Dust control mats in cleanrooms: selection, cleaning and installation

The purpose of using dust control mats in cleanrooms is to remove as many particles as possible from shoe soles and trolley castors before entering cleanrooms. Here you will find tips on how to choose the right dust control mat, how to lay these cleanroom mats and how to clean them.

Functionality of adhesive foil mats

There is a sticky coating on a dust control mat. If a person walks on such an adhesive mat, particles on the treads of shoe soles stick to the sticky surface of the mat. Particles on rollers, such as those on transport trolleys, also stick to the surface of the cleanroom mat when it is pushed over it. A distinction is made between temporary and permanent dust control mats.

The temporary dust control mats – also known as disposable adhesive mats – usually consist of several layers of film, often 30 or 60 layers. If a film is heavily soiled, you can simply peel it off to reveal a fresh layer. There are also antibacterial mats where the film coating has antimicrobial properties.

The dust control mat can be glued to the floor to prevent it from slipping. Many versions are equipped with a self-adhesive underside. In some cases, frames are also available in which the mats can be placed. When using frames, the dust control mat does not have to be placed directly on the floor.

As a frame is not glued to the floor, no adhesive residue can remain on the surface. The loose frame can simply be lifted up when cleaning the room. In addition, the frame and adhesive mat can be moved to different locations at any time. The frames are particularly suitable for places where it is not possible to stick adhesive mats to the floor. Floor panels onto which the temporary dust control mats are stuck have a similar function to frames.

Selection according to the size of the cleanroom mat

Dust control mats are available in various sizes. When buying a cleanroom mat, you should make sure that the mat is not too small. Ideally, the cleanroom mat should be several step lengths long so that people walking over it come into contact with the dust control mat several times with both feet. At a minimum, however, the adhesive mat should be long enough for each foot to touch the sticky surface once.

Application locations and laying a dust control mat

Dust control mats should be placed in front of the entrance to the cleanroom. In order to utilize the full length of a dust control mat, the mat should be placed on the floor so that the short side is adjacent to the door. This is because the longer the mat is, the more likely cleanroom users are to touch the mat with both feet – ideally several times.

The use of a dust control mat can also make sense in areas upstream of the actual cleanroom, for example in changing areas or in front of a personnel airlock. Before laying the cleanroom mat, the floor should be thoroughly cleaned and then dried.

This is especially true after replacing the adhesive foil mats, as these are usually stuck to the floor with the self-adhesive underside.

Any adhesive residue on the floor from the old mat should be completely removed before placing a new mat. Otherwise, the new dust control mat may become detached from the floor during use.

Once the floor is clean and dry, remove the protective film from the underside of the self-adhesive cleanroom mat and then carefully stick the mat to the floor.

Use and care of the cleanroom mat

To ensure that the particles on the sole of the shoe are removed as effectively as possible, the entire underside of the shoe should be placed firmly on the cleanroom mat.

How long you use a temporary dust control mat film depends on the degree of soiling on the adhesive mat and this in turn depends on the respective usage behavior and the environment of the cleanroom. Care should be taken when removing a used film so that accumulated particles, dust and other dirt are not whirled through the air.

Care should be taken when removing a used film so that accumulated particles, dust and other dirt are not whirled through the air. It is advisable to lift the old film at one corner and then slowly roll it into a ball.

If the film is removed too quickly, there is also a risk of static electricity being generated. You can find more information on ESD in the ESD article .

Permanent dust control mat: advantages and cleaning

In addition to temporary film-based dust control mats, there are also permanent dust control mats, also known as reusable mats. These permanent dust control mats are usually washable. If such a mat is soiled, it can usually be wet-cleaned using a mop and squeegee. As soon as the permanent cleanroom mat is dry, it will resume its adhesive performance.

The advantage of permanent dust control mats compared to foil dust control mats is that the permanent mats are cost-saving.

The permanent adhesive mats are particularly suitable for pre-cleaning to remove the coarsest dirt from shoes and trolley castors in advance. In this way, the temporary dust control mats, which are also laid on the way to the cleanroom, are not overstressed.

If you want to provide not just one area, but the entire room with an adhesive effect, you can choose a dust control floor covering for permanent use.

Dust binding mats as an analysis tool

As dust accumulates on the dust-binding mats, such as what cleanroom users carry around on the soles of their shoes, the cleanroom mats can also be used for analysis purposes. This is because the adhesions on the mat can be used to determine which contaminants are present in the cleanroom environment and to initiate appropriate countermeasures.

Without removing the contamination at the sources found, particles originating from these sources could also be carried into the cleanroom by other routes, for example via the air.