Crafters and scrapbook enthusiasts love their Cricut die cutting machines. With the arrival of the Cricut Imagine, which both prints and cuts art elements from a variety of mediums, there is nearly no paper project you can not tackle with Cricut products. Today we are going to learn how to properly maintain your Cricut cutting mats to extend the life of the mats and save you lots of money in the process.
While the Cricut machines are not at all difficult to maintain there are a few things you need to know to keep your cutting machine working it tip top shape. Perhaps the most important thing you can do is make sure the cutting mats remain clean, undamaged, and have the proper adhesive properties needed to hold your art medium on the mat.
For a quick review it is important to remember that the adhesive mat is what holds your paper still while is fed past the cutter head, and in the case of the Cricut Imagine the printer head. Without a sticky mat the paper would shift around in the machine and not be cut or printed properly.
Now is a good time to also remind you that the mat does not indefinitely retain its stickiness and periodically needs to be replace. So it is easy to see that another benefit of properly maintaining the cutting mat is that their lifespan is greatly increased which means you need to buy them less often So really the mat is a vital, but often overlooked, component of Cricut Machines.
Basic maintenance includes cleaning, inspection, and proper storage. When you finish using your Cricut cutting mat inspect it for rips, tears, and gouges. When debris and gunk starts to build up on your mat simply wash it with dish soap and warm water. Do not scrape it off or use any cleaning chemicals. Allow the mat to fully dry before you put it back into storage. In between washings wipe down the mat with a lint free rag or a swifter sweeper sheet. Do these things and you can significantly add to the life of your mat.
Once your Cricut mats loose their stickiness it is time to apply some adhesive to make them last even longer. There are lots of adhesives out there you can try, but be forewarned many are way to sticky to apply to a cutting mat. Lots of people report great success with Crafters Companion Others use Stampin Up Stampin Spray to add stickiness to old mats.
Before you add any adhesive to your mats always make sure and clean the mat of any debris. Then wash with soap and water as described above and allow to completely dry.
These are the basics of Cricut Cutting Mat maintenance that will extend the life of your mats and save you lots of money. Perform them as described and both you and your Cricut cutter will be a lot happier.
