Hello. I have a brand-new yoga mat that's great, hands down, except for the burned rubber odor radiating from it. I've tried washing/ rinsing, hanging outside, draping inside with the ceiling fan from above and a heater from below. Perhaps, time will heal and solve all? Does anyone know how to neutralize the mat? THANKS! shawn
I am a relative newbie, but here's what I know: I bought a REALLY cheap mat from a closeout store, and at first it smelled sort of chemical, but the smell faded gradually over several months. It's been a couple of years and I can only smell the mat-smell if my nose is pressed to it. For me it was like anything else that's new - the new- smell, whether good or bad, just takes time to fade away.
But if the odor is really that strong, enough to bother you, maybe it's better to get another mat? And smell before you buy? I don't know if I'd be able to enjoy doing yoga on a mat that smelled like burned rubber. Good luck.
> I am a relative newbie, but here's what I know: I bought a REALLY > cheap mat from a closeout store, and at first it smelled sort of > chemical, but the smell faded gradually over several months. It's been > a couple of years and I can only smell the mat-smell if my nose is > pressed to it. For me it was like anything else that's new - the new- > smell, whether good or bad, just takes time to fade away.
> But if the odor is really that strong, enough to bother you, maybe > it's better to get another mat? And smell before you buy? I don't know > if I'd be able to enjoy doing yoga on a mat that smelled like burned > rubber. Good luck.
Hello. Thank you for your response. This is my second mat bought through the net at different stores. The smell spreads through the house. What's a little frustrating is that everyone at the mat stores are mystified about this. Oh, please. I'll keep in mind your experience of the smell wearing off over time. TANKS! shawn
On May 15, 6:06 am, zipper <du...@cablespeed.com> wrote:
> Hello. I have a brand-new yoga mat that's great, hands down, except > for the burned rubber odor radiating from it. I've tried washing/ > rinsing, hanging outside, draping inside with the ceiling fan from > above and a heater from below. Perhaps, time will heal and solve > all? Does anyone know how to neutralize the mat? THANKS! shawn
Hi,
And welcome to alt.yoga. Your on-topic post is most appreciated :-)
I personally don't think plastic mats, sticky, stinky or otherwise are the way to go. Here is a link to a mat I bought and am very happy with. Others I have suggested it to were also happy, so I don't hesitate to suggest it.
There is also a link on this page to a discussion of why sticky mats are not really appropriate for serious yoga. And I agree, that mats should not provide grip. If you need grip to hold a pose then you are not balanced and relaxed into the pose and you are just kidding yourself that you are doing hatha yoga.
On 2008-05-15, zipper <du...@cablespeed.com> wrote:
> Hello. Thank you for your response. This is my second mat bought > through the net at different stores. The smell spreads through the > house. What's a little frustrating is that everyone at the mat stores > are mystified about this. Oh, please. I'll keep in mind your > experience of the smell wearing off over time. TANKS! shawn
I'm also mystified. My mat smells rubbery being a natural latex and sacking material (compostible) one. It's not noticeable now and was not strong and not burnt.
The cheap mat is probably a sticky mat made of PVC. It will have plasticisers to make it soft which will leach out making that new plastic smell.
- Richard
-- _/_/_/ _/_/_/ _/_/_/ Richard dot Corfield at gmail dot com _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/ _/ _/ Time is a one way street, _/ _/ _/_/ _/_/_/ except in the Twilight Zone
> The cheap mat is probably a sticky mat made of PVC. It will have > plasticisers to make it soft which will leach out making that new > plastic smell.
I think you're probably right about my mat. It suffices, it doesn't smell anymore, and I don't find anything yoga-ish about buying a ridiculously expensive mat just because mine isn't as "nice" as some of the others on the market. Be where you are, right? :)
On 2008-05-16, kcoldi...@gmail.com <kcoldi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> The cheap mat is probably a sticky mat made of PVC. It will have >> plasticisers to make it soft which will leach out making that new >> plastic smell.
> I think you're probably right about my mat. It suffices, it doesn't > smell anymore, and I don't find anything yoga-ish about buying a > ridiculously expensive mat just because mine isn't as "nice" as some > of the others on the market. Be where you are, right? :)
I started out with a £10 sticky. It's still there though they do suffer if you don't cut your toe nails before doing Down Dog. The compostible one was ex-demo so a good bargain and now our family of two has two mats so we can practice together.
If the sticky works then yes stick to it. If you use a cotton rug or anything in future they also make good sticky layers between that and the floor. There is an argument that things can most effectively pay back their manufacture and cost if used until destruction.
Being where you are is fine. There's also Aparigraha (non greed, non hoarding) and Santosha (contentment), though balancing it I don't think there's harm in having a nice one if you wish in the future. Judith Lasater has some lovely pages on those terms, sections on Yammas and Niyammas if you've not read them already.
I've had to learn and still have to relearn at times that "Boys Toys" do tend not to give long term pleasure and can be a waste. Still there's nothing wrong with buying things that are genuinely useful, including things in support of hobbies. A fancy camera may be a toy to someone who just puts it down and doesn't use it after a week, but to someone who does a lot of photography it can provide continuous service and that service can be given to others. I don't use the fancy kite I bought a few years ago and maybe shouldn't keep it, but a friend of mine has joined a club and makes a lot of use and gets a lot of benefit from his purchase.
It may sound non-religious to value pleasure outside religion. It's one of those interesting questions.
- Richard
-- _/_/_/ _/_/_/ _/_/_/ Richard dot Corfield at gmail dot com _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/ _/ _/ Time is a one way street, _/ _/ _/_/ _/_/_/ except in the Twilight Zone
