Unpopular take: My buddy said I was dumb for cleaning my bar mats with hot water instead of cold, but after 6 months I've got way less buildup than his crusty mats.

He swore by cold water to save the rubber but my mats at the dive bar on 3rd Street are still soft and his are all cracked and nasty now, anyone else find hot water works better long term?

2 comments

2 Comments

ellis.mia9d ago

Ha, I read this piece from a bar industry blog a while back that actually backed you up. They said hot water helps break down the oils and beer residue that cold water just lets sit, and that rubber degradation is more about harsh chemicals than the water temp. Your mats are probably softer because you're not letting that gunk bake into them over time. My buddy at the dive down on Main started doing hot water rinses after his mats got that weird sticky film, and now they actually last through a whole season. So yeah, you're not dumb, you're just ahead of the trend.

lindaowens9d agoMost Upvoted

Actually it's not just the heat that does it, the real trick is using hot water followed by a cold rinse to shock the rubber back into shape. Your buddy's mats are lasting longer because the thermal cycling keeps them from getting that permanent deformation.