I have a few different sizes of vinyl mats I use for rolling out fondant. They get so cold and stiff they wont lay flat. What do YOU do it make it lay smooth and flat for use each time.

It's kind of like they get stretched out or something and don't want to lay flat after a while!

I wipe clean, then roll around by large rolling pin. Place in plastic garbage bag, and store in pantry.


When I first got my Wilton mat, my instructor told me to lay it flat in the dishwasher during a load. That did get some of the creases out.

I store mine between two poster boards between the mattress and box springs in the guest bedroom. They're like brand new

My Ateco mat I just roll up. I have smaller pieces of vinyl that I picked up at JoAnn Fabric and a couple of vinyl placemeats that I use. On occasion the vinyl and/or the place mats will get a fold or crinkle in them. I run them under VERY HOT water for a few minutes, dry 'em off good on a flat surface and they are good to go again.

I roll mine up and put it back in the plastic tube it came in.

I roll them up, place an elastic band around them and stick them on the rack with the other supplies. When ready to use, if they have issues, I'll break out the hair dryer and heat them up while smoothing them down.

I roll mine around my large rolling pin, but I alternate which way I roll it from time to time so that it doesn't start to curl at the edges.

When I am working with small amounts of fondant, I use a small silicone mat that I got in the $1 section at Target...LOVE it! I also knead my MMF on it when making a batch, and the mat doesn't scoot on the counter.

Does anyone have any tricks to keep the vinyl mats from sliding on the counter?

Millermom, try cutting a couple of squares from a roll of that squishy cabinet liner. I'm not sure what they call it! I have some lining the inside of my kitchen drawers and cabinet shelves. Place the cut squares under the vinyl, and that should keep it from sliding around while you are rolling your fondant.

does it transfer the texture onto the fondant?

Thanks for all the great information but, I think some of you are getting confused with the kind of vinyl that my original question was about.

I am talking about the vinyl that you buy at the fabric store, by the yard. Mine seems to stretch out after awhile and will not lay flat on the counter. When you go to roll out a LARGE piece of fondant you can have wrinkles underneath.

It's looking like that vinyl is not good for a VERY long time. Any other suggestions.

all4cake, I've thought about trying the hair dryer to. I will have to give it a try.

Anyone else find that they are replacing their vinyl sooner than you would like because they wont lay flat anymore? (I do store mine rolled around a big piece of pvc pipe). It doesn't help!

millermom, i haven't had to use it because my vinyl sticks to my counter top without any help. i have seen it on how to cake videos and they put the cut out pieces at the corners underneath the vinyl. this way, the fondant is not rolled directly on top of the cut outs. hth

Cocobean, I kept the same piece of vinyl on the counter for a year...I just cut it to fit, and that's my work counter so I used it not only for cakes and cookies, but for bread and tortillas, and the vinyl made for very easy cleanups. Now that we've moved my husband doesn't want a piece of vinyl on the counter permanently, so I roll it up and store it on top of the fridge between uses. I've had it for a month now and it's not getting wrinkles or losing its shape yet.

I use the vinyl by the yard from Joannes and put it over the top of my Wilton mat, I roll them both together when I store them and they do get still and won't lay flat so I use a hairdryer too. I just bought a cheapy just for cakes-no hair. It has a couple heat settings and a cold blast which also helps when I'm trying to set RI or candy melts.

The main piece of vinyl I roll on is taped down to the counter in a designated area.

I find that I get about a year from a piece of vinyl.

Over time, with regular use and cleaning, the surface loses it's shine and smoothness. Since it's so cheap to replace--maybe $1 ??--I just replace it. If the piece is in OK condition, I'll wash it, dry it, roll it over a piece of PVC pipe, and keep as a back up or for travel.

Rae

I fold my vinyl up after every use - I cannot be bothered to carefully roll it and then find a place to store it where it won't get disturbed. When I'm ready to use it, I hold it in/over the sink and spray it all over, front and back, with HOT water. , Once it's nice and hot, it shrinks a bit and gets super see-through and shiny. I then lay it out onto my clean counter top and set it where I want it. Once in place I take my plastic bench scraper ($2 at the cake supply) and smooth out all the water carefully from the centre out to the edges of the couter top. It takes a whole 5 minutes and I am ready to go. No creases - No wrinkles - No stretching - No sliding - No problem!

I use the vinyl that you buy by the yard as well. I posted earlier how I store mine. I do clean mine with hot water and that removes any wrinkles. I don't roll mine though I store it flat.

DetailsByDawn, that sounds interesting. I'm going to try that! I guess thats why your name is "Details". Thanks!

Details, no that was GREAT to have all the details you gave, only I tried them all this morning and it did not work for me.

I have a few vinyl pieces so I got out another one to try it, this vinyl is either a little heavier or little newer or both but it wasn't as stretched and I did get it to lay flat.

I'm wondering since I have bought vinyl a couple of times maybe it's better to look for the heaviest kind as possible.

Anyway I know it is not very expensive but it's the inconvience of not being able to just pull something out each time and have it work.

I'm going to check out the thicknesses at different places when I get the chance. Maybe they even have a number code saying the thickness?

The white paper that's on the roll with it at the store tells the thickness. Back when walmart had a fabric department, they had it on rolls and the one with purple letters was a lot thinner than the one with black letters. Now I have to get it from Hobby Lobby and they only have one kind, but it's the nice thick kind that doesn't wrinkle as bad.

Thanks again for the the help!

Thanks Texas thats good to know!

To get my vinyl mat to stay in one place, I slightly dampen a paper towel and then wipe the counter where I want to place the mat. Then, I lay the vinyl over the dampened area and then use my hands or another paper towel (not wet) to smooth it out. Mine sticks really well. But, if you use too much water it will not work.

I am still very new at this and still learning but I bought the heavier piece of vinyl from Hancocks fabric and its a rather large piece (4ft x 3ft) and I just fold mine a few times and then hang it on a hanger. I use a hanger that has clips (the kind you get from a dept. store) and I store it in my hall closet. Great space saver and I got the idea from watching a Martha Stewart show where she hung up her tablecloths. One of her reasons for hanging them up was less wrinkles when you pulled them out.

I agree with the last few posters. Get the HEAVY vinyl. It makes all the difference. I've had mine for almost two years and it hasn't stretched or wrinkled. I just roll it around my rolling pin and it is always good to go. It doesn't curl up on the edges either.

i got 12 gauge vinyl and rolled it up. i've been too lazy to warm it up so it will roll out flat ... it's too cumbersome to me, i quit using it.

as for the wilton mat, my WMI said to pop it into your clothes dryer for a few minutes.

maybe a clothes steamer would loosen them up?

I use skirt hangers with clips and hang my vinyl in the guest bedroom. For my really large piece I use two hangers which eliminates the need to fold or roll. HTH.

I use the vinyl mat from JoAnn's too. I roll it up to store it, but it somehow got some kinks in it , so I put it in the dryer for a couple of minutes and that helped smooth it out again. It does kind of stick together a little when you take it out of the dryer when it's warm (like when you wash your vinyl shower curtain), but you just pull it apart gently and lay it out flat.

I do like mamawrobins idea of storing it flat between the poster boards.