Yoga Mat & Sweatbands
 

I have yet to find a yoga mat that I don't slip on when I get sweaty. I just bought a Gaiam mat that claims to be nonslip but I'm slipping on it when I sweat. It feels really sticky so I thought it might work. Any suggestions?

Also, I wear sweatbands when I workout and they can get really sweaty and stinky. I wash them in really hot water and dry them in my dryer (but it takes too long to dry them) but they still seem to stink. Any suggestions on how to clean them or do you know of any lightweight sweatbands that might work better. I'm thinking that sense they are heavier bands that might be the problem.

Thanks for your input!

I have a Jade Harmony mat which is my stickiest by far; I use it for hot yoga.

I have had good success using white vinegar as a fabric softener with smelly stuff. And for more offensive items I soak them in a basin full of warm water and a cup of white vinegar.

As far as your yoga mat, have you tried yoga grippy socks? They are fairly inexpensive at TJmaxx/Marshall's.

Soaking in white vinegar and then tossing in the laundry with everything else has worked for me when I bought used t-shirts online and they smelled really mildewy. I thought they were beyond saving actually but the vinegar did the trick.

Back when I used to do yoga workouts occasionally and had sweaty feet/hands, I got a rubber yoga mat (think the exact brand I bought isn't available anymore). It was pretty rough/grippy though even though that one had a bad review or two about people saying sweat made it slick. So YMMV. Downside to the mat was it weighed 5lbs or so and I was lugging it across campus.

I made some great DIY sweatbands by tearing strips from XL men's cotton tee shirts. Not glam (or for public viewing) but they are absorbent and can be washed in hot water with bleach if desired. :)

I also use vinegar in the laundry for odors. My workout clothes were always smelling sweaty even after washing so I use Tide Sport for them with vinegar added and it's much better. I use vinegar for all laundry, though, not just my gym clothes.

I spritz down my mats (Gaiam) with a DIY solution in a spray bottle of 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar. And I add a couple drops of dish soap and essential oil to the mix and shake.) I use a microfiber towel to wipe my mat down. It's helped somewhat, but at least mat is clean. ;)

I got a new TPE mat recently and it's very slick because it's made of foam material that's supposed to be more natural. I think it needs to be broken in, but it's very pretty with a photograph of an ocean sunset. The mat itself isn't very thick but I have an older Gaiam mat underneath so it's better.

I use the grippy socks and gloves in the winter, but I prefer to have hands and feet free. ;)

Oh white vinegar is a great idea. When my boys played hockey and I had REALLY stinky stuff to wash, I found Fresh Wave laundry additive. It works pretty well, but in retrospect I wish I had tried white vinegar to see if that would have worked.

Mats are so individual! As others have suggested, you might have better luck searching for one for one that works for "hot yoga."

I don't wear grippy yoga socks myself most of the time, but sometimes I like them when teaching. I prefer the ones with open toes/heels so that your feet can still feel the floor. I have these by Gaiam:
https://smile.amazon.com/Gaiam-Yoga-.../dp/B07THGDH8P

And here is a similar shorter style:
https://smile.amazon.com/Non-Slip-Pi.../dp/B095NX72W5

I also have a Jade mat and it is very non slip without feeling sticky if that makes sense. I used it for hot yoga, which I haven’t done since Covid hit, and lately on top of my 6’ round mat at home. I clean all my mats with my steam mop floor cleaner.