How Do Disinfectant Mats Work and Why Do We Need Them

When you think about disinfection, your mind may not immediately jump to your footwear – the Center for Disease Control focus is generally on handwashing or wiping a hard surface. But shoes do more than keep your feet warm, they can also help spread viruses, bacteria, and other types of contamination.

Studies from the Society for Applied Microbiology have discovered that more than 90 percent of shoes carry around disease-causing germs. Disinfectant mats provide an efficient hassle-free way for employees and visitors to clean and sanitize their footwear.

What is a Disinfectant Mat?

Disinfectant mats look and work much like common entry mats. These mats provide enhanced cleaning surfaces to remove larger pieces of dirt, and raised edges to hold sanitizing solutions that help fight contamination that can lead to viruses and other illnesses.

One of the most practical aspects of these mats is how easy they are to install, you don’t need any glue, screws, clamps, rails or frames. Some sanitizing and disinfecting mats, like the NoTrax 351 Sani-Trax® Plus, are a single rectangle of anti-microbial material. Others like our 2-zone and 3-zone Shoe Sanitizer System, include multiple sections.

Our NoTrax engineers designed each of these zones with a purpose – clear debris, wash, sanitize, and dry – and included vinyl or adhesive backing to prevent slips and falls.

Why are Disinfectant Mats Important?

Studies continue to show that installation and proper use of shoe disinfection and sanitation mats can reduce bacterial tracking up to 80 percent. This can be monumental for certain large traffic industries.

When we cough, sneeze, or even breathe, we create tiny droplets of moisture. These droplets can carry germs that cause viruses and other illness. Each of these droplets can land on floors and then be picked up on our shoes.

From shoes, viruses can easily be transmitted to hands, and from there, everything from doorknobs to dishes is fair game for contamination. While frequent hand washing is a proven preventative measure essential to virus prevention, disinfectant mats add an additional level of protection from the ground up.

Mats should be placed at entryways and exits to any sensitive areas like those found in healthcare facilities and food production operations to further prevent the spread of potentially dangerous contaminants carried on footwear. This placement helps stop transmission right at the door.

Who Uses Disinfectant Mats?

You may think disinfection or sanitation mats are only for the big industries like healthcare and food processors. But, the truth is, every industry can benefit from cleaner facilities.

Common places to find shoe disinfection products are precision manufacturers, retail spaces, laboratories, elder care facilities, locker rooms, veterinary practices, and fire-ems units. In these facilities, contamination from viruses and bacteria present constant threats to health as well as production. Given the ongoing global pandemic, any high-traffic building or area where at-risk individuals frequent can benefit from the extra protection provided by shoe disinfectant mats.

Stop Giving Viruses and Bacteria a Free Ride

Now that you know why disinfecting your footwear is a key to maintaining healthy operations, it’s time to get to work. Let our team create a custom solution for your facility. We can accommodate even large entryways like those at bus stations, airports, arenas, and schools, as well as the aforementioned industries.

Why wait? Stay clean. Stay decontaminated. Stay safe.