Any tips on keeping a mud room clean?

[ourbabygirl]

Our mud room is particularly muddy this time of year, as our boots track in dirty slush from our garage (the geniuses who built this house in 1999 either didn't think of putting a drain in the floor, or were to cheap to do so) :ROTFLMAO:. So we get wet puddles & dried-in dirt & gravel on our mud/ laundry room floor every day. Are there any solutions that you've found or can think of to avoid this problem or prevent it from being so bad? Is there a certain rug/ type of rug you'd recommend to soak up some of the mud?
We're going to have someone come out and look at our foundation, but I'm afraid it'll be too cost-prohibitive to rip out the floor & pour a new concrete floor w/a drain. Right now it's just DH & myself, but when DD gets older & has siblings, I'll be tearing my hair out! :dizzy:

Thanks so much! :bowdown:

[liz]

We use the waterhog mats from LL Bean. They have worked out very well. I sprung for the custom size mat, which is $$, but totally worth it, esp for my boys and all the dirt they bring in to the mudroom. They are easy to vacuum and always look great. hth

[o_mom]

Our "mudroom" has a very low pile carpet - think indoor/outdoor - which stays somewhat clean. It is officially listed as a 5th BR/office on the floor plan, so it wasn't set up as a mudroom originally, hence the carpet. I bought a couple of cheap mats (cheap as in $3-4 normal price, and FAR on sale days at the local home improvement store) that are 3'x4' and a textured version of indoor/outdoor with a rubber backing. That really helps things and I won't feel too bad if I have to toss it eventually. If I were replacing what we have, I would look into Flor tiles. If you do a search they have been discussed in the past.

Oh, and a good mat in the garage at the door has helped as well - I got one at Target that is about 2' x 4' with a rubber edge. In the spring I just take it out on the driveway and hose it off.

A drain may not be too bad depending on how far it is to the sewer line, but I don't know how well it will solve your problem. Are you just going to hose it down? Will the mud, etc. clog the drain? It may just add a whole new set of headaches to the situation.

[lchang25000]

We take shoes off outside the mudroom before coming in. We have a shoe shelf in the garage right outside the door. I know that defeats the purpose of the mudroom, but I like to keep that area clean. The cabinets/shelves in the mudroom hold our shoes we're not currently wearing that season. Plus, the mudroom is where our dog sleeps at night and eats.

[wellyes]

:popc1:
I want answers on this one too. I love all those pictures in Pottery Barn of lovely entryways - but here you have to walk past a pile of shoes, two recycling bins and two folded up strollers. Where is my glamorous life??!?

[hillview]

LL Bean mats, shoes off before you can breathe, we have 4 tray/mats that are for wet shoes -- they have have a lip on them and keep gunk in the tray vs the floor.
/hillary

[hellokitty]

I have big rugs in our mudroom. We take off our shoes ASAP upon entering, doesn't matter if it's winter or summer. In the winter, we keep a boot tray to the side for any, "wet" shoes.

[DrSally]

LL Bean mats, shoes off before you can breathe, we have 4 tray/mats that are for wet shoes -- they have have a lip on them and keep gunk in the tray vs the floor.
/hillary

:ROTFLMAO: We have a routine of shoes off before anything, and wash your hands...then go about your business. Our mudroom gets really muddy and gritty too. Good idea about the trays with the lip on them.

[TwinFoxes]

We use the waterhog mats from LL Bean. They have worked out very well. I sprung for the custom size mat, which is $$, but totally worth it, esp for my boys and all the dirt they bring in to the mudroom. They are easy to vacuum and always look great. hth

Yesterday I got an email for their new "mudhog" mat.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=63121&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&feat=sr&freeText=mud%20hog

I've never used either the waterhog or mudhog mat, but they look intriguing. I was wondering if they work on pet paws. It has a pic of dog, but I wonder if you have to scrape your paws on it to work, or if it kind of sucks it up (doubtful!)

[Mamma2004]

LL Bean mats, shoes off before you can breathe, we have 4 tray/mats that are for wet shoes -- they have have a lip on them and keep gunk in the tray vs the floor.
/hillary

Anyone see any deals on these? We have one but could use about 4 more, and I see that prices and availability really vary.

TIA!

[liz]

Anyone see any deals on these? We have one but could use about 4 more, and I see that prices and availability really vary.

TIA!

Are you talking about the boot trays? If so, look to discount type stores, like Big Lots. We have some chain stores like this that sell boot trays for about 2.99$ each. hth