I need to be open and honest with you all — I cannot stand the doormat industry. As someone who values function drastically above form, I have had so many problems finding a doormat that actually cleans shoes.
Most are cute, decorative, and utterly useless. After I’m done with a hard session of outside work, all I want to do is come inside without causing a gigantic mess.
However, no matter how long I stood outside and wiped (and wiped, and wiped), I still tracked mud in on my boots.
With that problem in mind, I set out on a hero’s journey to find the best outdoor doormats that actually clean shoes.
Criteria
How much thought does someone actually put into buying a doormat?
As consumers, usually we see one we like at Wal-Mart and pick it up as an after thought before heading to the checkout counter. However, if your boots get as dirty as mine do, you’re going to want to take pause and carefully select one.
The good news is that I did most of the heavy lifting here. I sorted through hundreds of products, researched the best outdoor doormats, and tried out the ones that stood out.
Here are the different characteristics I looked for during my search.
Durability
The last thing I wanted was a doormat that would fray, tear, and fall apart during heavy use.
I looked for strong materials that would hold up to the kind of abuse my Red Wings would inflict on it. I found the best outdoor doormat materials to be thick rubber and coir.
What is coir? It’s the natural fiber extracted from the husk of coconuts. It’s used for a great many things, including the construction of doormats.
Wash-ability
After wiping my muddy clodhoppers clean on a doormat, it leaves quite a mess.
I wanted to make sure that I could easily hose off the doormat after each use. If cleaning the doormat was going to be time consuming, it wasn’t going to be worth it for me.
If I wanted to take that kind of care to clean my boots, I could simply hose them off before coming inside.
Weight
Weight was a minor factor, but one that I took into consideration during my search. I didn’t want the first summer thunderstorm to send my doormat flying down the street into the neighbors yard.
So even if the doormat I chose was durable and washable, I still wanted it to be heavy enough to stand up to strong winds.
My Top-Rated Picks
Without further delay, let’s go ahead and dive into the best outdoor doormats I found (including the product I actually picked!).
I sifted through hundreds of products to narrow your choice down to the few below. Let the accolades flow.
Best Heavy Duty Doormat
Gorilla Grip Durable Heavy Duty Rubber Doormat
This Gorilla Grip doormat is constructed of 100% high quality, all-natural rubber and built for anything you can throw at it. It’s waterproof, durable, and absorbs moisture like a champ. The mat itself has a beveled border surrounding it, creating a sort of retention dam. Since the unwanted moisture and debris stays firmly on the mat, the surface underneath stays dry and clean. If you’re looking for a doormat that actually cleans your shoes, this one fits the bill!
This is also an extremely thin doormat, clocking in at just 1/4″. You won’t have to worry about your door catching the mat when swinging open.
Finally, this Gorilla Grip product is remarkably easy to clean. You can use a broom, vacuum, or even shake the mat outside to get rid of dry particles. If your doormat is caked with mud (as mine is sure to be) you can use any garden hose to clean it off.
Best Dirt Trapping Doormat
Durable Corporation Durite Recycled Tire-Link Outdoor Doormat
Sometimes you don’t need the full capability of a heavy duty, ready-for-anything doormat. If you simply need something to trap dirt so you don’t bring it into the house, this is one of the best outdoor doormats available. Made from recycled tires, it’s perfect for wet or dry shoes (it’s also virtually indestructible). However, it’s unsuitable for anything too muddy. The mud gets stuck between the openings, making the mat very difficult to clean!
Since this doormat is made completely out of recycled car tires, it’s also a breeze to clean. Simply use a broom or hose it off to have it looking as good as new.
If you just need a doormat to knock the dirt off your shoes before coming inside, this product is a perfect match.
Best Extra Large Door Mat
M+A Matting WaterHog Commercial-Grade 4′ x 3′ Doormat
Are you looking for an extra large outside doormat suitable for double doors? The WaterHog doormat line has you covered. I would have linked a specific rug, but I didn’t want to make any assumptions about your particular requirements (see my doormat sizing chart below if you’re unsure). However, no matter what your doormat length requirements, they probably have a model for you.
I chose the WaterHog line for their wide selection, renown durability, and rave reviews. Made from polypropylene, they’re plenty durable for anything you might need to throw at them. Additionally, they offer both cleated and smooth backing. Cleated is suitable for carpet, while smooth backing is recommended for hardwood, tile, or other smooth areas.
Best Value Doormat
BRICOVEO Ultra Absorbent Doormat
If you’re on a budget or simply want to get the best value you possibly can, I completely understand! You don’t necessarily have to spend $40+ to have a great quality doormat. This BROCOVEO model is ultra-absorbent, durable, and still cleans fairly easy. It’s a bit on the smaller side, clocking in at only 18″ x 28″, but it’ll be hard to find a better deal (I couldn’t, and I looked through at least a hundred doormats). However, the low price ensures that it makes my list of the best outdoor doormats.
One big caveat here: because of it’s size, this doormat is much lighter than the other options I’ve reviewed. If your area is prone to thunderstorms, it’s possible you might have to chase this BRICOVEO model down the street!
What Size Doormat?
For residential uses, what size doormat you should choose depends on the following factors: whether you have single/double doors, the vertical clearance of your doors, and the size of the area.
Home entrances are easy to determine — typically you simply have a single door and a stoop. However, patios become a bit trickier.
There can sometimes be double doors (but sometimes not). There usually isn’t a stoop. Additionally, the outdoor area varies tremendously from house to house!
However, I’m going to make some assumptions here and choose the average size you’ll need for a given area. Here’s a handy table to compare.
| Type of Space | Doormat Width |
| Front door with stoop | 29″ |
| Front door without stoop | 36″ |
| Single patio door | 36″ |
| Double patio door | 48″ |
| Workplace double doors | 120″+ |
One thing I will say at sizing doormats: the larger you can go, the better. The bigger the doormat, the cleaner the feet.
Layering Doormats
One emerging trend is to mix and match doormats on top of each other, creating a layering effect.
It started on Pinterest, but many retail stores are now carrying matching sets of doormats. The Captain Patio family hasn’t embraced this trend yet, but some folks are going crazy about for it!
If this is your style, you’ll want to get a larger patterned doormat to go underneath your heavy duty one. As we haven’t yet done this, I don’t have a recommendation.
But I’m sure if you use your imagination, you can find one on Amazon!