Kitchen wall splash guard: washable and clean

A wall splash guard keeps grease, sauce and water away from tiles and wallpaper. Stains collect quickly, especially behind the cooker and sink, and once they dry, cleaning becomes tedious. A FireMat, on the other hand, can simply be taken down, wiped or washed.

Why use a FireMat as a wall splash guard?

• It is flame-retardant, which makes it safer next to the cooker than fabric or foil.
• With the coated editions, grease and water simply bead off.
• Wipe it with a damp cloth or wash it in the machine.
• Hang it up without drilling, for example with adhesive hooks.

Which edition is right?

Behind the sink, the Silk-A Edition is a good choice, as it is water- and oil-repellent. The Gold Edition, by contrast, is coated on both sides and particularly robust. Simply wipe off splashes with a damp cloth. What the coating can do is explained in the article Polysiloxane coating.

How to attach the wall splash guard

First measure the area behind the cooker or sink, then choose a slightly larger mat. Attach it with two adhesive hooks or hang it on a kitchen rail, so you can take it down for cleaning at any time. With a gas cooker, also keep a distance from the open flame.

Advantages over glass and tiles

A glass panel as a splash guard is expensive and must be firmly mounted, and new tiles mean a lot of work. The FireMat is inexpensive and quickly attached. In rented flats the wall also stays intact if you use residue-free adhesive hooks. When you move, simply take the mat with you.

Which size is right?

Behind a four-ring cooker, a width of 60 cm is usually enough. For the sink, measure the area between worktop and wall cabinet. If the mat is a little too large, simply fold the edge back.

Cleaning

It is best to wipe off splashes straight away. Loosen stubborn stains with a little washing-up liquid. The mat then dries again quickly.

You will find more kitchen tips in the articles Fire protection in the kitchen and Gas hob cover. Background on the material is provided by Wikipedia: Siloxane.