Tested: How to Get Tar Out of Bath Mat Fast (2026)

Immediate Action (first 5 minutes)

Tar is a nightmare. I learned this the hard way when my contractor tracked fresh driveway sealer across my favorite $45 Brooklinen bath mat. Your first instinct will be to grab a wet towel and scrub. Don't do it. Rubbing warm, sticky tar just pushes it deeper into the cotton or microfiber loops. You'll end up with a massive black smudge instead of a small spot.

Instead, grab an ice pack. I keep a flexible gel ice pack in my freezer specifically for stain emergencies. Wrap it in a thin plastic grocery bag to prevent water damage. Press it directly onto the tar spot for exactly 5 minutes. The goal is to drop the temperature of the tar below 60°F. This makes the petroleum base brittle.

Once it's frozen solid, take a dull plastic scraper. An old credit card or a plastic putty knife works perfectly. Flick the edges of the tar. You'll be amazed at how much pops right off the fibers. If your mat has a deep pile, like the 1200 GSM Gorilla Grip luxury mats, you might need to use your fingernails to gently crack the frozen chunks. Throw the chunks in the trash immediately so they don't melt onto your bathroom floor.

What You'll Need (tools/products)

Getting the bulk of the tar out is only half the battle. The remaining stain requires a solvent to break down the petroleum bonds. I've tested dozens of removers over my 12 years cleaning homes. Here is my exact toolkit for this job.

Product	Best For	Price Range	Rubber Safe?
Goo Gone Original	Cotton & Microfiber	$8 - $12	Yes
WD-40 Specialist Gel	Vertical Edges	$15 - $18	Test First
Dawn Platinum Powerwash	Emulsifying Solvents	$6 - $9	Yes

You'll also need a few basic tools. Grab an old toothbrush with soft bristles. Stiff bristles will fray your bath mat fibers. I recommend keeping a dedicated cleaning toothbrush in your utility drawer. You'll also need a stack of clean, white microfiber cloths. Never use colored cloths for this. The solvent can pull dye out of the cloth and transfer it right back onto your wet bath mat.

Finally, you need a heavy-duty laundry detergent. Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty is my go-to. It has enough surfactants to lift the oily residue left behind by the tar remover. This isn't the cheapest option, but it saves the rug.

Step-by-Step Removal

Step 1: Apply the Solvent

Now that the surface tar is gone, it's time to tackle the stain. Lay the bath mat flat on a protected surface. I usually put a piece of cardboard or an old baking sheet underneath the stain. This stops the dissolved tar from bleeding through to the floor. Pour a generous amount of Goo Gone Original directly onto the black spot. Let it sit for exactly 10 minutes. Don't rush this. The citrus solvents need time to penetrate the petroleum base.

Step 2: Agitate Gently

Take your soft-bristled toothbrush and work the solvent into the fibers. Use small, circular motions. You'll see the tar start to liquefy and turn brown. If the mat is heavily saturated, blot it with a white microfiber cloth. Press down firmly. Don't wipe. Wiping just spreads the dissolved tar to clean fibers. Repeat the application and blotting until the cloth comes away mostly clean.

Step 3: Emulsify the Oils

This is the step most people skip. I'll be honest, it's crucial. Goo Gone leaves behind a greasy, orange-smelling residue. If you just throw the mat in the wash, that oil will spread and attract dirt later. Spray Dawn Platinum Powerwash directly over the treated area. Let it sit for 5 minutes. The powerful surfactants in the Dawn will bind to the Goo Gone oils, making them water-soluble. Scrub it lightly with your toothbrush again. If you're cleaning a dark-colored mat, you might not notice the oily sheen left behind by the solvent. Run your fingers over the damp fibers. If they feel slick or greasy, apply more Dawn.

Step 4: Rinse with Hot Water

Take the mat to your bathtub or utility sink. Run the water as hot as your tap allows, usually around 120°F. Rinse the treated area thoroughly. You want to flush out all the emulsified tar and soap. Squeeze the mat gently to push the dirty water out. If you still see a faint shadow of the stain, repeat steps 1 through 3. It's better to spend an extra 20 minutes now than to bake the stain in later.

Step 5: Wash and Air Dry

Toss the bath mat into your washing machine. Wash it on a heavy-duty cycle with warm water, ideally 104°F. Add your normal dose of Tide detergent and an extra rinse cycle. Once the cycle finishes, check the mat carefully. If there is absolutely no trace of tar, you can tumble dry it on low. If you see even a tiny speck, hang it to air dry. Heat from the dryer will permanently set any remaining petroleum into the fabric.

Alternative Methods

The WD-40 Gel Blast Method

Sometimes tar gets smeared up the side edges of a thick bath mat. Liquid solvents just run off the vertical fibers. In these cases, I use WD-40 Specialist Gel Blast. The gel formula clings to vertical surfaces. Spray it on the edge stains and let it sit for 15 minutes. Wipe it away with a paper towel. I'll warn you, this stuff smells strongly of chemicals. You'll need to wash the mat twice with Dawn to get the odor out of your bathroom.

The Peanut Butter Hack

If you're in a pinch and don't have commercial solvents, grab a jar of creamy peanut butter. I know it sounds crazy. The natural oils in the peanuts break down the tar's chemical bonds. Smear a thick layer of Jif or Skippy over the stain. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Scrape it off with your plastic putty knife. I'll be honest, the peanut butter method smells awful and takes extra elbow grease to wash out. It works, but it's messy and should only be a last resort.

Mineral Spirits for Rubber Backing

If tar gets on the rubber backing of your mat, citrus solvents won't cut it. You need mineral spirits. Dampen a rag with Klean-Strip Odorless Mineral Spirits and rub the rubber. This dissolves the tar instantly. Be very careful. Don't let the mineral spirits touch the top fabric fibers. It can strip the dye right out of colored cotton. Always test a hidden corner of the rubber first to ensure it doesn't melt the backing.

Prevention Tips

Keeping tar off your bath mats is much easier than removing it. If you have kids who track mud everywhere, or a spouse who works on cars in the garage, you need a defense strategy.

First, establish a strict no garage shoes rule. Work boots with deep treads, like the Red Wing Iron Rangers, are notorious for hiding small pebbles of fresh asphalt. Keep a heavy-duty silicone garage mat near the door to the house. Silicone doesn't absorb liquids, and tar wipes right off it with a paper towel. I use the $35 ProsourceFit puzzle mats in my mudroom for this exact reason.

Second, check your bath mat placement. If your bathroom door opens directly into a hallway that leads outside, move the mat. Keep it at least 3 feet away from the door threshold. When your landlord inspects next week, or when guests come over, you won't have to worry about rogue driveway sealer ruining your decor.

Finally, keep a small bottle of Goo Gone and a roll of paper towels under your bathroom sink. If someone tracks in a tiny speck of asphalt or roofing tar, you can catch it before it gets ground deep into the pile. Quick action saves money and saves your favorite rugs.

FAQ

Can I put the mat in the dryer after treating a tar stain?

No, you should never put a tar-stained mat in the dryer until you are 100% sure the stain is gone. The high heat of a dryer, which often exceeds 130°F, will melt any microscopic petroleum residue. This permanently bakes the tar into the synthetic or cotton fibers, making it impossible to remove later.

Will Goo Gone ruin the rubber backing on my bath mat?

In my experience, Goo Gone Original is generally safe for standard TPR and latex rubber backings when used for short periods. However, leaving it to soak for hours can degrade the adhesive holding the rubber to the fabric. Always apply the solvent only to the top fibers, and rinse it out thoroughly within 15 minutes to protect the non-slip backing.

What if the tar is already dried and weeks old?

Old, hardened tar requires a slightly different approach before you start the freezing method. Use a hair dryer on the highest heat setting to warm the tar for about 60 seconds until it becomes slightly tacky. Then, immediately apply the ice pack to shock it into a brittle state, which helps crack the aged petroleum bonds so your solvent can penetrate.

Can I use nail polish remover instead of Goo Gone?

I strongly advise against using acetone or nail polish remover on bath mats. Acetone is incredibly harsh and will instantly melt synthetic microfiber fibers and strip the dye from cotton. It can also completely dissolve the rubber non-slip backing, leaving you with a ruined, dangerous mat that slides across your bathroom floor.