Have you ever wondered what each of the Cricut cutting mats is used for and what the difference is between them? In this post, we are going to break it all down.

What are the different types or Cricut cutting mats?

Cricut currently has four different types of cutting mats. They are:
Light Grip (Blue)
Standard Grip (Green)
Heavy Grip (Purple)
Fabric (Pink)

What sizes do the Cricut mats come in?

All of the four cutting mat types are available in two sizes:
12 inches by 12 inches and 12 inches by 24 inches

What if I want to cut a project bigger than those two sizes?

Cutting projects bigger than the Cricut cutting mat can be done, but it will take some manipulation of the design in the Cricut Design Space.

I wrote a post all about it that you can check out for an in-depth tutorial.
How to cut larger than the mat in Cricut Design Space

What is the blue mat used for?

The blue cutting mat is the Light Grip. So it is used for more delicate materials such as copy paper, crate paper, tissue paper, scrapbook paper and more.

What is the green mat used for?

The green cutting mat is the Standard Grip. It is used for a lot of different materials like faux leather, genuine leather, iron-on, vinyl, and more. This is the mat that you will probably use most often.

What is the purple mat used for?

The purple cutting mat is the Strong Grip. It is used for the materials that will need more passes.

So if you are using a Cricut Maker you can cut things such as balsa, basswood, chipboard and more. Some of these materials might need to be taped to the mat to further secure them.

What is the pink mat used for?

The pink cutting mat is Fabric Grip. This is used with the Cricut Maker and the rotary blade.

You can cut quilting cotton, silk, burlap, denim, felt, flannel, and many more types of fabric.

How do you clean a cutting mat?

You can clean Cricut cutting mats by using tweezers to remove larger pieces of debris.

If your mats are no longer sticky you can gently wash them with warm water and a plastic scrub brush. Then simply hang dry. Their stickiness should return.

How do you keep the mats sticky?

To keep your mats as sticky as possible you want to return the plastic film to the mat to prevent dust and debris from sticking to your mats.

Also, try to touch the adhesive as little as possible. Oils in your hands can break down the adhesive. When removing materials from the mat use Cricut tools such as the spatula and tweezers.

How do you store your mats?

Store laying on a flat surface or hanging.

For more Cricut help check out my other Cricut posts.