Doormats get a bad rap in the common vernacular, but if you really think about it, they offer an invaluable service. They’re often the first introduction someone has to your home; they readily take mud, leaves, debris, and a good deal of scraping without complaint; and they keep your floors sparkling clean. The best door mats and welcome mats will protect your floors and reflect your style. But how do you find the one that’s right for you? It might not seem like something that requires a great deal of thought (or help), but if your front door, back door or porch gets a lot of foot traffic, the choice you make could either leave you footloose and fancy-free or permanently frustrated.
What you’ll need usually depends on whether you want an indoor doormat, or one for outdoors. Hard-wearing, scrubby and absorbent coir, or coconut matting, is an excellent bet for outside as it’s weatherproof and adeptly gets dirt stones out of even trickily-ridged soles. Some coir mats are suitable for indoor and outdoor use, but be warned that it can shed quite a lot of its helpful fibres, so more hoovering may be required if you bring them in.
On the other hand, indoor welcome mats tend to be made of soft-on-bare-feet cotton or chenille, just like a shower mat. They’re not as durable, but kept away from the elements, they don’t have to be, and they’re most often machine washable, making it easy to keep them in good nick. If you’re using yours on a hard floor, such as laminate or tiles, be sure to look for one with a skid-free rubber or PVC backing to keep anyone from going flying.
Either way, protect your hallway rugs, keep dirt out of the house and prevent muddy footprints with our round-up of the best door mats.
With its ridged surface for scraping shoes clean and heavy-duty rubber base for grip, this is by far our best doormat for trapping dirt before it gets past the threshold. Perfect for families who walk often or spend a lot of time outdoors, it’s a great scrubber and moisture-absorber, and its classic design with scrolled edging looks welcoming at any front door or porch. A great-looking, durable mat for long-lasting use.
If you don’t have your own dog who would benefit from the Soggy Doggy mat (below), but still have a soft spot for pups, this cute Scottie dog doormat is just the thing to share that love with the world while keeping your floors sparkling clean. The quirky design is totally gimmick-free, made from hard-wearing natural coir that’s adept at removing mud, and a PVC backing to stop it slipping.
Purveyors of high-quality mats Turtle Mat have teamed up with quirky brand Scion to bring you this sweet, colourful doormat, featuring the now-iconic Mr Fox in a quintessentially British way to welcome people to your home. You might feel bad wiping your feet on him at first, but he takes it in his stride with an absorbent dirt-trapping surface in machine washable cotton.
This pet-friendly doormat, with its chenille “noodles”, absorbs five times more water than a regular cotton doormat, making it perfect for wet paws. It’s not just for inside the back door either: use it in the car boot for after walks, or even as a bed liner (many reviewers have noticed that their pooches love to sleep on this mat!) It’s also machine washable and quick to dry, to keep odour and bacteria at bay.
Purveyors of high-quality mats Turtle Mat have teamed up with quirky brand Scion to bring you this sweet, colourful doormat, featuring the now-iconic Mr Fox in a quintessentially British way to welcome people to your home. You might feel bad wiping your feet on him at first, but he takes it in his stride with an absorbent dirt-trapping surface in machine washable cotton.
At just £10, this multi-use door mat is excellent value, with its dirt-catching coir and anti-slip PVC — just bash it clean to keep it like new. Put it anywhere, inside or outside, to stop muddy feet in their tracks, and with a range of cute and classic designs to choose from (this stately stag and the Emma Bridgewater-style dog montage are especially sweet), it’s a quick and inexpensive means of brightening up any entryway.
This officially licensed indoor-outdoor welcome mat adds the perfect finishing touch to any geek den, kids’ bedroom, or family home. You can use a bit of force (geddit?) when wiping your feet — let the firm and sturdy bristles do their work on the muddiest shoes, while staying put thanks to the heavy-duty non-slip rubber on the back. Makes a great gift for a new home.
Read more:
