How to Make Cricut Mat Sticky Again? [A Comprehensive Guide]
Even though a Cricut machine may be a crafter's best friend, there is nothing more annoying than starting a new craft project only to find that the materials are not lined up on the cutting mat. If you think a mat should be thrown away once it gets dirty or loses its stickiness, thinks again. The mat can be cleaned to extend its life. Cleaning the mat won't be a forever solution, but you'll save yourself some time and money this way.
In this post, you'll
learn how to clean a Cricut cutting mat, why it needs to be cleaned, how to make a Cricut mat sticky again,
and when a mat might need to be replaced.
When to Clean a Cricut Mat?
If you use a Cricut cutting machine regularly, you know that one important thing is the sticky mat that keeps the material in place as it goes through the machine. A cutting mat should generally last 40 to 50 uses before losing stickiness. If the mat starts to lose its stickiness, you don't have to throw it away or buy a new one. Cleaning the mat from time to time and storing it carefully when not in use can extend its life.
How Often Should You Clean a
Cricut Cutting Mat?
There is no hard and fast rule. It depends on how much you use the Cricut machine. If you use it often, clean it after every few cuts.
Cutting heavy materials like glitter vinyl, glitter paper, balsa wood, fabric, and leather may mean the cutting mat needs cleaning.
Whenever you have a
problem making difficult cuts on vinyl, cardstock, or other materials, it's
best to start by checking whether the mat is clean enough and whether the
cutting blade is sharp enough. Most of the time, doing this should solve the
problem.
How to Clean a Cricut Mat?
Once you feel the Cricut
mat is losing its stickiness, you must clean it first. You can do this in three
different methods, each more effective than the last:
1.
Use a Scraper
Before proceeding with any other methods, you must use a scraper to rub off all surface debris on the cutting mat.
Gently run the scraper
over the working surface of the cutting mat to remove large pieces of material
and debris. Repeat as many times as necessary to make sure all materials are
removed from the mat.
2.
Use Baby Wipes
If the cutting mat is slightly dirty, it may be best to use baby wipes to wipe away any build-up of material that may have slowly gathered.
Ensure you use bleach and alcohol-free wipes - if you don't, you may find that the wipes destroy any hope of making the mat sticky again.
Similarly, some crafters
use nail remover to remove any residue, but we think it's a bit risky - we have
used this method before to ruin the mat's stickiness.
3. Use Sticky Lint Roller
You can use a sticky
lint roller to remove small material stuck to the cutting mat. Roll it on the
work surface of the mat to pick up pieces of paper, glitter, or fizz.
How to Make Cricut Mat Sticky
Again?
Most of the time,
cleaning the cutting mat is enough to make it sticky again. However, the mats
wear out, and cleaning no longer works. If this happens, try sticking it again.
Note: You
should be aware that re-sticking the mat will void the Cricut machine warranty,
as adding too much adhesive to the cutting mat puts the Cricut machine at risk.
Therefore, you should take the next steps carefully.
If re-sticking the mat
seems more stressful than necessary, you might want to consider getting a new
Cricut mat instead. You can find many cheap ones.
Here are easy and quick
steps you can take to re-stick Cricut mats:
- First, clean the Cricut mat. You can use a scraper
tool, and baby wipes to clean the mat.
- Tape the edges - use masking tape to protect the
outer borders where the Cricut machine rollers touch the cutting mat.)
- Spray the adhesive - Following the directions on the
adhesive can, spray the adhesive onto the Cricut mat.
- Leave the adhesive to dry - After spraying, leave
the adhesive on the Cricut mat for 10-15 minutes.
When to Buy a New Cricut Mat?
While cleaning a cutting mat may work for a while and increase the longevity of the mat, it will not work forever. It may be time to buy a new Cricut cutting mat when none of the above methods work to get it clean, sticky, and usable.
Conclusion
Getting the Cricut cutting mat sticky again shouldn't be a problem. Residue and particles of material from continued use are the main cause of low stickiness, so if you clean the cutting mat thoroughly, you can restore stickiness.
Comments
Post a Comment