We are nearing that point where, for about the next five months, slop will fall off our cars and onto the garage floor — making a huge, disgusting mess.
The warmer the garage, the worse it gets.
In my case, the water even runs under the shelves, right to the garage wall. So is whine about it all I’m going to do? Well for starters, yes. I’m pretty good at it.
But no, I actually have a made-in-Manitoba solution to share.
We need look no further than wonderful Winkler — where Winkler Canvas produces the Floor Guard Garage Mat — some of the best garage containment mats there are to be found.
The slop stops here.
These mats are basically a high-tech floor covering with a raised edge that captures any water, ice, snow or mud that falls off your car and contains it so it doesn’t run all over your floor. It also prevents salt damage to that expensive concrete.
The garage mats are made with 28-ounce, anti-skid, vinyl-coated nylon. Each mat comes with a one-inch-diameter ethafoam barrier, heat-sealed around the perimeter. The material is rated from -40 C to 40 C, and made to withstand the toughest environmental conditions.
We’re talking very tough stuff here, and it’s resistant to sand, salt, oil, antifreeze, road sludge and more. It’s also treated against mould and mildew, easily cleaned with a shop vac, mop, squeegee or garden hose.
Winkler Canvas spokesman Calvin Thiessen says there are six standard sizes available, ranging in price from $245 for the 71/2 foot by 141/2 foot mat to $385 for the 9 foot by 22 foot size. Custom sizes are also available.
Of course, having Scottish roots, I did consider creating my own garage containment mat, using perhaps a very-heavy-duty poly with 2x4 lumber tucked under the outside edges to hold the water, and maybe even a chunk of used carpet on top of the poly to catch the mess — but that might look a little too hillbilly... even for me.
Winkler Canvas has lots of different-sized mats, designed for various purposes, useful in both winter and summer. Check them out online at winklercanvas.com.
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