Rubber gym mat flooring: safe?

[ganchan]

I have some puzzle-piece rubber gym mat floor panels that I bought from Academy Sports. They fit together to make a perfect-sized flooring for my Ford Expedition. they do, however, smell pretty bad, and I noticed that the label included that typical "State of California" warning about the material containing products known to cause health issues.

Sooo....keep it or toss it? I guess I could put rugs down or something instead. But these have some nice cushioning to them....

 

[SternWake]

Clean them with baking soda vinegar solution, and put them in the sun for a few days flipping them every so often, Any smell should dissipate to very low levels given enough time.
I believe a lot of the stink is the mold release agent which itself prevents the natural offagssing of the material after production.

I bought a nice rubber bristle floor matt I could not put inside the van for a month, but can now only smell if I put my nose right up to it.

Another recycled rubber matt from home depot also responded to same treatment and work well at keeping my floor clean.

 

[ganchan]

Clean them with baking soda vinegar solution, and put them in the sun for a few days flipping them every so often, Any smell should dissipate to very low levels given enough time.
I believe a lot of the stink is the mold release agent which itself prevents the natural offagssing of the material after production.

I bought a nice rubber bristle floor matt I could not put inside the van for a month, but can now only smell if I put my nose right up to it.

Another recycled rubber matt from home depot also responded to same treatment and work well at keeping my floor clean.

I've moved the mats into my apartment, where oddly enough they don't stink the place up. Must have been the close confines of the vehicle. I will give them some time to air out. Main thing is that I don't want to give myself cancer from keeping those things closed up (along with me) in my automotive "second home"....

 

[Weight]

I would worry about catching something. Like maybe exercise.

 

[ganchan]

I would worry about catching something. Like maybe exercise.

Too late, I fear. Crawling into and out of this Expedition is like an Olympic event for my aging joints!

I tell myself it's good for me. But I tell myself a lot of things.... :dodgy:

 

[ganchan]

Actually, it looks like if I'm willing to pay a little more, there's a non-toxic, odor-free alternative:
https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Mat-Q...?srs=5802571011&ie=UTF8&qid=1495463544&sr=8-4