Please wipe your feet first
That pretty coir doormat is more than just a decor item. It has a function. If you take a moment or two to actually wipe your feet before coming into the house, you do two things. One, you don’t track as much of the Great Outdoors inside, and two, you save wear and tear on your floors. It’s true. The grit from everyday walking around outside comes in on the soles of your shoes. It acts like sandpaper on the floors. Over time, that wears out the finish. And by wiping off as much grit as you can before you come in, you also save housekeeping time as the broom stays in the closet.
Coir mats are great for getting the grit out of shoe treads. The coir fibres are stiff, like a brush, and the motion of sweeping your feet over the “bristles” is just like taking a brush to your shoes. The dirt falls into the mat and then through it to the deck or porch floor. Just lift the mat once in a while and sweep the mess away.
Coir is a by-product of coconuts. It is the fibrous material found on the outside of the coconut husks. It was used for many centuries to make ropes and rigging for sailing ships. It was light and strong and floated rather than absorbing water and sinking — useful on a ship.
By the 19th century, it was being woven into floor mats. Today, we see it used in floor and doormats, plant hangers, and as liners in hanging baskets. It is sometimes used as a mat to hold soil in place to avoid erosion until the ground cover grows in. It holds moisture while allowing air to pass through so plants don’t rot. In some countries, coir is used as a filling in sleeping mattresses.
It is found in two colours, the brown or tan that we see in most products and a white material. The age of the coconut determines the colour as the younger, green coconuts produce lighter material. There are over 100 countries growing coconuts, and most coir is produced in the same countries as the coconuts are harvested. The coconut husk is soaked in water until the coir separates from it.
Coir is an extremely renewable resource as coconuts are harvested about every two months.
Although your pretty coir mat will fade or the pattern will wear off, the mat will continue to function as a shoe brush for a long time. You could get creative and paint a new pattern on it using a stencil or go free hand. Just paint the very tips of the coir bristles so that the effectiveness of the ‘brush’ will be maintained.
And remember to wipe your feet so the house stays cleaner and there is less wear on your floors. If only the dog could be trained to wipe her paws.
DID YOU KNOW
Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of coconuts, followed by the Philippines and then India.