Muddy Mat: Keeping the Outdoors Clean – Our Review

I LOVE my dog. I’ve had him for six years now, and I take him basically everywhere with me: Hikes in the woods. Walks on the beach. Car rides to get Pup Cups from Starbucks. And he’s basically the best dog I could ask for – well-behaved, friendly, and generally low-maintenance.

EXCEPT when it’s muddy outside.

He’s like a magnet to the mud. I don’t know if it’s genetic or if he’s just a freak, but there’s nothing my buddy loves more than walking, stomping, and running through mud. I try to avoid taking him out in muddy conditions as much as I can, but of course, it’s impossible to avoid completely. (Plus, it makes him so happy – how can I deny him what he loves?!)

For so long, my solution was to towel him off outside, but this was always annoying for multiple reasons. If it was rainy or yucky outside (which tends to go hand-in-hand with mud!), then I was stuck out in the gross weather while I wiped him off.

I constantly had a pile of damp and muddy towels on my porch or patio, which obviously didn’t look cute. And half the time I missed him — I’d open the door, and he’d bolt in, tracking mud all over my floors before I was able to wrangle him.

Enter the Muddy Mat.

What Is the Muddy Mat?

Let me explain a little bit about this product so you’ll understand why I’m going on and on about it. The Muddy Mat looks just like a normal doormat – it’s made of luxurious, plush material, comes in five different shades (Dark Grey, Beige, Burgundy, Egg Shell Blue, and Chocolate), and can be used inside or outside. In other words, it’s both inconspicuous and aesthetically pleasing.

But the Muddy Mat isn’t actually a doormat. Technically, it’s a DOGGY mat. It was designed to absorb maximum mud and liquid from the paws of your pet as they walk into your home. In fact, according to the packaging, it’s five times more absorbent than a regular doormat. And I can tell you from experience that you can SEE that absorbent power in action.

On really muddy days, my pup used to track prints all over the entryway and kitchen. Now I don’t even need to attack him with a wet towel – the Muddy Mats in my entryway absorb it all for me.

You know those commercials that demonstrate how well certain paper towel brands absorb spilled liquids? The Muddy Mat works just like that, except it absorbs dirt and mud off your pup’s paws. It’s been a total game-changer for me.

What Are Some Pros and Cons About the Muddy Mat?

Initially, I only bought one Muddy Mat — just to test it out — but because my dog loves mud SO much, I ended up buying another one to sandwich the entryway in from my backyard. He has to walk over one Muddy Mat, step over the threshold, and then walk over another to get into my house. By the time he’s actually standing on my tile kitchen floor, all of the mud and dirt is gone.

I think it has something to do with all the fibers poking out of the mat, almost like chenille – the microfibers grab dirt particles and create friction to remove the mud and grime. So far I’ve seen them absorb and grab water, sand, dirt, mud, and grass off of my dog’s paws like some sort of huge sponge. Whatever the exact mechanism is, it works.

Pro: Non-Slip

Another thing that I ended up really liking about the Muddy Mat: it has a non-slip backing, meaning the mat grips the floor and doesn’t slide around underneath you or your dog’s feet. I think all of my fellow dog owners out there will appreciate the importance of this.

Sometimes my dog goes out into the yard, does his business, and comes back inside with no drama. Other times — and these occasions disproportionately correspond to the presence of mud outside — he bolts in like a demon from hell and runs circles around my entire house. (In dog-owner language, we call these the “zoomies.”)

Having some sort of grip underneath the mat doesn’t just keep it in place where it’s most effective, it also prevents it from sliding under my dog, which could potentially cause injuries (or destruction to my house). Some sort of non-slip or grip bottom is non-negotiable in a good doggy mat, so I really appreciate that about the Muddy Mat.

Pro: Machine-Washable and Dryer-Friendly

The Muddy Mat is machine-washable and dryer-friendly, which is super nice. If something needs to be hand washed in my house, it isn’t getting washed, plain and simple. So being able to machine wash and dry my doggy mat is also non-negotiable for me, and so far, I’ve had no problems throwing my Muddy Mats into the washer and dryer to clean them once a week.

Con: Specific Washing Instructions

As a caveat to that, though, I want to note that I’ve followed the washing instructions exactly – I fold the mat in half, wash it in the spin cycle on cold, and then dry it on low heat. It’s worked well for me, but I’m not sure if you’d get the same results if you washed it any other way.

Pro: Compatible With Different Flooring

My Muddy Mats rest on tile (inside my house) and cement (outside my house). According to the packaging, the no-slip backing should also work on marble and wood flooring, although I personally haven’t tested that out, so keep that in mind.

I’m considering buying a few more – one for his kennel and one to put under his food and water bowls since he’s such a messy eater as well. I think they’d probably do exactly the trick to soak up any excess water and mess resulting from his eating habits.

Pro: Works for Shoes, Too

I bought my Muddy Mats earlier this summer, but I’m really looking forward to having them this fall and next spring. Not only are they good for wiping off dog paws, but they also wipe off my shoes, which I think will be super helpful during allergy season. I’m allergic to pollen and ragweed and tend to get all sniffly and sneeze-y during the spring and fall.

I know that tracking allergens all over my house doesn’t help with that, and I’m sure that having super-absorbent mats in my entryway will help keep those allergens out of my house. And, of course, they’ll keep Fido from tracking allergens all over my house as well.

Is the Muddy Mat Worth Trying?

I never thought that such a seemingly simple investment could have such a big impact on the convenience of my life. Taking my dog out for walks or to play has become so much easier now that I don’t need to spend so much time bending down and cleaning off his paws.

Our time in the outdoors together is one of the best parts of my life, and I KNOW they’re some of the best parts of his life, too. I’m so grateful I found a way to make the whole process quicker and easier. I still bring him everywhere with me, but now it’s so much less work.

Even if your dog isn’t as mud-obsessed as mine, I would highly recommend the Muddy Mat. It will keep your house cleaner and cut down on work for you, especially during wet/snowy/muddy seasons. Honestly, even if you don’t have a dog, I’d recommend it for the allergen factor and just because it will prevent you from tracking in dirt and mud, too.

I haven’t loved a product this much in a long time. The Muddy Mat is SO worth the money.