Establishing a Sticky Mat Protocol
Adhesive floor mats, also called sticky mats, are an indispensable part of a cleanroom environment. Wherever dust, dirt and particulates must be captured and eliminated, sticky mats are the first line of defense before employees even walk into the room. At Total Source Manufacturing, our sticky mat protocol will help ensure your cleanroom and production facility are kept to the strictest standards for low particulates.
Start by design
When you plan your cleanroom, you will have designed controlled entry and exit points and closely regulated gowning areas. This plan allows for several key areas where adhesive floor mats would be beneficial. Having a mat when employees first enter from the street will remove the first layer of dirt. Then, a mat at the gowning area will continue to reduce particulates. Finally, a sticky mat at the control door to the cleanroom will remove any last contaminants before allowing entry to the facility.
As you design your sticky mat locations, look at the size of the area you need to cover. Sticky mats are usually placed lengthwise to get the most out of the walk-throughs, and you will need a mat long enough for several steps. CLEANtack adhesive floor mats come in eight different sizes.
Additionally, you can choose between blue, white and gray colored mats. You can have different color mats in different areas to designate transition spaces. These choices should all be included in your design.
Prep the floor
Before you open the sterile packaging in which your adhesive floor mat is bagged, you will want to make sure the floor is completely cleaned. Use a sterile solution of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% deionized clean water to remove any dirt or previous mat adhesive.
Skipping this step will eventually cause floor damage and may also prevent your sticky mat from adhering properly. Make sure the floor is completely dry before moving on to the next step.
Placement of the sticky mat
Once the floor is cleaned, you can place the PVC adhesive mat base to the floor. This gives you an effective base for the adhesive mat placement. Then, the mat package can be opened and the adhesive mat pad, with its removable sticky sheet layers, can be secured to the base.
Ongoing upkeep
Designate one person on staff to be in charge of carefully removing the sheets of sticky mat using the proper protocol of wrapping it in on itself so the dirt is not dislodged into the air. Layers should be peeled after 30 to 50 walk-throughs, depending on the amount of dirt involved.
Finally, your chosen staff person can also take care of ordering new mats and scheduling the floor prep cleaning and the placement of fresh mats.
Get cleanroom supplies in bulk
With a network of ten factories, Total Source Manufacturing, can source the sticky mats your facility needs in bulk quantities to ensure you never run out and your cleanroom stays clean. Call us today for a special quote to ship pallets worldwide.
