How Often To Replace Yoga Mat? – Signs It’s Shouting, ‘Upgrade Me Now!’

Been wondering how often to replace yoga mat? My yoga mat is my number one essential tool when I’m doing my yoga practice.

It comes with me everywhere and makes me happy when I use it because I know how it supports me and keeps me in a clean, safe space of my own.

So, let’s chat today about how we can work out when it’s time to replace our mat with a brand new one.

As you can imagine there’s no hard and fast rule here but I’ll let you know some signs we can look out for.

Signs Your Yoga Mat Needs Replacing

1. The cushioning has gone flat

One of the first things I noticed when I was going to replace my mat was that the cushioning just wasnt as spongy as before.

You know when you stand on your mat and you feel that cushioning that reminds you that you’re joint will be supported today?

Well I noticed that my mat started to feel just like I was standing on the ground.

It’s funny because it’s a really gradual sort of flattening that happens to the material, based on the wear and tear it gets.

This isn’t always something you can see easily because some of our mats are fairly thin but it’s more of a feeling, so keep an eye out for that.

** This sign is even more important if you have bad knees and need that extra support – don’t risk your knees**

2. Your mat smells

Now, I’m not talking about the smell a brand new mat has, that kind of new smell which takes a few uses to get rid of.

I’m talking about a different smell, that signals the nearing of the end for your mat.

It’s like the material internally is disintegrating and so it starts to give off a really pungent smell.

If you notice this after months of using your mat, that can be a sign that it’s falling apart from the inside.

** Of course make sure you don’t just need to give your mat a good clean – if you’re not sure try cleaning first **

3. It starts shedding

Sometimes when a yoga mat is getting old it will start piling and little bits start to come off it.

It’s like it’s shedding, so take a good look at your mat every now and then to make sure it’s all intact.

You might notice this sign when you go to pick up your mat at the end of a session and there’s little bits on the floor.

This can be really annoying to feel under your feet and then to see them left over on the floor is even worse.

4. It’s not as grippy anymore

When you first get your mat it feels kind of sticky, that’s because it’s made that way so you don’t slip around when you’re doing your yoga.

If you notice that when you do poses that need a bit more grip that you slip or move a bit it could mean your mat’s losing its grip…haha!

The last thing you need is to slip while you’re doing a pose, so just check the ‘stickiness’ if you’re mat’s been around for a while.

It’s really important to make sure you have a grippy yoga mat.

** If you do hot yoga make sure you keep a very close eye on this sign – we don’t want you slipping and getting injured **

5. Uneven padding and indents

Our mats are made really well to withstand a fair bit of pressure but after a while they will sometimes become uneven.

You’ll see areas which are permanently indented or spots where the padding is just not as thick anymore.

It’s just a sign of general wear and tear of a mat that’s obviously had lots of use and it’s showing you the signs.

6. It’s ripped or torn

There are some mat’s more than others that can tear, so don’t panic if your’s has a rip or tear in it.

If you’re anything like me you’ll probably still try to use it for a while but depending on where and how big the tear is you might have to replace it immediately.

If it’s a tiny tear you can probably manouver around it for a while but really that’s just annoying for you.

If your mat does rip, take note of the material it’s made from because next time you probably need a more durable mat.

7. It’s pretty old

I am one of those ‘don’t throw it out unless it’s broken’ type of people, so I find it tough to throw things out just because they’re old.

Most yoga mats will last at least 6-12 months but honestly I think we should be able to get more like 1-2 years out of them (and I do).

There’s some really easy things you can do to help make it last longer.

However, the general opinion is that if you’re regularly using your mat (most days) then 6-12 months and it’s done.

Just use your common sense to work out based on how much you use your mat as to when it’s ‘old’ and needs replacing.

How can we make our mat last longer?

There’s a few key tips to help make your mat last as long as it can.

The first one is to clean it regularly. This keeps the sweat and bacteria off the mat as much as possible to keep the material protected. You can chek out my article about how to clean your mat if you’re not sure what to do exactly.

The next tip is to store your mat safely. This sounds a bit weird but it’s not, I don’t mean with a padlock but I mean store it somewhere where it’s protected. I also wrote about how it’s best to store your mat, so check it out.

What are you placing your mat on? Consider the surface you’re putting it on and will that have an impact on your mat. I know lots of people who love going to the ocean, bush or outdoors with their mats, which is perfectly fine but if you do, maybe bring a towel to protect the underneath of your mat.

Buy a good quality mat in the first place. Yoga mats come in all kinds of materials, sizes and price’s so that’s really the time to make sure you treat yourself and buy a decent mat for your yoga practice. This comes down to self care and prioritising our own needs sometimes – it’s worth spending some money on and so are you.

Conclusion

I hope this list of tips helps you to keep your mat in tip top condition and if it doesn’t well buy a new one.

It’s good to be mindful when it comes to our mat as we do in our yoga practice.

We all want to keep our country clean and as environmentally friendly as we can and this is just one little way we can do our bit.