Rugged Heavy Duty Mats

Ever since we built our first house and my brother walked from the front door, across the (brand new) living room carpet and into the kitchen, tracking mud all the way, I have had a no shoe policy in my house.  That means shoes come off at the door, and we don't track whatever our shoes may have come in contact with into and through the house.  And, I expect the people who come to visit to take their shoes off, too.

Of course, for stores, offices, and other places of business, a no-shoe policy is not possible.  People are going to be walking in and out all day long, and they are going to be wearing their shoes.  Dirt, water, snow, and other debris will be tracked into the building on the soles of all those shoes, unless something is done to stop it.  The proper entrance mat is specially designed to stop that debris at the door and maintain a clean and welcoming entrance.  Not only that, but entrance mats help protect flooring, and they protect guests and employees from slips and falls.

There are a wide variety of rugged heavy duty mats to choose from.  Here are two kinds that you've probably seen:

• Grip Rock
  This is the original non-slip matting made from crushed garnet and ceramic beads with fiberglass in the middle. The highly textured surface provides maximum slip resistance and secure footing, promotes safety, resists fungal and bacterial growth, maintains employee performance, and decreases time off related to injuries from accidents and possible workers compensation claims and litigation. Comes in standard sizes, rolls, or custom cuts and is available unbacked for glue-down applications.
  It is commonly used in restaurants, food preparation areas, beverage stations, washing areas, freezers, kitchens, stairways, under thresholds, on incline ramps, in industrial areas, hospitals and more. 
• Poly Weave
  This carpet in heavy duty polypropylene is available in five patterns, many color options, and in rolls, tiles or custom cut sizes. The unique and rugged carpet is popular with its blend of 18-240 dpf solution dyed heavy duty UV stabilized olefin fiber (polypropylene) with a synthetic non-skid rubber backing. It is used indoors or out on the surface or recessed, is UV fade resistant, has a thickness of 7/16”, and more.

I still believe shoes have no place in the house, but these are some good options for places that can't have such a policy.