Buying vs Renting Floor and Entrance Mats: Which is Better?
When it comes to commercial floor mats and entrance mats for your office or business, you have two choices: buying or renting. So which is better? Let’s start by looking at some common misconceptions.
SEPARATING RENTAL FACT FROM FICTION
| Renting Perceptions | Renting Facts |
| Low cost | Costs up to 7 times more |
| Create a clean & safe environment | Reused mats may not function properly |
| No maintenance | Most places are already cleaning the mats |
| Clean mats delivered | The same mats are re-used for up to 5 years |
| Get any style & size needed | Limited to very few styles & sizes |
| Enhance the look of a facility | Most are years old and worn out |
| More mats do a better job | The right mats do a better job |
| Green option | Water, chemicals, electricity, and gas used to clean mats |
HOW RENTAL SERVICES WORK
You typically sign a contract and pay an ongoing fee. The rental company then schedules regular times to come and swap out the mats with clean ones, taking the mats you were using to be laundered.
Although this might sound like a good option if you don’t want to incur the upfront costs of purchasing mats, rental floor mats can actually end up costing you far more than purchased ones, as we’ll explain below.
Here are some factors to consider before deciding which option is best for you:
1. MAINTENANCE
One misconception about rental floor mats is that they will save you time and money on cleaning costs. Yet you’re probably already cleaning your floors daily, and this is enough to maintain your floor mats.
Keep in mind, too, that rental companies will only replace your mats on a schedule (such as weekly or bi-weekly), leaving you to clean them if they get dirty between service. Rental companies also don’t launder or replace anti-fatigue, kitchen, or scraper mats, so you’ll need to clean them while paying the rental fee for those mat types.
An attractive and effective custom floor mat.
2. QUALITY AND APPERANCE
Rental companies provide floor mats in limited styles and colors, which may result in you having to select a mat that is not a good fit for your space or décor. They also don’t offer printed options for many styles, leaving you with a boring and unattractive mat.
And because you get a different mat with each maintenance visit, you can’t control the quality of the mats that will be left. Some rental companies reuse mats for multiple years, and the wear and tear can cause the mat to lose it’s effectiveness.
3. ECO-FRENDLIENESS
Many businesses think rental mats are the green option because they’re reusing mats. However, when you factor in the fuel used to pick up mats for laundering and returning them, plus the water and chemicals used in cleaning them, rental mats have a significantly larger environmental impact than purchased mats.
4. COST
For many businesses, this is the biggest consideration of all, and the results may surprise you! Renting 5 – 3’ x 5’ floor mats for 3 years (the average life expectancy of a purchased mat) can cost you up to $3,900, while purchasing 5 custom printed floor mats will cost you just $650. That’s $3,250 in savings, for just 5 mats!
The entrance for your business is very imporant, it can make or break the customer’s first impression so the quality, appearance, and effectiveness of your floor mats is vital.
PromoMatting offers a large selection of high-quality, long-lasting floor mats in custom shapes and sizes, and they can be imprinted with your logo, eye-catching graphics and more — all at a price that can save you significant money over rental services.
