Cleaning a play mat: the two-minute routine

Here is every substance that has been on our mat this month: milk, drool, mashed banana, one mysterious sticky patch nobody has claimed, and the footprint of a visitor who shall remain unnamed. The mat looks fine. Here is the routine.

Daily: the wipe-down

A damp cloth with a drop of mild dish soap, once a day or after anything visibly lands on the mat. Two minutes. Do it while the baby watches - ours now tries to help, which slows things down and is worth it anyway.

Weekly: the proper clean

Once a week, a slightly deeper pass with a soft sponge, then a clean water wipe so no soap film stays behind. Let it air dry fully before anyone sits on it. Never soak a foam mat - water inside the core is the one thing you cannot undo.

The rules that save the mat

• No shoes. Ever. The mat is a socks-and-bare-feet zone.
• Wipe spills when they happen, not at bedtime. Banana sets like concrete.
• Keep it out of direct afternoon sun where you can - prints last longer.

That is the whole system. A mat that wipes clean in two minutes is one you will actually keep clean, which is the only hygiene standard a crawling baby really audits.