When selecting rubber matting for kitchens, it is essential to understand the difference between general-purpose rubber and nitrile, also known as Buna-N or NBR rubber.
Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is the primary material of general-purpose rubber and can provide reasonable performance for commercial and industrial floor mats. But SBR starts to break down in the presence of oil, making it highly unsuitable for kitchen applications.
Nitrile rubber, however, is ideal. Nitrile is a copolymer of acrylonitrile (ACN) and butadiene, and its highly oil- and grease-resistant properties and tensile strength means it can be formed into a wide variety of products, from gaskets and oil seals to rubber gloves.
These and other attributes make nitrile the ideal choice when selecting kitchen floor matting. As well as being resistant to grease and oil, nitrile is highly water-resistant. It offers good rebound, tear, and abrasion resistance, and is flexible enough to easily roll up and remove for cleaning.
Advance Matting offers an extensive range of nitrile rubber mats, including ComfortFlow™, ComfortScrape™, and SuperScrapePlus™. These are suitable for all types of kitchens, from small cafés and food trucks to the largest hospital or commercial kitchen.
ComfortFlow mats are made from 100% nitrile rubber, which provides superior grease and oil resistance, and are treated with an anti-microbial agent to prevent odours. Slip-resistant and with a flow-through design, they can be used in both wet and dry areas. Lightweight and flexible, ComfortFlow mats can be easily removed for laundering.
Of course, kitchens are not the only environments where grease and oil can compromise safety. Garages, workshops and factories can all benefit from the use of nitrile rubber matting. Advance’s ComfortScrape mats have a closed surface design to contain spillage, and are anti-fatigue, providing added comfort for users. Not only oil and chemical resistant, ComfortScrape mats are also welding safe.
Wherever fat, grease and oil are present, Advance’s range of 100% nitrile rubber matting is ideal for providing safety, hygiene and worker comfort.