of frabric, so I don't know what I did wrong.... I will let the mat dry and maybe try it again tomorrow....And lesson learned, I will take better care of hte next one which hopefully will be bigger!
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