The product description said that it might smell of rubber, so I washed it with neutral detergent and hung it out to dry, but the rubber smell didn't go away for a while. I've been using it for three weeks now, but you have to hold your nose close to it to notice the smell. The mat is soft and smooth, so you don't have to worry about damaging your dishes. If you don't drain the dishes properly before putting them on the mat, the mat won't absorb the excess water straight away, so you'll have to wipe it with a cloth before hanging it up to dry. It won't go so far as to get moldy, but the edges gradually get dirty and brown, and even if you wipe them, they won't come off. I recommend that you look after it regularly.