Rubber sink mats are a very ingenious solution to protect your dishes from breaking into the sink. Accidental falls will not worry you anymore and you will wash your dishes safely. Also, if you have a ceramic sink the rubber mats will protect it from chips and scratches, from metal cutlery.

But, from all the exposure to food particles and water these mats can get stains that are very tough to remove. And if they're not dried constantly, the risk of mildew stains is really high. The stains might not bother you for a while, but in time there will be quite an unpleasant odour coming out from your sink mat.

Many cleaning experts recommend the usage of bleach if you're trying to get rid of mildew and germs from a certain surface. Chlorine bleach effectively kills most of the harmful bacteria and you'll have a clean and safe kitchen. However, if you plan on using bleach be sure that you're properly prepared for it wearing rubber gloves and you always work in a well-ventilated area.

To start the cleaning process, wet the rubber mat with some cold water. Sprinkle the bleaching product on one side of the rubber mat and take a sponge. If you have one of those sponges that has an abrasive side, you best use it to speed up the cleaning process. Start scrubbing the mat with the sponge to really get the cleaning product inside the mat.

If it's needed add more cleanser to increase the cleaning power. Turn the mat on the other side and repeat the cleaning process. If there are any hard to remove stains you can apply some cleaning product to the stain and let it sit for a couple of minutes to work better. When you're finished cleaning the mat rinse both sides with clean water. Repeat the steps if there are any stains left. Dry the mat a bit with a clean towel and leave it to air dry overnight. In the morning place it again in your sink.

To protect the rubber mat from cracking and drying you can rub in some olive oil in it and let it sit like this for an hour. After that, clean the oil from the rubber mat with some warm water and dish soap.

I hope these cleaning tips work for you and you'll have a clean and mould free rubber mat. And if you're not a fan of cleaning chore and you live in Sydney, Australia be sure to look for the cleaners from Sydney.