In a mat composed of a base cloth, a pile tufted thereto, and a rubber backing applied to the non-pile surface of the base cloth, a cotton-like layer composed of a woven cloth of a polyester textured yarn non-adherent to the rubber and a filament or staple which layer is needle-punched is used. In this mat, weakly adherent regions at which the woven cloth and the rubber portion contact each other and strong adhesive regions at which the cotton-like layer and the rubber portion content each other are formed in dots in a large distribution. Waving deformation during repeated use is prevented.

A washable, water and dust binding service mat having a nap and a rubber or plastics backing layer, whereby the nap and a woven ground fabric for the tufting is fastened in the backing layer material, the ground fabric for the tufting comprising a layer of woven primary fabric of synthetic split fibers being calendered together by a heat setting operation with a layer of a nonwoven fiber fleece which prior to this heat setting operation has been needled together with the woven primary fabric by a needle technique. The nonwoven fiber fleece has an area weight of 80-150 grams/m.sup.2, consists of two or more kinds of synthetic fibers, with one having a softening temperature lower than the other synthetic fiber.

An oil-free, water-based sweeping compound containing sawdust, sand, and water has enhanced performance when an effective amount of a super-absorbent polymer, especially a cellulose/acrylate polymer, is incorporated. The resultant product is comparatively inexpensive, smells pleasant, maintains a desirable moist texture, and resists untimely moisture evaporation.