Tread On Me: Five Duties of the Often-Overlooked Welcome Mat

It sits there for years, tirelessly carrying out its duties. It may be made of burlap, rubber, outdoor carpeting, or a variety of other materials to withstand the elements. You may not even fully remember what yours looks like and probably can’t describe it if your neighbor has one or what it looks like. It is the “Welcome” mat, and it is very efficient at carrying out its daily duties.

It Says “Welcome”

First and foremost, your welcome mat greets visitors at your door with a friendly, simple, and humble “welcome”. While your “Beware of the Dog” and “No Solicitors” signs, doorbell cameras, and security cameras may suggest otherwise, your welcome mat says “hello”.

To Serve to Clean Shoe Bottoms

One of the most hardworking and practical jobs of your welcome mat is to allow visitors to wipe their feet before entering your home. What happens from there is up to you, but the welcome mat offers an efficient way to remove dirt and mud initially before entering.

As a Decorative Element

A welcome mat could be patriotic, homey, old-fashioned, or contemporary. It may also telegraph your family’s interests and hobbies, like favorite sports teams or whether motorcycling is your thing.

A Place to Hide the Spare House Key

Sorry if this is a spoiler alert, but tens of thousands of households hide a spare house key under their welcome mat. Hiding a house key under a welcome mat is like using “password” as your online password. By the way, the nearby potted houseplant door frame isn’t much better. Sorry.

To Prevent Slip and Falls

A welcome mat is also pretty efficient at preventing slips and falls. Removing dirt and moisture when entering is one way, but welcome mats can also help gain firm footing easily when exiting as well. This is particularly true in cold, icy conditions. Taking just a minute to stand on a welcome mat when exiting a warm home can allow your soles to cool enough so they don’t start melting the icy sidewalk under your feet when existing.

A welcome mat can be an often ignored part of your home, but it supplies some surprising value, even if it doesn’t include the word “welcome”.

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