Yoga mats are great for all kinds of exercise, and of course, they’re ideal for practicing yoga at home. If you’ve ever done yoga before, you’ll know that the yoga mats have a tactile feeling on top, which is there to keep your feet planted as you move. But if it’s too sticky, it becomes challenging to develop balance and cleanly move between poses.
Here are 4 ways to make a yoga mat less sticky:
- Use a yoga towel or rug.
- Break the yoga mat in by using it more.
- Try a diluted vinegar scrub.
- Consider a diluted vinegar bath.
In the rest of this article, we will take a closer look at each one of these tips to make your yoga mat less sticky. We will also see why it’s important to have the right consistency on your yoga mat when practicing yoga.
Use a Yoga Towel or Rug
If you are in a rush to use your new mat and don’t have time to break down its stickiness, you may consider using a yoga towel or rag. Many yogis enjoy the texture of these products, as the surface allows you to develop your own strength and balance without slipping.
These can be especially useful for those practicing in hot climates or yogis prone to sweating significantly during their practice. They are also very portable and easy to clean.
A good yoga towel or rug is specially designed to be the size you need to cover your mat without leaving too much extra material.
If possible, opt for a soft, microfiber towel to ensure grip without providing excess support. As a result, you will continue building your balance and strengthening your muscles on a slip-free surface.
As your mat becomes more broken in, its stickiness will decrease, and using a towel over your mat will help in this process along. When the mat’s texture is right for you, you can stop using the towel if you prefer.
Break the Yoga Mat In by Using It More
Many mats will come with a tacky surface that’s been protected by the packaging. Luckily, your yoga mat will lose some of its initial stickiness after some normal wear and tear. It is a typical “wear and tear” thing, nothing to worry about it.
Still, it might not be appealing for some yogis to practice on this excessively sticky surface until it gets broken in. If that’s the case, it’s time to get creative with how you can break in your yoga mat and age it more quickly.
Keep the Mat Unrolled and Use It Often
Keep your yoga mat out and do as much as you can on it. And I don’t just mean yoga!
Walk around on it, sit on it, roll around, or lay down to read or watch TV. The more you can do on your mat, the more you break it in and loosen it up. This will help reduce the initial over stickiness to a point where you feel more comfortable practicing on it.
Avoid walking on it with not clean shoes, though, the ones that you go outside. Your yoga mat is a place where you go to perform spiritual practice, so keeping it clean as much as possible should be one of the priorities.
Practice Other Forms of Exercise on the Mat
Yoga mats can also be great surfaces for other exercises. For example, if you need a space to stretch out, perform floor exercises or absorb some of the shocks of higher impact exercises, try using your yoga mat.
It can be a great alternative to a traditional exercise mat and will help break it in and cause it to be less sticky.
Remember not to do anything so extreme as to damage your mat. Instead, be gentle and use your natural movements and weight to speed up its aging process. Remember to engage in this process with bare feet, as using street shoes on your mat can damage the top layer and cause it to flake.
Also, if you have kids or pets, it would be better to keep the mat out of their reach. In this case, you could just unroll it in the evenings when you can actively keep an eye on it. The last thing you want is to come home to claw marks over the surface.
Try a Diluted Vinegar Scrub
In addition to physically breaking in your mat, giving it regular cleanings can help break it in faster. Distilled white vinegar is a favorite among yogis for making at-home mat sprays that clean safely and effectively.
To clean your mat with vinegar:
- Fill a spray bottle with three parts water and one part distilled white vinegar.
- If you have a favorite essential oil, add a few drops to the mixture.
- When it comes time to clean your mat, spray the cleaner liberally all over the surface.
- Using a clean cloth, gently scrub the surface until the vinegar is mostly wiped clean.
This diluted white vinegar mixture is an excellent cleanser to use at any time with your new yoga mat.
Even as it breaks in and the stickiness decreases, you can still use this cleaner to wipe away dirt and grime effectively. Also, if you choose an essential oil with bacteria-fighting properties, your at-home mat cleaner will help reduce the possibility of bacteria growth.
Consider a Diluted Vinegar Bath
You can also use diluted vinegar mat cleaner and your bathtub to give your mat a more immersive experience. This strategy comes in handy when you really need to give your mat a deep cleaning and can help break it in and reduce its stickiness.
To give your mat a diluted vinegar bath:
- Unroll your yoga mat and lay it in your bathtub.
- Loosely fold it in half or in thirds if it won’t fit.
- Liberally spray the cleaner all over the mat’s surface and give it a gentle scrub with a sponge or cloth.
- Next, plug the tub and let it fill with a few inches or centimeters of warm water.
- Allow your yoga mat to soak in the mixture of water and vinegar cleaner for a while.
- Scrub again if necessary.
- Drain the tub, give the mat a rinse and remove any excess water.
- Leave to dry on a clothes horse if possible.
