Kitchen Mats and Runners—Safety, Comfort, and Sanitary Applications
Kitchens tend to be as different as the people who utilize them and they will range in design depending on their application. A commercial kitchen is going to be far different than the cooking area within a home, and within that same scope—the kitchen within a house may be very different than the kitchen within an apartment. Because of this, when it comes to safety, comfort, and sanitary applications, no two kitchens will ever have the same specific needs. Of course it goes without saying that all kitchens should be safe, they should be comfortable, and they should be clean, but the way that these requirements are approached can be varied. For example, not all cooking areas will require kitchen mats and runners—some may just need one or the other! Padded kitchen mats, although they are essential for comfort, may be required in varying degrees of thickness depending on individual preference.
However, one thing that we can all agree on is the fact that safety flooring is imperative whether you have a commercial or private kitchen, a bar, pub, dinner, or restaurant, or any other sort of food service local. A large kitchen mat that’s made out of rubber is going to provide a wide area of slip resistant surfacing, which can be used by many employees or family members at once, while a smaller option could be good for just the head chef. A long kitchen floor runner is perfectly suited for food preparation lines or for those huge industrial sinks, all of which are locations that are prone to seeing spills and high levels of activity. Regardless of the style of the kitchen, safety, comfort, and sanitation are all universal points of concern. Rubberized kitchen mats and runners are the perfect answer for these concerns because they’ll provide solutions for each application and are available in a wide range of styles (some of which are specifically designed for use within this area). Here is a breakdown of how rubberized surfacing can serve these three applications.
- Safety In the Kitchen
Safety, within a kitchen, can come in a variety of forms all of which are imperative. It is important to be aware of your surroundings when you’re working with hot pots and pans. It’s also important to know your limits in regards to how much you can carry. Any mess should be cleaned up promptly for both slip prevention as well as hygienic reasons, and children and pets should never be allowed around open flames or hot surfaces. And that’s just stuff to worry about from the kitchen counter and up! Often times in food service environments, water, grease, and oils can drip and end up on the floor. For that reason your floor should provide you with traction and grip to help you avoid potential slip and falls.
A rubberized kitchen floor runner is designed to keep you on your feet even when moisture is present. And because some rubber products use nitrile, specifically mats used in kitchen applications, you could even have a grease resistant surface that will help protect you when oil, grease, and other animal by-products are present. Another popular design for a large kitchen mat is the use of drainage holes, which allows water to be channeled away almost immediately. This is a great quality to have, especially in commercial kitchens where staff may not always have the time to stop and clean up a spill.
- Comfortable, Alert, and Vigilant
It’s unfortunate that more employers and managers don’t consider the comfort of their employees within food preparation locations. Comfort goes hand in hand with efficiency and even safety. As I am sure we all know— standing and moving around requires more energy than sitting. Often, kitchen floors will be tile or concrete, to facilitate cleaning, but these are hard and cold surfaces that offer minimal support to feet, ankles, and backs. Padded kitchen mats offer the supple and elastic comfort of rubber, which will help employees stay focused on the task at hand rather than on aching joints or bones. This can lead toward greater efficiency from workers, while also keeping them alert and vigilant against potential risks that could lead to serious or even fatal injuries.
- Keeping it Clean
When it comes to food preparation, the sanitary conditions of a kitchen are extremely important. If a commercial eatery doesn’t adhere to the health and safety codes of its particular state, then that business can be closed down. These serious consequences are there for a reason—with salmonella poisoning and E. coli contamination being things that are commonly seen on the news; the threats posed by unsanitary conditions are a very real threat. Rubberized kitchen mats and runners won’t just provide slip and trip safety—but because rubber is a naturally water resistant surface, it will also help inhibit the growth of mold and mildew. Padded kitchen mats may be comfortable for humans, but rubber is an inhospitable environment on which bacteria has a hard time thriving. And regardless of size, a small or large kitchen mat is easy to clean. A broom is enough to remove debris, and a damp mop with a mild detergent can be used for more thorough cleaning. Also, because of the ease of installation of these products, a kitchen floor runner, mat, or a set of interlocking tiles, can easily be removed and taken outside to be hosed down.
Kitchen mats and runners are a great solution when it comes to these three essential issues. Available in a wide range of styles, sizes (even custom cut lengths), and colors, padded kitchen mats, tiles, and runners are all available options for commercial or private locations.
