An eco friendly yoga mat is a tool used to provide comfort and stability in the practice of yoga as a system of exercise. The mats here on the ground are used for yoga practice. You would want to maximize the lifespan and comfort because they can cost a lot of money sometimes. Additional steps are needed to care for the mats for efficient cost, safety, and comfort.
A new mat will often have a rubbery smell and a slightly slippery feel to it. The rubbery smell will fade over time, however you can accelerate this by air-drying, if the smell is too bothersome. The mat may feel slippery on the surface, this is due to the residue that forms on the mat during the manufacturing of the mat. The gunk can eventually come off if you use it many times, therefore after a few uses it shouldn't be a problem anymore. Although if you want to get rid of it in a fast manner, you can use a mild detergent with water to wipe it, or a solution of vinegar and water. Use as little soap as possiable to avoid leaving soap particles on the mat. Leaving the mat in the sun for a while also helps to get rid of both the smell and the oily residue.
With long periods of use, an eco friendly yoga mat will eventually become soiled. Use water and a towel after spraying the top to wipe off the gunk if there is only a light coating of it. If the soiling is heavier, you might want to give the mat a proper washing. These mats are not machine washable, so you will have to do it by hand. It's best to clean the mat in a tub filled with cold water and just a capfull of detergent or household cleaner. As you wash the mat, make sure to scrub it gently to avoid messing up the surface. After scrubbing your mat, rinse it well to get rid of any soap. If soap seeps into the mat, it could make the surface slippery when sweat during exercise mixes with the soap. Rinsing must always be done correctly, since if it is not done right, there can be comfort and safety issues.
The mat is very simply to clean and hangs dry. You can use a towel to speed up the drying process if you are short of time. Simply lay the towel on top of the mat, and roll the mat together with the towel. Then just apply pressure to the mat so extra water is squeezed out and can them be absorbed by a towel. Unroll it and hang them to dry. This shouldn't take long since the water has spread out.
Lastly, rolling an eco friendly yoga mat for storage should be done with the used surface outside. Upon unrolling it for usage these steps will keep the corners flat. It is important to prevent microorganism from growing so store it in a cool dry area.
