Drymate Garage Floor Mat Review

If you would like to keep automotive fluids from staining your garage floor, or create a warmer, drier surface on top of a concrete slab in the garage or basement, the Garage Floor Mat from Drymate could be a useful investment. It is lightweight, but very durable, and it can be cleaned easily.

The Garage Floor Mat is something like a rug for your garage. Unlike a typical household rug, however, this one is not intended to increase the comfort of residents. Rather, the floor mat is primarily intended to keep the garage slab clean. It contains spills and drips from your car, preventing them from staining the concrete below. The floor mat is very thin (about 1/8-in.) and very lightweight, but it is also very durable. I was unable to tear the mat with my bare hands, although it can be cut easily with scissors if necessary.

The construction consists of an absorbent gray polyester top layer over a waterproof PVC backing. It is slip resistant, and the thin profile eliminates the danger of tripping. On the other hand, the edges of the mat can be blown up in heavy winds.

The manufacturer claims that the mat absorbs and contains many times its weight in liquids. That feels a bit misleading to me. When I poured a cup of water on the mat, it did seem to prevent the water from spreading out. But the mat was wet, and it was still wet several hours later. The waterproof bottom layer did prevent it from soaking through. While this could be welcomed, it is hard to justify claiming that the water was absorbed. It dried out overnight through evaporation.

Likewise, I poured small amounts of antifreeze and motor oil on the mat. The liquids did not spread out too far, but hours later the spots were still wet. But, again, the liquids did not soak through to the concrete slab.

The mat is easy to vacuum and wash clean with a hose or power washer. It is also machine washable, although you would need to use a large commercial washer.

Before installing the floor mat, the floor should be cleaned (see How To Remove Stains from Concrete).

A sticker on the bottom of the mat I tested says, "Some cleaning fluids, chemicals, disinfectants, gasoline, automotive fluids, etc. may dissolve and penetrate waterproof backing." Since the product is made primarily for use under cars, mowers and other items that use gasoline and automotive fluids, this caution probably ought to be displayed on the box and in marketing material. I found, however, that small amounts of gasoline did not cause any discernible damage.

If your garage is used regularly as a play or party room, the floor mat could be particularly welcomed as a temporary covering. It adds a bit of comfort to the floor, looks better than bare concrete, and could reduce dirt from being dragged into the house on the bottoms of shoes. It could also add comfort to a kids play space in the basement.

The Garage Floor Mat is available in three sizes: The 17' x 7'4" model fits easily under regular-sized cars, SUVs and minivans. A 20' x 7'4" mat can handle longer vehicles, while the 8' x 7'4" version is suitable for motorcycles, mowers and ATVs. List prices for the three sizes range from $69.95 to $149 on the company's Web site, although lower prices can be found at online retailers such as Amazon.com.