Do Horse Stall Mats Smell? + Solution

If you’ve been thinking about building a home gym, you’ve probably stumbled upon the gym mats versus horse stall mats debate. Most people recommend horse stall mats over conventional gym floor mats as they are more budget-friendly. However, most of these reviewers usually leave out one major detail about the horse stall mats — they tend to stink!

Rubber horse stall mats used in home gyms may have a strong smell due to the combination of recycled crumb rubber, sulfur, and urethane. Expose the mats to direct sunlight for a few hours to remove the smell. Clean the mats with warm water, vinegar, and baking soda for mild smells. Ensure proper ventilation in the area.

I stumbled upon horse stall mats when I was looking for cheap gym mats for my home gym. Fast forward 13 years, I’ve helped build three home gyms from scratch (with horse stall mats) and have written several DIY home gym guides to help other home gym enthusiasts.

In this article, we will go over everything you must know about horse stall mats before installing them in your home gym, including how to treat the foul smell, the reason for the odor, and how to prevent the mats from making your garage or basement smell unpleasant.

Why Do Horse Stall Mats Smell?

Do horse stall mats smell? Most of them do. The worst part about this smell is that it doesn’t fade away on its own. Furthermore, most people build their home gym in their basements, which is one of the least ventilated areas in the home.

When manufacturers make stall mats, they don’t have to worry about the horses complaining about the smell. As the name suggests, these mats are typically designed for horse stalls. They are tough enough to protect your building’s foundation by soaking the impact of a jumping horse. On the other hand, they are comfortable enough that horses can rest on them without straining their joints.

A horse, on average, weighs between 900 to 2,200 pounds (410 to 1,000 kilograms). Hence, horse stall mats can absorb the impact of a barbell after your snatch and clean and jerk PR lifts. The current world record for the clean and jerk is 264 kilograms, held by Georgian weightlifter Lasha Talakhadze. A single horse stall mat can handle the PR attempts of three Talakhadzes.

Conversely, a horse stall mat is soft enough to perform mobility drills comfortably without a yoga mat.

Explanation of the Causes of the Smell

Horse stall mats are usually made from recycled crumb rubber from used tires. The material is held together using sulfur and urethane. These mats have a disuniting and pungent smell, especially when new.

Combining rubber and these chemicals can produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions. These VOCs don’t only smell bad but can also lead to health issues like eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, and, in some cases, more severe health effects.

A meta-analysis by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that “VOCs have a medium-sized effect on pulmonary diseases, including the onset of asthma, confidence interval, and wheezing.” (1)

Most manufacturers treat horse stall mats to eliminate the smell; however, it cannot be eradicated entirely in new horse stall mats.

To eliminate the smell, thoroughly treat your mats before installing them in your home gym. If the mat is installed in a poorly ventilated space, it can take months before the smell starts to fade.

How To Remove the Smell From Horse Stall Mats?

You realize why the horse stall mats are inexpensive compared to gym tile mats as soon as you perform your first push-up on them. The last time I performed planks on new horse stall mats, I ended the set with watery eyes.

Without further ado, here is how to get rid of the horse stall mat smell:

Clean the Mats With Warm Water, Vinegar, and Baking Soda

The first thing you should do after getting horse stall mats is to clean them using a neutral pH cleaner. This doesn’t end here. Mix warm water, vinegar, baking soda, and detergent in a bucket and rub down the mats with the soapy mixture.

Clean the mats before bringing them indoors. Also, ensure that you wipe down both sides of the mat. Pour the leftover soapy water over the mat before cleaning it for the final time. Let the mats dry before installing them.

You must be extra careful if you install the mats in a congested space. Let the mats out in an open space until the smell dies down considerably before you bring the mats indoors.

Expose the Mats To Direct Sunlight

Keeping the mats in direct sunlight can expedite VOC release, reducing the ingrained smell of these mats. Avoid stacking the mats; spread them to ensure each mat gets ample sunlight.

The VOC release process can vary depending on the thickness and density of the horse stall mats. Thinner mats usually require less time to deodorize than thicker mats.

Although doing nothing more than leaving the mats in direct sunlight can help eliminate the foul smell, washing them can significantly speed up the process. Like with cleaning the mats, you must flip the mats to ensure both sides get adequate sunlight.

Clean the area before laying out the mats so you don’t have to wipe them down every time you flip them.

Remember, horse stall mats tend to fade after prolonged exposure to sunlight. I’m putting it out here so you don’t rush to your stall mat dealer on the first sign of discoloration. Horse stall mats and gym equipment are meant to be rugged. Quality equipment will last you a lifetime, even if it shows some signs of wearing.

After buying the mats, find a place in your home to store them outdoors for a week or so. Cycle between washing the mats and leaving them in direct sunlight until the smell becomes tolerable.

Ensure Proper Ventilation in the Area

Installing brand-new horse stall mats in an enclosed area like a basement can be disastrous. After treating the mats using the two methods explained above and installing them in your home gym, open the space’s doors and windows and keep the fans running for the next few days. Use pedestal fans to direct the air (and the smell) out.

Shut the windows and doors only if you have to. Getting rid of the built-up smell can take longer and can make training in the gym unpleasant. People who plan to install these mats in their garage can open the gate to improve the ventilation.

Patience

Patience is key while trying to remove the smell from the horse stall mats. Some people hang their heads low after they can’t get rid of the foul smell after one mopping session. I’ve had a couple of my friends ask me if they should throw out the mats and get the conventional gym mat flooring installed instead (yes, the smell can be that bad).

If you’ve decided to add horse stall mats to your gym, you must treat them for 15 to 20 days before the smell gets unnoticeable. You could speed up the process by mopping the mats daily until the odor is bearable.

How To Prevent Horse Stall Mats From Smelling?

You might save some money by picking horse stall mats over conventional gym rubber mats; however, there are some tradeoffs, the biggest of which is the smell. While completely getting rid of the smell might take some time (read: months), you can minimize the smell by following a regular maintenance routine.

Furthermore, gym mats can start smelling bad if you don’t tend to them. Here are the steps to prevent the gym floor mats from stinking:

Brush the Mats

Even if you’ve never seen a horse stall mat in person, you’ve probably seen a conventional gym rubber mat up close. People from all over the town visit a gym and bring dirt and dust with them. Just moping the floor isn’t enough to get all the dirt out. Furthermore, the dirt combined with sweat, chalk, and water can become a breeding paradise for bacteria.

Cleaning the floor with a hard brush can help remove the dried dirt. Since this is a time-consuming process, you can perform this once biweekly or monthly, depending on your gym size and usage.

Mopping and Scrubbing

Most horse stall mats are dust magnets. Clean the mats regularly using a concoction of antibacterial soap, neutral pH solution, and baking soda. Use a scrubber to get into the pores and ensure the mats are squeaky clean. Use a leaf blower to remove all the dried dust before mopping and scrubbing the floor.

However, avoid using too much water for mopping and scrubbing, especially if you’ve installed the mats in your basement gym with minimal ventilation.

Horse stall mats are usually made using vulcanized rubber, preventing the absorption of water and sweat. Folks who plan to wash the horse stall mats using a garden horse must do it outdoors.

Use Essential Oils

This has emerged as a trick many people use to eliminate the odor of the horse stall mats. Add essential oils like peppermint or orange into your soapy mix and scrub the floor with it a few times. This should help get rid of the foul odor.

However, avoid scrubbing the floor with the essential oils before a workout unless you want to fall face-first onto the stall mat. Essential oils also add a little shine to the exercise mats.

Choosing High-Quality Mats

Remember, you get what you pay for. If you are getting a horse stall mat for 30 percent cheaper than the market rate, there is probably something wrong with it. Horse stall mats come in different shapes and sizes.

Choose the mat that fits your budget and needs. You can also choose between interlocking and conventional block stall mats. Interlocking mats should be preferred for folks into Olympic weightlifting and plyometrics. Conversely, people into hypertrophy-focused strength training can make do with square tiles.

FAQ

How long does it take to rid the horse stall mats of their smell?

It depends on multiple factors, including the quality of the mats, where you plan to install them, and the area’s ventilation. That said, it usually takes 15 to 20 days for the smell to get unnoticeable after daily treatment. Completely eliminating the smell can take several months.

Should I get horse stall mats or conventional gym mats?

Horse stall mats and conventional gym mats solve the same purpose — they prevent damage to your home’s foundation. However, conventional gym mats are specialty flooring designed for exercise and are hence more expensive. I recommend going with the traditional gym mats if you can afford them.

Is the smell of the horse stall mat toxic?

Contrary to what most people think, the smell of the horse stall can be harmful. It can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation and headaches. Hence, you must treat the horse stall mats before installing them in your home gym.

What are some of the pros and cons of horse stall mats?

These are the advantages of using horse stall mats in your home gym:

• It is usually the most cost-effective gym flooring option.
• Horse stall mats are excellent at absorbing a high level of impact.
• These are water resistant.

Here are the disadvantages:

• Horse stall mats tend to stink initially.
• The manufacturing processes are usually not standardized, and these mats’ shapes, sizes, and thickness can vary.

How do you install horse stall mats in the gym?

Instead of just laying the horse stall mats on the floor, I recommend using a high-quality rubber adhesive so the mats stay in place during explosive exercises. Also, cut the mats according to your gym’s dimensions to ensure a snug fit.

Conclusion

Horse stall mats are among the most cost-effective gym flooring solutions. However, their smell can make the exercise experience unpleasant. To eliminate the odor, you must treat these mats before installing them in your home gym.

Your first step should be to clean the mats with warm water, vinegar, and baking soda mixture, followed by exposing them to direct sunlight and ensuring proper ventilation. The smell will start to fade after 15 to 20 days.

If you have any questions about horse small mats and how to treat them, drop them in the comments section below, and I’ll be happy to help.

References

1. Alford KL, Kumar N. Pulmonary Health Effects of Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds—A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(4):1578. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041578

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