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When most business owners think about indoor air quality, they think about ventilation systems, air purifiers, or HVAC filters. While these are important, one of the most overlooked tools for improving indoor air quality is something right under your feet—floor mats.

At Swan Dust Control, we’ve seen how proper mat placement and maintenance can drastically improve the cleanliness of a business space—not just on the floors, but in the very air employees and customers breathe. Let’s take a deeper look at how floor mats contribute to healthier indoor air and why they should be a critical part of your facility's maintenance strategy.

Why Indoor Air Quality Matters

Before diving into the role mats play, it’s important to understand why indoor air quality (IAQ) is such a big deal:

• Health Impact: Poor IAQ has been linked to respiratory issues, allergies, asthma, and other long-term health concerns.
• Employee Productivity: Studies show that cleaner air can improve focus and reduce sick days.
• Customer Perception: A fresh, clean-smelling environment contributes to a positive customer experience.
• Regulatory Compliance: Certain industries like healthcare or food service have cleanliness standards that are directly tied to air and environmental quality.

Now that we understand the stakes, let’s talk about how mats can help.

How Mats Improve Indoor Air Quality 

1. Trapping Dust and Dirt at the Source

Up to 80% of dust, dirt, and contaminants in a building are brought in from outside—mostly on the bottoms of shoes. When people walk into your business, every step they take can release particulates into the air, especially if there’s no effective mat system in place.

High-quality entrance mats trap:

• Dust particles
• Pollen and allergens
• Vehicle exhaust residue
• Soil and fine gravel

By containing this debris at the door, mats act as your building’s first line of defense, preventing it from being tracked deeper into your premises.

2. Reducing the Need for Dusting and Air Filtration

When you reduce the amount of airborne dust and particles brought in, you lessen the workload on:

• HVAC filters
• Air purifiers
• Cleaning staff

Less dust in the air means less ends up on desks, counters, and other surfaces. In turn, this means you don’t need to clean as frequently or use as many chemical cleaners—some of which can contribute to poor air quality themselves.

3. Capturing Moisture and Preventing Mold

Moisture control is another overlooked component of air quality. Wet shoes on rainy or snowy days introduce moisture, which—when left to sit—can lead to:

• Mold and mildew growth
• Musty odors
• Slip-and-fall hazards

Absorbent mats placed at entrances and high-traffic areas help soak up moisture quickly, preventing water from accumulating and contributing to airborne mold spores or damp, unpleasant air.

Types of Mats That Help with Indoor Air Quality

Not all mats are created equal. For the best results, it’s important to use the right type of mat in the right place:

1. Scraper Mats

• Superior molded tread aggressively scrapes shoes clean
• Traps debris in the base of the mat

2. Trakstar Mats

• Absorb 12 litres of water as compared to 8 litres in a standard mat
• Course nylon fibers scrape and wipe dust and dirt from shoes

3. Entrance Floor Mats

• Substantially reduces tracked-in soil
• Decreases the risk and liability of floor contamination

4. Anti-Fatigue

• Used in manufacturing or commercial kitchens to reduce fatigue
• Often include antimicrobial or dust-resistant properties

Why Mat Maintenance is Critical

Having mats is only part of the equation—keeping them clean is equally important. Dirty mats saturated with dust, dirt, and allergens can eventually release those particles back into the air.

At Swan Dust Control, our rental mat program ensures your mats are:

• Regularly cleaned with commercial-grade equipment
• Replaced on a consistent schedule
• Checked for wear and tear

This prevents mats from becoming part of the problem and ensures they remain an effective solution for air quality and cleanliness.

Case in Point: A Cleaner Office Environment

Consider this real-world example: A medium-sized accounting firm in Ontario began using our rental mat service in their main entrance and break room. Within weeks:

• Staff reported less dust on desks and furniture
• The office had a noticeably fresher smell
• Fewer employees experienced allergy symptoms, especially in spring

It’s a simple solution, but it works—the right mats, regularly maintained, lead to noticeably cleaner air.

Added Bonus: Sustainability and Environmental Benefits

When mats help trap contaminants at the door, your business doesn’t need to rely as heavily on cleaning chemicals, aerosols, or disposable cleaning materials. This makes your building:

• More environmentally friendly
• Less reliant on harsh cleaners
• More energy efficient, since HVAC filters stay cleaner longer

It’s a subtle but meaningful way to contribute to a greener workplace.

Make Mats Part of Your Air Quality Plan

While air purifiers and ventilation systems play their part, floor mats are a low-tech, high-impact solution that should be part of every business’s strategy for maintaining indoor air quality.

At Swan Dust Control, we specialize in customized mat and mop rental programs that help businesses:

• Maintain a clean, professional appearance- creates a great impression with customers at all times
• Improve safety and hygiene- the right rental floor mat reduces potential safety issues and liability (slips & falls)
• Protect indoor air quality without added effort – you will always have a continuous, un-interrupted supply of clean items on a regular basis
• Save money – we provide floor mats on a rental basis meaning you don’t need to buy these items, nor keep an inventory or worry about re-stocking

Whether you run a busy storefront, a healthcare clinic, or a high-traffic office, our team can help you create a mat system tailored to your needs.

Ready to Breathe Easier?

Get in touch with Swan Dust Control today to learn more about how our mat rental services can help improve your facility’s air quality—one step at a time.

Email sales@swandust.com or call us at 1-800-265-6141.