Quick answer: A new rubber mat often smells when you first take it out of the box. For SuperScrape Plus-type nitrile mats, the maker's owner guidance treats that as normal off-gassing that typically fades within a day or two once the mat is out in the air. Air the mat in a well-ventilated place before you put it into a kitchen or enclosed workplace, wash it only with the method the mat maker allows (usually a neutral-pH detergent, then rinse and dry fully), and ask your supplier for a safety data sheet (SDS) or product data sheet if you need formal chemical information. Toxicity depends on the specific product, not on "rubber mats" as a class.
Rawlins has supplied cleaning equipment, chemicals and matting to UK businesses since 1981. This guide is for facilities and kitchen teams dealing with new rubber mats on site.
Why new rubber mats smell
When you open a fresh mat, residual curing and processing compounds can leave the surface into the air — often called off-gassing. Matterly's SuperScrape Plus new-owners guide puts it plainly: a new mat can have a slight rubber odour, "much like new tennis shoes", due to off-gassing of rubber, and it typically goes away in a day or two after the mat is out of the box.
None of the live Rawlins rubber product pages we checked for this article (including Superscrape Plus, Dot Rubber Matting and Utility Anti-Slip Rubber Mat) state a VOC or odour-emission figure for new rubber smell. Ask for the SDS or product data for your mat before you write anything into a COSHH file.
A second, separate smell appears later in service: stale grease, food soil and moisture under or in drainage-hole mats. That is a cleaning problem, not new-mat off-gassing. See our guide to rubber mats and cleaning chemicals.
Airing out vs washing
Airing and washing do different jobs. Use both in the right order.
- Air first. Unroll the mat in a well-ventilated area (loading bay, plant room or outdoors under cover). Matterly also suggests letting SuperScrape Plus acclimate to room temperature, or using brief sunlight, so it lays flat — the same airing helps the smell fade. Keep it off food-prep surfaces while it airs.
- Wash only as the maker allows. M+A Matting's instructions for SuperScrape Plus are: scrub with a deck brush and a detergent with a neutral pH, rinse with a hose or pressure washer, and hang to dry. Always dry the mat fully before it goes back into service.
- Don't wash instead of airing. M+A's troubleshooting notes that odours after washing usually mean the mat was not cleaned properly, and that the problem is worse if mats are not dried.
- Match the product. Kleen-Tex care for Kleen-Thru Plus (sharing the spec of our Anti-Microbial Comfort Rubber Mat) lists a 30 to 60°C wash, tumble dry on low, steam cleaning and pressure washing. Blue Diamond's Utility guidance, matching our Utility mat, is cold water, vacuum or a pressure hose, and no harsh detergents.
Food areas and enclosed rooms
Kitchens and small offices concentrate smell because air change is limited. Air new rubber mats outside the food room until the smell has settled, then wash and dry per the maker before first use. Never put a wet mat back underfoot. Lift mats on the cleaning rota and clean the floor underneath, alongside your commercial kitchen mat cleaning routine.
Nitrile options such as Superscrape Plus and Safety Scrape are listed on our pages as oil- and chemical-resistant for kitchen and wet areas; that is about spill resistance, not a claim that they arrive odour-free.
When to ask for a product or safety data sheet
If a client, EHO question or COSHH file needs formal chemical information, ask the supplier for the current SDS and any product data sheet for the exact SKU.
The Health and Safety Executive's COSHH guidance on chemical safety data sheets explains that suppliers must provide an up-to-date SDS if a substance is dangerous for supply, and that an SDS is not a risk assessment — you use it to help make your own. HSE's Safety Data Sheets page notes that SDS requirements sit under UK REACH. For mats supplied as articles, you may get a product data sheet or REACH statement instead of a full SDS.
Ask for data before install in a food, healthcare or poorly ventilated room; when someone asks "are these mats toxic?"; or when smell persists well beyond the maker's expected airing period.
Choosing lower-odour options — only what the pages say
We do not publish a "lowest-smell rubber mat" ranking. Live pages support only this:
- Expect new-mat smell to fade with airing on SuperScrape Plus-type nitrile, per Matterly (typically a day or two out of the box).
- Anti-Microbial Comfort Rubber Mat is 100% nitrile with anti-microbial protection to AATCC 30 / AATCC 100. Our page says it supports a hygienic surface, "reducing odours" — meaning odours from microbial growth in service, not a low-VOC claim for new rubber smell. No kill-rate percentages.
- Utility Anti-Slip Rubber Mat is described as natural and recycled rubber with a REACH-compliant material composition. That is a materials-regulation statement, not a published low-odour or "non-toxic" certificate.
- Do not misuse Ultima. Our Ultima Barefoot wet-area mats carry an ISO 16000-9 TVOC Class A+ statement — but Ultima is PET plastic, not rubber. Do not use that figure as evidence for rubber mats.
If a specification asks for low-emission rubber data, request the manufacturer's test report for that product — or say none exists, rather than borrowing a figure from another material.
New rubber mat checklist for kitchens and workplaces
| Step | Action | Pass check |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Unpack | Open away from food prep; log product and size | Mat identified; packaging removed |
| 2. Air | Lay flat in a ventilated area; acclimate to room temperature | New-rubber smell much reduced; mat lies flat |
| 3. Wash | Maker's method only (e.g. neutral-pH detergent for SuperScrape Plus; cold water / hose for Utility) | Both faces cleaned; no unapproved harsh detergent |
| 4. Dry | Hang or lay flat until fully dry; never stack wet mats | Dry to the touch on both faces |
| 5. Floor ready | Clean and dry the floor where the mat will sit | Floor dry; no grease film |
| 6. Install | Place in service; log date and location | Edges flat; no trip lip |
| 7. Data on file | If needed for COSHH or client pack, file SDS / product data sheet | Document dated and named to the SKU |
Frequently asked questions
Why do new rubber mats smell?
New rubber often carries a manufacturing smell from off-gassing after curing and packing. For SuperScrape Plus, the owner's guide describes a slight rubber odour that typically fades within a day or two once the mat is out of the box. Later smells from grease or damp soil are a cleaning issue, not the same as new-mat off-gassing.
How do I get rid of rubber mat smell?
Air the mat in a well-ventilated place first, then wash it only with the method the mat maker allows, and dry it fully before use. For SuperScrape Plus, that means a neutral-pH detergent, rinse and hang-dry. Do not put a wet or strongly smelling mat into an enclosed kitchen.
Are rubber mats toxic?
There is no single yes-or-no answer for all rubber mats. Ask your supplier for the SDS or product data sheet for that SKU, and use HSE's COSHH guidance to build your own risk assessment — an SDS is information, not the assessment itself. REACH-compliant wording (as on our Utility mat) is a materials-regulation statement, not a medical "non-toxic" certificate.
How long does the new rubber smell last?
It varies by product and ventilation. Matterly's SuperScrape Plus guidance says the typical odour goes away in a day or two after the mat is out of the box. If smell persists after airing, washing and drying, contact the supplier and check for trapped soil or a wet mat.
Need help with rubber mats for kitchens and workplaces?
Browse our matting range, or ask us about nitrile scrapers, kitchen comfort mats and utility rubber for your site. Call 0121 351 4444, email werner@rawlins.co.uk or use our contact page.