How to choose and maintain yoga mats

Before buying a yoga mat, you should consider the following 7 points:

　　1. Will it slip after sweating?

　　2. Is it easy to clean?

　　3. Is it easy to carry?

　　4. Is there an "expiry date" marked on it?

　　5. Is the material environmentally friendly? Will it cause harm to the environment and the body?

　　6. When laid flat on the ground, is it easy to lay flat and will it not wrinkle?

　　7. Is it sticky?

　　Based on the above points, Coach Lan Li provides 4 tips for selection for your reference:

　　1. Use an eraser to rub the yoga mat to see if the material is easy to break.

　　2. Use your thumb and index finger to pinch the yoga mat to test its pressure resistance.

　　3. Wet a small piece of yoga mat to simulate sweating and see if it becomes slippery.

　　4. Pay attention to the material of the yoga mat and choose environmentally friendly ones. Traditional yoga mats are made of PVC, which is a long-term source of plastic pollution and can pollute the environment. And the plastic smell emitted will also affect the effectiveness of practice. The environmentally friendly yoga mat is made of natural latex, hemp and other natural materials, without PVC and without any odor.

　　After owning a yoga mat of your own, you must not only take good care of it, but also clean it frequently. In an interview with "Yoga Journal", Xia Baisi, the founder of Hange Mog Yoga Products in the United States, suggested that in order to ensure hygiene, it is best to clean it every other week.

　　For ordinary simple cleaning, you can use two cups of water and 4 drops of dishwashing detergent in a sprayer. After spraying the yoga mat, wipe it dry with a dry cloth.

　　If the mat is very dirty, you can use washing powder and water to clean it. Use as little detergent as possible because any residue will make the yoga mat slippery in the future. Use a cloth dipped in detergent and water to gently scrub the mat, then rinse it with clean water. Finally, roll up the yoga mat with a dry towel, absorb excess water and dry it to dry.