The Cricut machine is a great tool for a crafty person. It helps expand your creativity, as well as making embellishments a breeze. Cricut machines have a sticky mat that keeps the paper from shifting when you are cutting out shapes and letters. After using it many times, the board tends to lose its stickiness and will need to be refreshed so that you can use it again before purchasing another one.
Things You'll Need
Liquid Soap
Quilt Basting Spray
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Step 1
Pull excess paper fibers off of the Cricut sticky mat. Mats that are overly dirty will not wash well if there are large fibers of paper on them. Anything you can pull off with your fingers will make the washing part a lot easier for you.
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Step 2
Run warm water in the sink to clean your Cricut mat. This process makes the fibers come off more easily, and you will want to make sure that it is almost hot to the touch.
Step 3
Wash your Cricut mat with liquid soap and hot water. Instead of using a dishrag, try rubbing the fibers off with your hand. The dishrag will leave extra fibers on the mat, but your hand will not. You will have to use a little force on some spots to clean it off.
Step 4
Dry your Cricut mat. This is best to do late at night so that it will air dry overnight. Wiping it off with a towel will leave fibers, while letting it air dry will allow the mat to get sticky again for use.
Step 5
Tape off the edges of the mat. You want to make sure to tape off the border of the mat -- the portion around the cutting grid -- before you spray it so that it does not ruin the mat. If the edges get sticky, the spray will get inside your machine and may cause problems.
Step 6
Spray your Cricut mat with quilt basting spray. This can be found in your local fabric store and can be used for quite some time. Keep the bottle about 12 inches from the mat and give it an even coat. Let it air dry for 20 minutes, and it is ready to be used again.
Tip
You can scrape paper fragments off your mat with anything that has a thin, straight edge, such as a credit card or metal spatula.
If you don't have liquid soap handy, try using baby wipes.
Warning
Cricut mats will need to be replaced over time, but this method can be used quite a bit before it has to be replaced. If your mat has holes from the blade, it has to be disposed of.