This Innovative Doormat Not Only Keeps My Floors Spotless — It’s Also So Easy to Clean

In spring, you can expect a lot of rain (and weather that you aren’t sure how to dress for). As the English proverb reminds us, April showers bring May flowers. Is your apartment (and more importantly the floors) ready for the wet shoes though? Whether you’re traversing the aspen-filled mountains of Colorado, trudging through the mystery liquid in the streets of NYC, or hiking among a sea of mustard plants in LA, you can expect consistently dirty shoes from February to June. This year, though, I have a little trick up my sleeve to keep the muddy tracks out and the spick and span floors in: It’s called The Outsider, and it’s a doormat like no other.

What makes this mat special is its super thoughtful design. First off, it’s the most beautiful doormat I’ve ever seen (if the blue color I chose isn’t your thing, check out the other four hues). Composed of three pieces — the frame, the base, and the insert — The Outsider comes apart for easy clean up, which is key when you’re tracking dirt into the house. Do you find your mat caked stiff with months of mud? This stunner solves that problem. On days when I approach my doorstep with particularly filthy shoes, I’ll wipe ’em, then later in the day remove the insert and hose it off. Boom: a totally clean, practically brand-new doormat once again.

Or, maybe you’re used to that all-too-familiar whiff of mold from below thanks to your doormat that’s been sitting in weeks of dirty water and wetness. Well, thanks to the brilliant construction of this Porte + Hall creation, the perforated base drains any liquid away from the insert, keeping the mat nice and aerated — AKA mold-free. After a succession of super rainy days a few weeks ago, I left my rain boots and umbrella to dry on the doormat night after night. Never once were the mat, boots, or umbrella still wet by the morning.

Oh, and did I mention the entire thing is extremely lightweight? You can say goodbye to your old, bogged-down, stinky, soaking doormat (which isn’t going to protect your floor from a trail of footprints anyway). I carried The Outsider up to my fifth-floor apartment solo, no problem, and have had no issues taking out the insert for a rinse — it weighs just a few pounds, even when wet. Plus, unlike more traditional jute outdoor mats, this Porte + Hall beauty doesn’t shed (there’s nothing worse than those little, stiff hairs sticking to the bottom of your shoe and tracking all over the living room floors).

I have the pretty mat guarding the door of my NYC apartment (yes, my neighbors are jealous), and I’ve put it to good use! I can’t imagine the wonders it would do if it were sitting by a front door in the countryside, when I eventually move into the home of my dreams somewhere quiet. For now, though, whether the bottom of my sneakers are slick with the aforementioned mystery liquid or my winter boots are caked in slushy snow, one swipe of my soles across The Outsider and I can walk right into my apartment, worry-free.

Now through April 30th, Apartment Therapy readers can get this doormat for 15 percent off with the code APARTMENTTHERAPY15. If you’re on the hunt for a truly innovative doormat, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to add it to your cart while it’s on sale.

Buy: The Outsider, $250.75 (normally $295)