The Best Shelf Liners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber
Published on
May 20th, 2019

Expert BioExpert Bio

Ben has over a decade of experience in cleaning projects of all types along the entire eastern seaboard of the United States. Ben’s formal training and certifications in cleaning include the AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician), WRT (Water restoration technician), CCT (Carpet Cleaning technician), as well as several other certifications from the IICRC. Ben has managed teams involved in cleaning projects around the United States. Ben’s passion for cleaning and leading teams goes back as far as he can remember.

The Cleaning Institute

If maintaining the pristine condition of your cabinets and drawers is a priority for you, then we suggest investing in some shelf liners. These versatile liners are often made from plastic or rubber and can act as guards against scratching, unwanted movement, or a variety of other things that could compromise the safety of your cabinets and drawers. These liners can also be used with wire shelves to create a more functional style.

We’ve taken some time to curate a list of the best liners on the market right now. Our top pick would have to be the Plast-O-Mat Ribbed Shelf Liner, as they offer a glossy finish that is both stylish and ultra-protective. They’re expertly designed to keep your things from sliding to and fro as the cabinets/drawers are opened and closed. Our second pick is the Duck Select Grip Easy Non-Adhesive Shelf Liner because its rubberlike material is easy to clean, and its durable sticking power keeps it from shifting. Lastly, our green pick is the Bloss Non-Slip Shelf Liner. These liners offer a pop of color while also being extremely thick and durable, with bonus points for being made from food grade materials that allow for direct contact with various foods.

Testing Categories

Advising you about which shelf liners to try is something that we take great pleasure in doing. For our years we’re prided ourselves on providing great product insight after thorough and rigorous testing. With regards to these shelf liners, we’re focusing on the following testing categories: Installation, Durability, and Versatility.

o Installation – most shelf liners should be easy to install without having to utilize potentially damaging adhesives and glues. Their designs are supposed to use ridges or naturally stationary promoting materials in order to protect any surface they’re placed against. They should be easy to cut from the roll at any point and should lay mostly flat so that they do not roll and cause obstruction at the edges.

o Durability – shelf liners are often made from plastic or rubber in order to be long lasting, spill resistant, and easily manipulated. These liners should be able to maintain basic cleaning routines, meaning they should maintain their integrity while being placed under warm water and washed with soap.

o Versatility – you may want to use these shelf liners for more unconventional means, so they should be able to withstand varying weights, materials, and conditions outside of standard indoor kitchens and bathrooms.

Top Pick

Plast-O-Mat
Ribbed
Shelf Liner

These high gloss shelf liners provide a stylish solution to your protective needs – expertly designed to lay flat while also allowing air to flow under glasses, this liner is perfect for any project.

Price Check

Most notable upside: These liners are durable but easy to cut, making customizing the length and shape simple for your use. The ridges keep items from slipping and sliding around, ensuring safe storage for your glassware. It is easy to install, as it does not require any glue or other adhesives to keep it firmly in place.

Biggest downsides: Because of the deep ridges in the liner, it is very easy for dust to collect over time. The dust becomes ingrained and makes it difficult to clean. There have also been concerns about the product’s longevity – it has been reported that after years of use, the liner begins to give off an unpleasant chemical smell, which can be dangerous when using drinking glasses and eating utensils. Another issue with the ridges is that they can allow dust to settle beneath the liner due to the ridges keeping the liner from laying completely flat.

Honorable Mention

Duck Select Grip
Easy Non-Adhesive
Shelf Liner

This shelf liner was made to stick – utilizing extra strength gripping technology, this liner makes sure that your items don’t shift when opening and closing drawers or cabinets.

Price Check

Most notable upside: This liner is water-resistant, which makes it great for both indoor and outdoor usage. It has superior sticking power, which allows you to open and close cabinets and drawers without worrying about too much movement. It has a smooth top for easy cleaning and disposal of debris. It is cost effective and provides a lot of material to use.

Biggest downsides: The material feels more like plastic than true rubber, which inhibits its ability to stay stuck to certain surfaces. The smooth surface on the top also allows for items to shift if jostled. The lightweight material can sometimes be too flimsy to be practical.

Green Pick

Bloss
Non-Slip
Shelf Liner

These easy to clean liners boast a unique dotted design that allows for easy gripping and are made from food-graded materials, making it safe to use with food.

Price Check

Most notable upside: These liners are thick and do not dislodge easily, making for a great, durable fit for most drawers and cabinets. They’re very easy to clean, with a glossy finish that compliments the pops of color that come with this product.

Biggest downsides: The amount of liner you get per roll is often too small to properly cover an entire kitchen’s worth of cabinets and/or drawers.

All Our Picks

Tips for Effective Shelf Liners

The entire purpose of shelf liners is to provide a non-slip surface that also protects your shelves and cabinets, which often see heavy usage. Always look for rolls that allow for you to cut your own swatches so that you can fully customize the fit for your needs.

A Note About Safety and Storage

As with any plastic, these liners should be kept away from small children. Some liners may begin to produce a chemical smell as the plastic ages. It is always wise to discard immediately if you notice a smell and replace the old liner with a new one. This can be better maintained if you periodically pull out the plastic liners and clean thoroughly with warm water and soap. Exercise caution when cutting these shelf liners, as some are made from thicker plastic, which could create sharp or jagged edges, which could become a cutting hazard.

The Best Shelf Liners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Plast-O-Mat
Ribbed
Shelf Liner

Duck Select Grip
Easy Non-Adhesive
Shelf Liner

Bloss
Non-Slip
Shelf Liner

All Our Picks

Plast-O-Mat
Ribbed
Shelf Liner

Duck Select Grip
Easy Non-Adhesive
Shelf Liner

Bloss
Non-Slip
Shelf Liner

Tips for Effective Shelf Liners

A Note About Safety and Storage

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

The Best Shelf Liners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Plast-O-MatRibbedShelf Liner

Duck Select GripEasy Non-AdhesiveShelf Liner

BlossNon-Slip Shelf Liner

All Our Picks

Plast-O-MatRibbedShelf Liner

Duck Select GripEasy Non-AdhesiveShelf Liner

BlossNon-Slip Shelf Liner

Tips for Effective Shelf Liners

A Note About Safety and Storage

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Plast-O-Mat
Ribbed
Shelf Liner

Duck Select Grip
Easy Non-Adhesive
Shelf Liner

Bloss
Non-Slip
Shelf Liner

Plast-O-Mat
Ribbed
Shelf Liner

Duck Select Grip
Easy Non-Adhesive
Shelf Liner

Bloss
Non-Slip
Shelf Liner