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Past Challenges #1 - #178

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Quick Tip Tuesday - Recondition Your Cricut Mat

Hello Fantabulous people, my name is Jamie and I am taking over as your Quick Tip Tuesday Inspiration gal. I am so excited to be doing this job and can't wait to start dishing out some great tips! This will be my second term on the FCCB Design Team and my first with the Tuesday tips! Thank you Melanie for all the great tips you provided, you gave me some big shoes to fill!

Now, on  with todays Quick Tip Tuesday! I don't know how you gals are with your cricut mats, but mine get's used and worn out pretty quickly. It was starting to cost me quite a bit just stay in business with the mats. Fortunately, I have an aquaintance that used to work for Provo Craft and she told me that she has only used two mats for four years. So, I asked her what her secret was - I figure if she worked for the company and used this tip than it must work pretty good.

Disclaimer: Using the following to recondition your mats may void the warranty.

With that said, I have been doing this to my mats for quite awhile now, and personally I think my mats work better than when I originially bought them. Ok, details now :)

What you need:
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
Zigs Two Way Glue - wide tip
Water



Step 1: Get your magic eraser wet and begin to wash your matt. I usually swipe one 6x6 square at a time until the matt is clean, using the other side of the eraser to finish cleaning. Sometimes, if you have trouble with getting all the bits of paper off the mat with the eraser you can use a baby wipe after your done with the eraser.
Let the mat dry completely.


Step 2: Take your Zigs two way glue and begin to cover the entire matt. The great thing about this glue is that when you first put it down it comes out blue so you can see where you have glued and where you haven't.



Once the glue has dried completely your matt will be as good as new!
I hope this tip was helpful and I will be back next Tuesday for another quick tip!

Please be sure to come back tomorrow to check out our Wednesday Winners.



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98 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for this tip. I have been wondering how to do this for a while.

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    Replies
    1. using Dawn dish washing detergent and scraping your mat with a butter knife is also very effective.

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    2. Thats what I do and mine last for months. I use dawn dish soap and a scrub brush. The mat wears out before the sticky does!

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    3. This works! A little dish soap and a scrub brush. My mats wear out before the sticky does!

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    4. Is the point to remove all of the adhesive? I've tried spray-on adhesives that work for a while. I will have to try this soon.

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  2. Wow, never thought this would work putting glue on your mat! Awesome tip, thank you!!

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  3. This is a great tip but isn't it just as costly to have to buy the Mr. Clean Magic eraser.I use Goo-Gone to first remove the adhesive and then wash with water before applying the Zig glue. I also tape the edges to make sure I don't get any glue on them .
    Marilyn

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    1. You know...I was wondering the same thing. I would like a tip on how to recondition the mat so it doesn't have so many grooves from being used so many times. In terms of the mat being sticky...I just use tape on the corners.

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    2. i just use spray adhesive

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    3. I did that too and ruined my rollers. They turned hard and brittle.

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    4. You have to put masking tape around the mat (the part that goes under the rollers), then use your spray adhesive. Remove masking tape and you are ready to go. I have never had any adhesive get on my rollers doing this.

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    5. I also just tape down my paper, I am still using the original mat that came with my machine, and I have never reglued it.

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  4. wow thanks alot for the tip, do you know if that stuff you use also is for sell in europe or atleast in the netherlands.

    Eveline

    http://lookaroundthecorner.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. try ebay Carrier Sheet Adhesive Craft Robo SILHOUETTE RE POSITION REJUVENATE GLUE STICK

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  5. I wonder what products we could use here in the UK> As far as I am aware, neither of the products you mention are available here.

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    1. I'm not sure about the magic eraser sponge but any repositionable adhesive will work. A friend of mine uses a spray actually.

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    2. I just wipe mine down with a baby wipe, let them dry and they're ready to go again. You can also use vellum spray when/if the adhesive eventually wears off.

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    3. I use the 3M spray adhesive and it is amazing! Never cleaned my mats, I just spray them when the stick wears off, I'll have to try the eraser or baby wipe trick! :)

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    4. try ebay Carrier Sheet Adhesive Craft Robo SILHOUETTE RE POSITION REJUVENATE GLUE STICK

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    5. I use Crafter's Companion Stick Away to clean the mat & Stick & Spray for the adhesive. I mask the edges of the mat before spraying. Will try the baby wipe tip the next time x

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    6. The spray will ruin your rollers. Mine turned brittle and did not grab well. Just buy a new mat on sale.

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    7. Thank u for tip where can u get the glue I haven't seen here at the stores .Thank u have a great day

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    8. Just use Crafters Companion Stick and Spray on the back of your Card. Never Spray the Mat.

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  6. I have been using the Zig on my mats for quite a while but never thought of the Magic Eraser. Great tip!

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  7. Too cool!! I've been using my Watkins Natural Home Care All Purpose Cleaner to clean my mats and it works great. But even with that, they're starting to lose their tackiness. Never thought of the glue! Thanks... will definitely be using this one.

    Dee

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  8. Oooooh! So going to try this. I've kept like 5 mats that I know longer use just in case I could make them sticky again. Thanks! Holly

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  9. I'm so going to try this!!!! Mats are to expensive


    rosiemini@gmail.com
    www.scraplovingminis.blogspot.com

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  10. I've been re-gluing mine for a while, but this is the first time I heard about using the Magic Eraser. I have had trouble getting all the old glue and paper off, so I can't wait to try this.
    Thanks so much for the tip.

    Cindy :)

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  11. This is an excellent method for reconditioning mats. Thanks for the tip and congrats on taking over Tuesday Tips.

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  12. I have done this and it WORKS! Thank you for the great tip Holly!

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  13. Ooooohhh my you just save me (better say my hubby)a million : ) Elisa

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  14. This is a great tip! Thank you so much!!!

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  15. I have been doing this for a while & the mats come out BETTER than New. Just be careful not to get the glue on the part of the mat that touches the rollers from your Cricut.

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  16. Thanks for the tip. I can't wait to try it. I've held onto a few mats just in case I could figure out a way to make them like new again. Thanks!! Can't wait to hear your next tip.

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  17. Thanks so much for this tip!

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  18. Thank you so much for this tip. I also use a lot of mats and this will really come in handy.

    I have 4 mats I can try this on.
    Thanks again

    lv2scrap02

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  19. Great tip! I just "reconditioned" my mats my own way this weekend. I literally, just cleaned them. Like, I took a scrubby sponge and soap and cleaned it well. Rinsed the soap, and let air dry and they were sticky again. I've heard after using this tip, you can take the next step by spraying the mat with repositionable spray adhesive. Make sure to mask the green edges, so you're not sticky all over. But YOUR tip is even easier. I'll definitely give it a try. Thanks!

    -Theresa
    http://ahappyscrappylife.blogspot.com

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  20. I lightly spray mine with Krylon Easy Tack. It will stay tacky for a very long time and you won't have to reapply it each use. It works great. :)

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  21. What a Fantabulous tip! Thanks so much Jamie! I am absolutely putting these on my "items to purchase" list and am going to give this a try! Zig pens are one of my favorite things, but I don't own the big one yet. Thanks so much for the tip! You did a great job! :0)

    XO ~ Amy Jo (FCCB DT member)
    http://lv2scrapandfibrofacts.blogspot.com
    amyjrockstar at gmail dot com

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  22. This works great...thanks for sharing this awesome tip:)
    Sherrie K
    http://sherriescraps.blogspot.com

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  23. Great tip, much needed and appreciated~ Nat

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  24. I bought the Elmers brand of 2 way glue. DON'T!! Mine didn't turn out right and the paper STUCK to it!! THE WHOLE PIECE. (maybe I just didn't do it right?) Do you know what the difference is between the Elmers and the Zip brand? I thought they would work the same since they both supposedly did the same thing? Thanks!

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  25. clean mats with just baby wipes. lrt dry and poof they are sticky and clean.

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  26. I also just use baby wipes. I've had the same mats for several years and they are like brand new as soon as I have wiped them and scrubbed off all the residual paper that's left after use.

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  27. I have also only had about 4 mats in 6 years but I never have cleaned all of the adhesives off of the mat, I have just added the Zig glue and that works fine too. I wash the mats off with soap and water first though and let air dry. I may have to try it this way.

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  28. I clean my mats with Stamp cleaner. I put it on very generously and let it sit for a few minutes...then I wipe it off with a clean "old" cloth but leave it wet. I lesve it for 5 or 10 minutes and then it sticks to my hand like a new one. Been doing it over and over

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  29. Love the Mr. Clean idea. I have just been cleaning with baby wipes as well. After it is dry, I apply repositionable stencil adheisive (the kind that lets you remove and reposition your stencil on the wall over and over. Will try the zig when I am all out! THANKS!

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  30. Off to go clean my 10 or so mats. Thanks for the tip!

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  31. Don't waste your time with the glue. Just use baby wipes as previously suggested. They are like brand new once dry!

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  32. I used Dawn dish soap and a blue no scratch scrub pad to get the gunk off. Let it dry. I'll go get the ZIG glue and apply that for more stickiness! Thanks for the idea.

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  33. I use the zig two way pen on my mats but the cleaning has always been the challenge. Can't wait to try this tip!

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  34. I had a cleaning spray, which stunk to the high heavens but this would be much safer and easier.
    Thanks for the tips! :)

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  35. the goo gone is the best for getting the glop off but in a tight i have use rubbing alcohol and baby wipes with a flat edged putty scraper. however, there is no substitute for Zig glue! just let it dry well before using!

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  36. I've never had to take the adhesive off my mats. I've had the original mat for about 4 years now. I just scrub it gently with some dish soap(Palmolive)and a lint free rag, making sure that I get all the paper dust and lint off and then hang them on the shower curtain rod in the bathroom to dry. Don't use a towel to dry...it just puts the lint back on. I've also never had to re-glue my mats so I can't comment on that, as after I wash them, they seem to have all their sticky back! Good to know about the Zig Glue though, just in case I need to some day!

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  37. Hi I live in the UK and Cannot get the magic eraser any ideas for an alternative the mats here are realy expensive and I have ruined many a piece of card or paper because it has slipped on the mat because the stickiness has gone

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    Replies
    1. You are missing out if you cant get Magic erasers! They are great cleaning tools. They are on ebay. listed as melamine foam you can buy them in bulk 30 pack for $8 or 9 USD. You can clean crayons or permanant marker off walls stains off floor furniture you just use water.

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  38. I have the cake cricut. Any ideas for that mat??

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  39. I live in Canada, and for the life of me cannot find the Zig pen!! Even when I go over the border to Buffalo! :S

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  40. where do you get Zig Pen's, thanks Cynthia

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  41. I've been regluing my mats for years. I use Goo-Gone with a scraper then wash in hot soapy water let air dry.I use painters tape on edges then spray repositionable stencils glue.It saves you alot of money.

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  42. I have used stencil adhesive and it worked well also, but I will try the Zig pen and see which lasts longer! Thanks for the tip!

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  43. I am always looking for a way to save money, thanks! Great tip, keep them coming.

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  44. Thanks for the tip I need to try this.

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  45. can you put the cover back on over the glue?

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  46. Can I suggest quilt basting spray? It works great and I have used the same mats forever. A can costs about 5 bucks and works many times before you clean and respray.

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  47. Close To My Heart has a glue exactly like the Zig. Order Bonding Memories Glue. I use it all the time on my mats. have used the same one for ages!
    http://cherielynn.ctmh.com/Retail/Product.aspx?ItemID=171&CatalogID=166

    www.cherielynn.ctmh.com

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  48. Thanks for the idea! Great way to save money. Just using the Mr. Clean eraser restored some of the stickiness! And I found the Zigs glue at Michael's and used my 40% coupon (of course).

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  49. QUILTERS BASTING SPRAY is also an excellent adhesive to add back to the mat when it is cleaned off. We use it at our store all the time on our Cricut mats.

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  50. Does anyone have any suggestions as to why my paper is sticking to my brand new mat? I'm a new CRICUT owner but I've used a friends many times for scrapbooking. Her mats are well used and are not as sticky. It has ruined paper after paper and I don't know what else to do. Could it be th card stock I'm using? Or is it just that it's too new?

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    Replies
    1. It might be too new, take your hands and dab them all over the mat,it willl help take away a little of the extra tackiness and your paper wont stick so bad. You can also try laying an old t-shirt on top of it and pressing down and that will also do the same thing. Good luck and happy cutting!!

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  51. Does anyone have any suggestions as to why my card stock is sticking to my new mats? I am a new CRICUT owner (YAY) and I can't seem to figure out how I'm supposed to get my paper to come off of the mat without tearing or rolling. PLEASE HELP! I've ruined many die cuts so far and it's getting a bit discouraging.

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  52. @cheerful addition: It's not the card stock. It's the new mat. I know it sounds crazy, but you kind of have to de-sticky a new mat a bit before using it. Just take an old t-shirt and roll it around on your mat a bit to get rid of the super stickiness. Then, it should work fine. I actually hate new mats for that reason!

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  53. Rubber cement works he wa t if you need a quick fix for stickiness. :-)

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  54. I saw your tip on Pinterest. I do the same thing, except I use Goo Gone to remove the old glue and bits of paper. I spray it on, wait about five or ten minutes, then scrape off the gooey mess into the trash can. It works great!

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  55. Darn, I just threw two mats away. Was using quilter's adhesive spray and it was getting caked up. Oh well, now I'll try one if these tips. Thanks.

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  56. 101 grain alcohol will also remove all the old sticky if you can't find magic erasers.

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  57. I heard of people suing different kinds of glue before, but I am worried about it gunking up around th eblade or the blade houseing or something.

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    Replies
    1. use painters tape to cover edges of mat that goes under the rollers before re-sticking.

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  58. Thanks for the tip... I tried it, and my mats are like new.I was very careful with my strokes around the edges so my machine didn't gunk up. It works great, I will be sure to pass it along to my other cricut users. Thanks again

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  59. Thank you so much for the tip!! I will be trying it this weekend!! Cindy

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  60. Hey there! I simply would like to give you a huge thumbs up for your great info you have got here on this
    post. I will be returning to your web site for more soon.
    My web page - forex trading courses

    ReplyDelete
  61. Where do you get zigs glue pen? I'm wondering if I would be able to find it here in Ontario, Canada.

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  62. I use a stencil spray adhesive. Works like a charm

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  63. I haven't been using my cricut for long, totally loving this blog!!!

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  64. Great blog!

    I do a similar thing. I remove the old adhesive with just a touch of Goo Gone. Then I tape the border that should not be sticky. Then I use a disposable foam brush to apply Aleene's Tack-It Over & Over Glue that I have watered down by half. I even blot the glue off of the foam brush and can use it more than once. VERY economical solution and it works GREAT!

    I'll have to try the Magic Eraser next time. I use them for so many other things but never thought of it for this.

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  65. Thanks for the inspiration!I was very happy to have found this site. I wanted to say thank you for this excellent post.
    website design

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  66. THEY SELL MAGIC CLEAN ERASERS (2) IN A PACK AT THE DOLLAR TREE. THEY WORK GREAT! I ALSO WHEN USING THEM FOR SMALL JOBS JUST CUT OFF A SMALL PIECE AND SAVE THE REST FOR LATER. THIS WAY I DON'T HAVE TO GET THE ENTIRE ERASER WET AND I GET MORE USES OUT OF IT. HOPE THAT HELPS! :)

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  67. Just wondering how many applications you get from one tube of ZIg's and how long does the reconditioning last for?

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  68. This tip and the ones in comments are AWESOME!! I had been told I could just re-cover with UHU glue s tick, but I know I have to clean them somehow at this point. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

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  69. I don't even use the glue, just clean it with a scrubber and it gets tacky again. Personally, using glue makes me nervous because I don't want to ruin my Cricut. Just cleaning it off has been working for me.

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  70. Nice blog, Great tips.I will have to try the Magic Eraser next time. I use them for so many other things but never thought of it for this.Cleaning Eraser Sponge

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  71. I can't read your blog, you need to change your font. Can you make this more readable so I can see what you are doing???Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can enlarge any print on any page by using the ctrl and plus on your keyboard.

      Delete
  72. This is the best way I found to make these mats last longer.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LsImpPR0RM&google_comment_id=z13jub4yhrn3ipt4004cdnk5dlnrshl4ies

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  73. Hello, this seems to be a tip for the standard mats. Any suggestion on how to effectively do this for the strong grip mats? (Thanks!)

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