Do You Need a Toilet Mat? U-Shaped Mats, Fit and Hygiene

What a toilet mat is, and isn’t

A toilet mat, also called a contour rug, is a floor mat with a U-shaped cut-out that wraps around the front of the toilet base. It’s not a seat or lid cover. It sits on the floor, like any other bath mat.

Why people use one

• Warmer, softer floor. Tile around the toilet can be cold underfoot.
• Catches drips and splashes before they spread across the floor.
• A matching look. Part of a 3-piece set with the bath mat and sink mat.
• Grip where people stand up and sit down. In a CDC study, injuries on or near the toilet rose sharply with age, from 4.1 per 100,000 people aged 15–24 to 266.6 per 100,000 aged 85 and over. A non-slip mat that lies flat helps, but it’s no substitute for a grab bar, which the CDC recommends next to the toilet.

Will a U-shaped mat fit your toilet?

Toilets vary, so measure before you buy.

1. Measure the base. Measure the widest part of the toilet base at floor level. On Mattona™ U-shaped mats the opening is about 26 × 14 cm (10.2 × 5.5 in), so the base should be narrower than about 26 cm.
2. Check the floor space. The mat is 60 × 50 cm (23.6 × 19.7 in), so you need that much flat floor around the base, clear of doors, pipes and the wall.
3. Don’t force it. If the base is wider than the opening, the mat won’t lie flat, and a curled edge is a trip hazard.

Keeping a toilet mat hygienic

The honest answer to “are toilet mats gross?” is: only if you don’t wash them. Research shows why cleaning matters. In a 2022 University of Colorado Boulder study of a commercial toilet without a lid, flushing sent tiny droplets up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) high within 8 seconds.

Whether closing the lid helps is less clear. The Boulder team noted earlier work showing a closed lid reduces the spray but doesn’t eliminate it. A 2024 University of Arizona study found no statistical difference in virus contamination on nearby surfaces with the lid up or down. The same study found that cleaning with a disinfectant cut contamination on the toilet by more than 99.99%. So close the lid if you like, but regular cleaning is what counts:

• Wash the toilet mat about once a week, with your other bath mats.
• Clean the toilet, and the floor around the base, regularly with a household disinfectant, following its label.
• Let the mat dry completely before putting it back.

Toilet mat or no toilet mat?

Mattona™ makes a single U-shaped toilet mat in four colors, and every 3-piece set includes one. Both have a HOME print; the No Text set has a plain U-shaped mat.