If your vinyl won’t stay put, your paper is tearing mid-cut, or your fabric keeps shifting, your cutting machine probably isn’t the problem—your mat is. A dirty mat loses grip fast, but the good news is your mat isn’t ruined. It’s just covered in lint, dust, and debris.
Learning how to clean a Cricut mat properly can restore stickiness in as little as five minutes and save you $15 or more on getting a new mat. Below are three easy, proven methods for cleaning your machine mat based on how dirty your mat is and which type of mat you’re trying to clean.
Method 1: Baby wipe (for light cleaning)
This method works best as a quick maintenance between projects or when your mat has light dust and paper fibers on it. You can use this method on StandardGrip (Green), LightGrip (Blue), and StrongGrip (Purple) Cricut mats.
How to clean a Cricut mat with baby wipes
- Using alcohol-free baby wipes, gently wipe down the mat with small circular motions.
- Let the mat air dry completely.
Important Note: Use alcohol-free baby wipes only and avoid wipes with lotions, oils, or fragrances. Alcohol and oils break down the adhesive layer, which will make the mats lose their stickiness faster.
Method 2: Soap and water (for deep cleaning)
If your mat is heavily soiled with lint, cardstock pieces, pet hair, dirt, and more, a deep clean with a degreasing soap (such as Dawn dish soap) is your best option. This method works best on StandardGrip (Green), LightGrip (Blue), and StrongGrip (Purple) Cricut mats. Do NOT use this method if you are cleaning a FabricGrip (Pink) Cricut mat. To clean a FabricGrip mat, see Method 3.
How to clean a Cricut mat with dish soap
- Rinse your mat with warm water.
- Add a few drops of Dawn dish soap, or another brand of degreaser soap.
- Gently scrub your mat with a non-abrasive soft sponge to remove the dust without scrubbing off the mat’s adhesive surface.
- Rinse thoroughly until no soap remains.
- Allow your mat to air dry completely (do not towel dry as doing so will add lint back to your mat and reduce the stickiness).
Method 3: Tweezers and transfer tape (For FabricGrip mats)
This is where many people get it wrong and accidentally end up ruining their FabricGrip mat. Do NOT use soap and water on pink FabricGrip mats. Pink FabricGrip mats are made with a different type of adhesive from other Cricut cutting mats and can be permanently damaged by moisture.
How to clean a pink FabricGrip Cricut mat
- Use tweezers to lift any visible lint and threads from the mat.
- Lightly press transfer tape onto the surface to pick up remaining fibers from the mat.
Important Note: Avoid touching the pink mat’s adhesive area with your hands or fingers. Never soak, scrub, or rinse a pink FabricGrip mat with water.
How to make your Cricut mat sticky again
If your mat is clean but your materials are still slipping around while cutting, you’re not alone. Once your mat hits this point, you have three options: try to use adhesive sparys or glue pens to make it stickey again (we do not advise this option), tape your material down, or buy a new mat.
Resticking options (and the risks)
- Third-party adhesive sprays or glue pens: This option is not recommended. While this may seem like a good option at first glance, it’s important to note that using third-party sprays and glue pens can void warranties and may damage your machine.
- Taping material edges: For a temporary workaround for mats losing their adhesive, you can try taping down the edges of your material to the mat.
- Buy a new mat: Even if you’ve taken proper care of your mat, all mats will eventually lose their adhesive and need replacing. If you’ve tried cleaning your machine mat and things are still sliding around while cutting, it may be time to invest in a new one. You can find a new machine mat to fit any Cricut machine on Amazon.
How to prevent your Cricut mat from losing stickiness
You’ll get far more use out of your machine mat if you take proper care of it. Here are four good habits that significantly extend mat life:
- Replace the plastic cover sheet on your mat immediately after use.
- Store your mat flat to prevent warping.
- Perform a light cleaning after every few projects.
- Always use the correct mat grip strength for the material you’re cutting.
Final thoughts
Knowing how to clean a Cricut mat correctly can save money, prevent ruined projects, and extend the life of your mats and materials. Whether you’re doing quick maintenance with baby wipes or a deep clean with dish soap, using the right method for the right mat makes all the difference. And, when cleaning no longer works, replacing the mat is often the safest and most reliable choice.
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