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In an Electrostatic Protected Area, it is important to maintain a static-free and clean work area. ESD control products such as ESD bench mats and ESD floor mats must be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. When installing ESD mats at your workstation, the first step is to look for ESD mat cleaning advice.
In this article, we will cover why ESD mats need to be cleaned and the types of cleaning products you should and shouldn’t use for cleaning an ESD mat. We will also provide some top tips on how to safely clean your ESD mat.
Effective cleaning ensures that ESD control products, such as ESD grounding mats, retain their anti-static properties and provide a hygienic working area. When choosing a cleaning product, it’s important to select a cleaner that won’t damage the anti-static functionality of ESD matting or cause the material to degenerate in any way.
Our Staticide Mat and Table Cleaner is perfectly suited to cleaning in Electrostatic Protected Areas and can be used to keep ESD mats in tip-top condition. As the formula contains no alkali or ammonia, you needn’t worry about it causing damage to vinyl or rubber matting. Furthermore, its non-abrasive formula means it won’t inflict scratches or cause stains to emerge on your ESD control products.
As well as being a perfect cleaning solution for ESD mats, this multi-purpose formula can also be used directly on workstations and table tops, which makes it an easy-to-use product throughout EPAs.
Using the wrong cleaning products in an Electrostatic Protected Area can damage ESD control products and reduce their antistatic properties. As a result, any electrostatic sensitive items which are then introduced to the EPA could sustain damage.
If you use the wrong solution to clean an ESD mat, for example, it may no longer deliver the same level of antistatic protection. When you next use the mat to assemble ESD sensitive components, static charges could, therefore, cause irreversible damage, leading to unnecessary financial loss.
As many cleaning products contain chemicals that can damage ESD control products, it’s important not to use them in an EPA. For example, the following products should never be used to clean ESD mats:
By choosing a product designed for ESD control products instead, such as Staticide Mat and Table Top Cleaner, you can keep your equipment in optimal condition and maintain a clean and hygienic work station.
When you have the right products to hand, cleaning ESD mats and other ESD control products is quick and easy.
‘Dry cleaning’ simply involves brushing the surface of the mat with a dry cloth or ESD safe brush to remove any debris, for example. While this is easy to do, it’s important to use an implement made with soft materials that won’t scratch the surface of your ESD mat.
‘Wet cleaning’ requires the use of a solution, like Staticide Mat and Table Top Cleaner, and provides a more thorough clean than simply using a dry cloth or brush. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using a cleaning product in an EPA but, in general, you only need to spray the specialist cleaning solution on to the ESD mat, allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes and then wipe it off. To remove the cleaning solution from an ESD mat, it’s advisable to use a clean, soft cloth.
Once you’ve finished cleaning your ESD control products, be sure to test them before using them. This will ensure they are fully functional post-cleaning and give you confidence that they are still providing optimal protection from static discharge.
Maintaining a clean environment is essential in an EPA, so regular cleaning should certainly be part of your schedule. However, the frequency of cleaning will depend on how often ESD control products are used.
If an employee uses an ESD grounding mat all day, every day, then daily cleaning might be appropriate, for example. Alternatively, if an ESD mat is only used sporadically, weekly cleaning may be sufficient.
By training staff in cleaning protocols, you can ensure that every member of your team knows when, how and why to clean ESD control products. As a result, you can maintain the quality of your ESD control products and protect the integrity of your EPA.
Whether you’re preparing for an EPA assessment, or you simply want to keep your ESD grounding mats in good condition, regular cleaning is important in any EPA. To find out why, take a look at these three reasons to clean ESD mats:
Like any workspace, an EPA should provide employees with a safe working environment and maintaining hygiene standards is an integral part of this. Routine cleaning will make sure that workstations and workspaces are safe and pleasant for employees to use.
If ESD cleaning mats are littered with debris or clogged with oil from frequent use, this can cause unnecessary damage to occur. Static sensitive components could be scratched by debris on a mat, while oil from workers’ fingertips could prevent tech equipment from working. With regular cleaning, however, you can avoid unnecessary damage and losses.
Using the right cleaning products can actually enhance the efficiency of ESD control products and keep them in optimal condition for longer. This means you’ll be maximising the lifespan of ESD mats and increasing the ROI they deliver.
At Bondline, we understand how important it is to maintain a safe and effective Electrostatic Protected Area. As well as helping you find the right ESD control products to meet your needs, our team are on hand to assist you in maintaining your ESD equipment too.
To learn more, explore our range of ESD Sprays and Cleaning Products now or contact Bondline at sales@bondline.co.uk.
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