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Why people are snapping up this $9 Kmart pet mat: 'So clever'
Thinking outside the square can make life so much easier, especially when cleaning up after messy kids multiple times a day.
Fed up with wiping her kitchen table "five times a day", one Aussie mum has done just that.
Surprisingly, she discovered the life-changing meal-time tool for her three messy kids in the pet section at Kmart.
Sharing her handy hack on a Kmart Facebook fans page, the savvy mum said she struggled with small placemats and mealtime mess - until she found the oversized silicone pet mat.
“In case any other parents struggle with small placemats, like I did with my three boys, do yourselves a favour and get the large pet mat,” she suggested.
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The $9 Pet Meal Mat, designed to sit under a feeding bowl for an “easy and tidy clean-up”, works wonders for messy kids too.
“Mess is (mostly) contained and there’s plenty of room for more than one plate, if that’s how your two-year-old insists on eating,” the mum continued.
“It’s funny that something so simple can make such a difference.
"When you’re cleaning the table five times a day after meals/snacks, it all helps!”
Why they work so well
The mat also has a handy lip around the border which stops spills from reaching the floor and catches food.
The silicone mats are non-slip, with many mums reporting they generally stayed put on the table - unless picked up by little hands, that is.
Busy mums praised the meal-time hack as “very smart and practical!”.
“Great idea! Wash mats, wipe down table - done! Ready for next meal,” one said.
“This is a great idea! We have been using just the rectangular placemats from big W (I think?) but mess is never contained! This would contain the mess so much better,” another added.
“I better get one for my hubby and one for my 6-year-old daughter!!! This is freaking amazing. My dog has got one already,” joked another.
'So many uses!'
The mum's post quickly racked up attention and prompted a conversation about what others use the multi-purpose mats for.
“My kiddos are crafters and artsy and this could be a game-changer! My poor table has paint and pen on it from mishaps,” another mum suggested.
“I use these for the grandkids in the shower so they don't slip over,” another said.
“I also use them as drawer liners in the bathroom, just in case makeup spills/soaps leak etc. You can get them in pink and grey,” added a third.
Despite its numerous unlikely uses, it appears it works really well too at what it was designed for, with more than 1000 five-star reviews on the Kmart website.
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