A mat is a piece of fabric material that generally is placed on a floor or other flat surface. Mats serve a range of purposes including:
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serving to clean items passed over it, such as a doormat, which removes dirt from the soles of shoes
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protecting that which is above the mat, such as a wrestling or gymnastics mat, or an anti-vibration mat
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protecting that which is beneath the mat, such as a place mat or the matting used in archival framing and preservation of documents and paintings
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providing a regular or flat surface, such as a cushioned computer mousepad
A car mat is designed to help protect a vehicle's carpeted floors. One major use of a car mat is to keep mud, sand and snow from contacting the carpeted floors. Some require fixation points to ensure they remain fixed in position.
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| Courtesy of Wikipedia |
Carpet mats and rubber mats differ in a number of ways. Carpet mats are generally tufted and have a rubberized anti-slip backing. On the other hand, rubber car mats are heavy duty and higher durability. While some car mats are the plain color of rubber, many contain branded company logos, cartoon characters or advertisements. Some are in textile form of carpet material. They can also come in a wide range of colors. The terms universal and custom fit mats differentiate between floor mats that will fit a multitude of different cars and those that are specifically designed to fit only one chassis.
Material
Vehicle mats generally come in two options: either rubber or carpet fabric. These differ in a number of ways, and each material provides advantages and disadvantages when compared to the other. For instance, carpet mats are generally tufted and have a rubberised anti-slip backing, while rubber mats are heavier duty and more durable.
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Also, some car mats are the plain color of rubber, while many others contain branded company logos, cartoon characters, or advertisements. They can also come in a wide range of colors.
The terms "universal" and "custom fit" differentiate between floor mats that will fit a multitude of different cars versus those that are specifically designed to fit only one chassis.
Some styles of mats may feature small, flexible spikes on their underside to grip carpeting underneath. A more common method of retention, though, is a fitting system that hooks, clips, or twists into an anchor point already positioned on the vehicle floor . This anchor is typically pre-installed by the OEM but some aftermarket manufacturers of "custom fit" mats also provide this.
Many makeshift vehicle mats are becoming more popular, often taking the form of PVC alternatives, but rubber vehicle mats are still seen as the safest option.[
