Title: Smell is hard to get rid of, but mat works wonderfully (and in the dishwasher!)
Product review: As several other reviewers noted, this mat comes with a distinctly-rubber smell (after all, it is rubber). I kept it in the garage for two days to air out and then did a brief vinegar and water bath (1/2 cup vinegar in warm water, soaking in the sink for a half hour or so). It was a gift for my bartender boyfriend for his home bar, and he was not bothered by the smell at all at that point. We hosted a cocktail party the next night and it did wonders for catching all the drips and spills and allowed us to have several shakers going over the top of it at the same time. It works better for just one person at a time because of the size, but two can fit if needed. And we had great luck with using it in the dishwasher.In summary, if you are prepared to give your mat some air and a brief bath, the smell will not be a problem. It barely required effort to curb the smell, so I was quite happy!
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