Uses for Placemats

• Placemats are designed to rest beneath your dinner plate and utensils to protect your tabletop from heat and from spills as moisture can damage wooden surfaces. However, placemats can be used beneath more than just table settings. They can also be used as trivets for hot dishes placed in the center of your table. If you are using a floral centerpiece, they can be placed beneath the centerpiece for a decorative look as well as for protecting your table. Use placemats anywhere you do not want to get a stain or spill.
  
  Placemats are typically plastic or cloth. Cloth placemats can be used, then tossed in the washing machine when dirty. Plastic is easily washed with a wet cloth. As such, both are reusable and handy to keep around, even after you have purchased new placemats for the dining table. Plastic and cloth placemats have other uses to consider. Save your old placemats in a bag, drawer or closet for later use.
  
  Place plastic placemats on your closet floor as a place for storing dirty or muddy shoes. The wet mud can dry on the mat, instead of on your carpet. Once the mud has dried, you can later wipe the map clean with a damp cloth. Using plastic placemats underneath your shoes will keep your closet floor clean. Likewise, mats can be placed by the door, if you prefer to leave your shoes there. Another way to use plastic placemats to protect your floors is to place them beneath pet dishes. This way, the little bits of food which fall out of the bowl while your pet is eating is collected on the mat and not the floor. If your pet eats over a carpeted area, spilled food can get into the carpet, eventually leaving behind a smell. Plastic placemats can also be placed beneath house plants to prevent dirt rings from forming on your counters or tables. The mats are especially useful beneath pots that drain water, making a mess.
  
  Use cloth placemats as lap napkins or even bibs for especially messy meals. After use, simply wash, dry and put the mat back into storage. If the mat is decorative or lacy, it can be used as a doily for the backs of chairs or on special occasion tables. Simply lay the decorative mat over the back of the chair for a decorator accent or place it on a tabletop where you can center a vase, bowl or other decorative item on top of it.
  
  Look around the house for all the many places small messes occur, and see if putting a placemat there won't help keep the spot a little cleaner.