Wool felt is forgiving. It hides small marks, it does not stain as readily as cloth, and most of what lands on it can be dealt with in a couple of minutes. The only way to really ruin one is to get it thoroughly wet and then let it dry in a heap, so the rules below are mostly about avoiding that.
Weekly: lint and dust
A lint roller is the right tool. Roll with the grain of the felt (you will feel a direction) and the fibres from your sleeves come off in one pass. A soft clothes brush works too. Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar; a plain nozzle attachment on low suction is fine.
Spills: blot, do not rub
- Get to it quickly. Lay a dry paper towel or cloth over the spill and press down. Repeat with a fresh towel until nothing more transfers.
- Dampen a clean cloth with cool water and a drop of dish soap. Blot the area from the outside in.
- Blot again with a cloth dampened in plain water to lift the soap.
- Lay the mat flat, ideally on a towel, and let it dry at room temperature. Do not hang it and do not use a hair dryer.
Rubbing pushes liquid deeper into the felt and roughens the surface. Blotting keeps the fibres lying flat.
Coffee and tea
Blot first as above. If a ring remains once dry, mix one part white vinegar with two parts water, dampen a cloth, and blot the ring. Follow with plain water and dry flat. Charcoal felt hides coffee rings well enough that most people stop at the first blot.
Ink
Ballpoint ink is the hardest case. Dab (do not rub) with a cotton pad moistened with rubbing alcohol, changing pads as they pick up ink. Test on a corner first, since alcohol can lighten some dyes. Expect improvement rather than a miracle.
The shiny mouse patch
After a few months there will be a smoother, slightly glossier area where the mouse lives. This is compressed fibre, not dirt. A gentle pass with a clothes brush lifts it somewhat; a light steam from a garment steamer held a few inches away lifts it more. It will come back. Rotating the mat 180 degrees every few months spreads the wear.
What not to do
- No washing machine, no dryer. Felt shrinks and warps.
- No soaking. A wet mat dries slowly and can go wavy.
- No bleach or oxygen cleaners on dyed felt.
- No heat. Radiators and hair dryers cause shrinkage on one side and a mat that will not lie flat.
Storage and moving
Roll it with the top surface facing out, loosely, around something like a cardboard tube. Rolling tightly with the surface inside creases the felt. Once unrolled, it flattens within a day; a few heavy books on the corners speed it up.
Care instructions are printed on every mat page under Specifications. If you have a stain we have not covered, email support@mkeypro.com with a photo and we will tell you what to try. See the desk mats range.