Cutting mats take a whole lot of crafting abuse, which often leads to the pen marks, paint splashes, and marker stains that can make project photography a messy, distracting nightmare. Luckily, there’s hope!
You can remove new and recent paint, pen, and marker stains from your favorite cutting mat using two common household items: a smooth cotton cloth and a bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol! To clean your mat, simply soak the cloth with undiluted rubbing alcohol, then gently rub away the stains before they set.
Note: For me, this cleaning method usually works best on fresh stains and stains that are up to a couple of months old. Older, more stubborn stains, however, don’t always fade completely. When working with materials that could stain your cutting mat, keep in mind that paint stains can allow for more time flexibility, but pen and permanent marker stains should always be treated immediately.
Who knew that accidentally spilling a bottle of rubbing alcohol onto my work table would save me hours of Photoshop work in project photos?! (That’s right, Photoshop. Dirty little secret of craft writing: once the lighting’s sorted out, the pro-quality photos you see on craft blogs come from Photoshopping the bejeezus out of cutting mats and cuticles. Now you know.)
Do you have any tried and true cutting mat cleaning tips to share? I’d love to know your tricks for lifting older stains!
I cannot answer your question, but I have one for you: is there anything you know of that permanently stains a cutting mat? I have one that is ugly to start with… pink, with some faint stains, and rather than bin it I’d like to dye it black or something less offensive because it’s rather handy and they’re fairly expensive.