[Womble]

Folks,

10 feet from our front door is 6" of squelchy mud.  10 feet behind it is a lovely new engineered wood floor. Though we've implemented a strict shoe-change routine in the porch, we're still managing to walk quite a bit of mud and grit in on our slippers, which doesn't bode well long term.

Can anybody recommend a really good barrier mat, or other solution?  I bought a couple of those 'JML' type magic mats, and whilst they do seem to trap the dirt, they need washing very frequently. This would be ok, except the rubber backing means they don't want to go in the washing machine, and once I HAVE forced them in, they don't clean very well, as the water can't rinse through them.

Any ideas? 

[suziequeue]

Ooooh - I'll be watching this. We have the same problem.


We have a dog and boot decontamination area and two rooms - one for shucking off outer clothing and one for  drying the dogs before they come into the house but there's still a lot of dust about

[Fleecewife]

I can tell you the most expensive solution.  Get the muddy area paved with posh slabs but decide to get your whole garden revamped at the same time  followed by getting a porch built front and back as an air and mud lock.  Don't know how to stop the dogs tramping the mud in though - they can always find some on even the driest day.

Being serious, how about a lorry load of type one into the muddy area, topped up every couple of years?

[Womble]

Yes, just done the type 1 trick Fleecewife, and it's helped, but not eliminated the problem. We're always trailing in and out - birds, cars, wood, coal, ash, so it's an ongoing problem.

What we usually notice is how much cleaner the house is when it's been snowing outside, but this year everything's fallen as rain instead, so you can guess the outcome!

[silkiechick]

I,ve got these everywhere http://www.splendidpets.co.uk/dirt-trappers-c12#c63 the kennel grade ones are really good value,pressure wash hose pipe clean or put in the washing machine

[suziequeue]

Oooh - we can get some of those to go in the dog's room.


We always hose down boots and dogs before going into the house and dry off the dogs with old towels but their feet ares still wet an muddy and the floor in their room gets dirty very quickly despite regular moppings-out.


Thanks 

[shygirl]

do you have a porch? that is our saviour in our house as boots don't go past the porch. we also have gravel outside the door.

[Bramblecot]

Know the feeling.  Costco do heavy duty mats about 5' x 3'.  We use those and they vacuum up quite well.  When it is (finally) dry for a few days, I pressure wash them outside.