What Is Cricut Strong Grip Mat Used For

If y'all employ one of the AH-mazing Cricut cutting machines, you probably have a love/hate human relationship with the cutting mats. Without these mats, we couldn't practice the amazing things we practice with our Cricuts. Only ever knowing which of your mats to use for a projection isn't as simple every bit it may seem. At this point, in that location are 4 different cut mats — the blue LightGrip mat, the greenish StandardGrip mat, the purple StrongGrip mat, and the pink FabricGrip mat. Only which of the Cricut cut mats are the right corporeality of mucilaginous for your projection? Allow's talk well-nigh this AND how to proceed (or restore) stickiness.

Having just the correct sticky cutting mat is SO important for your Cricut project success. In fact, this is my #1 tip when it comes to Cricut projects. Apply a sticky mat! A cutting mat that isn't sticky volition crusade your fabric to slide effectually causing miscuts of diverse sorts. As well, a cutting mat that is viscid enough will make removing paper-based materials so much easier, because all of the little bits stay on the mat and your projection doesn't demand weeding or fiddling about with.

If your project only isn't cutting correct, the first question yous should ask yourself is this: Is your mat is mucilaginous enough?

Note: Cricut updated their mats in autumn 2017—they used to have a floral design on them, just now they are solid colors (like all of my photographs in this mail). Also, the adhesive seems unlike than before. They are working fine for me, simply some other crafters preferred the older ones. Too, this post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which ways if you make a purchase afterward clicking a link I will earn a small commission merely information technology won't cost you a penny more)! Read my total disclosure policy.

So allow's begin by going over each of the Cricut cut mats and the types of materials for which they are intended:

The Bluish LightGrip Mat

The Cricut LightGrip Mat is the go-to mat for many people. Cricut recommends you cut the lightest materials on it—for example, copy paper (printer paper), thin cardstock, vellum, structure newspaper, and vinyl on the blue LightGrip mat. I personally find that these materials cut well on this mat but when the mat is pretty new, even so. But, when you demand to cut vellum, a sticky blueish LightGrip mat is definitely the way to go.

The Green StandardGrip Mat

The Cricut StandardGrip Mat is my personal go-to mat for well-nigh of my projects. I have three times as many light-green StandardGrip mats as any other color in my craft room! I like it best considering it remains the stickiest (without being as well sticky) for the longest duration. Cricut recommends y'all cut medium-weight materials on it, such as cardstock, pattern paper, washi paper, and vinyl (self-agglutinative, iron-on/HTV, and window cling). I too apply information technology for bonded fabric (in my Cricut Explore Air). I sometimes use an older StandardGrip mat when I cut felt or fleece on my Cricut Maker but because those materials leave a lot of residue and the dark-green StandardGrip mats are less expensive to supercede than the pink FabricGrip mats. In most cases, I would tell you lot to utilise this greenish StandardGrip mat.

The Royal StrongGrip Mat

I believe the Cricut StrongGrip Mat is the least used mat of the four. When they say potent, they mean Stiff. This adhesive's grip is crazy. And if y'all use it for cloth that isn't equally stiff it will tear or otherwise destroy information technology. Cricut recommends you use the StrongGrip mat for heavyweight materials such as thick cardstock, glitter cardstock, magnet sheets, chipboard, posterboard, aluminum foil, craft foam, balsa wood, and fabric with stiffener. I cut all my cardstock on the green StandardGrip mat, not this StrongGrip mat. What I employ the majestic StrongGrip mat for is actually thick materials, similar cardboard, Kraft board, and leather.

The Pink FabricGrip Mat

The pinkish Cricut FabricGrip mat is the newest member of the mat family having come out when the Cricut Maker debuted. Use the pink mat for fabric and crepe paper. The FabricGrip mat is a chip thicker and stronger than the other mats, only isn't as mucilaginous—information technology'south intended to simply keep the fabric in place as the rotary blade or bonded cloth blade travels over information technology. The rotary blade doesn't drag on the textile the same fashion the standard fine point blade does. It's preferable that the FabricGrip mat be less glutinous so when you remove your fabric, you don't get out too many fibers and threads behind. You can also use this mat with bonded textile and the bonded fabric bract, too. This mat is the trickiest to keep clean, nevertheless!

Ok, so how do you keep the Cricut Cutting Mats Make clean?

Ah, the big question! My first proffer is to keep your mats every bit clean as you tin by e'er putting that protective clear comprehend back over them when they are not in utilise. Your mats will nevertheless go dirty with $.25 of leftover material, though, then here's what you can do:

Cleaning Blue, Greenish, and Royal Cutting Mats

Apply a scraper to remove all of the leftover materials after yous terminate cut.
Run a pasty lint roller over your mat to get the smaller bits that are difficult to scrape off.
Wipe your mats downwardly with a non-alcohol based cleaning wipe, such equally Purell wipes or baby wipes.
Wash the mat with water and gentle dishwashing detergent, then allow to dry.

Note: Some people like to re-apply adhesive to their mats. If yous practise this, please note that this tin can void your warranty on your machine considering it can gunk up your rollers. But if your warranty has expired and yous don't mind experimenting, y'all can record the edges of your mat and use something like 3M Spray Adhesive (the repositionable type).

Cleaning Pink FabricGrip Mats

Avoid touching the adhesive surface at all as the oils from your fingers can damage the adhesive.
Do not use a scraper to get fabric bits off the pink mat, as you tin can accidentally remove the adhesive.
Use tweezers, the Cricut spatula, or Cricut'due south StrongGrip transfer record to make clean Fabric Grip mats.
Practise not employ lather and h2o or any other cleaning amanuensis on a FabricGrip mat.
For extra fuzzy materials, like felt and fleece, consider putting transfer tape behind your fabric before sticking it to the mat—this will keep your mat free of fuzz.

Note: The Pink FabricGrip mats will continue to work even with leftover textile and fiber remnants on the mat—the rotary blade will cut correct through them.

Get my Free Cricut Cutting Mat Cheat Sail And then You Never Forget Which Mat to Utilize!

(The Cricut Cutting Mats Cheat Sheet is #89 in my Gratis Resources Library.)

Please permit me know if you lot have any questions!

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Jennifer Marx is a designer, an enthusiastic crafter, a lifelong instructor, and a proud overcomer of a diversity of life'southward challenges. In her spare time she loves to play D&D and video games, garden, sew 16th c. costumes, and get to Disney. She lives a total, happy life in beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan with her partner Greg, her teen daughter Alexa, and their two dogs, Hunter and Chloe.