A cotton yoga mat slips in two different ways, and each has its own fix. If the mat slides on the floor, sweep the tiles and check that the natural latex layer on the underside is clean and still tacky. If your hands and feet slide on the mat, dampen your palms and soles lightly; cotton grips better with a little moisture, which is why it comes into its own once you sweat. Cotton can slip when bone dry, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise.
First, work out which slip you have
Stand on the mat and push a foot forward. If the whole mat moves, the problem is between mat and floor. If the mat stays and your foot moves, the problem is between you and the cotton. Many people have a little of both in the first week with a new mat, and both ease as the mat settles and your practice adjusts.
If the mat slides on the floor
Our cotton mats have a thin layer of natural tree latex brushed by hand onto the underside. It holds well on tile, marble and wood, provided the floor is clean and the latex is still tacky.
- Sweep the floor before practice. Hard floors collect a fine dust that acts like ball bearings under any mat. This is the biggest single fix.
- Wipe the underside with a dry cloth. Dust, hair and talc stick to latex.
- Let it settle. A mat rolled tightly in transit takes a few sessions to lie flat. Unroll it the night before.
- Check the latex. Fresh latex has a slight tack under the palm. After many washes it can soften and feel smooth; a thin fresh coat of natural latex restores it. We walk through it in how to restore the latex grip and describe the layer in the natural latex grip layer explained.
- On carpet, change tactics. Latex grips hard, smooth floors; on carpet any mat slides a little. A firm, heavy mat such as the 7 mm Diamond Clay moves least, or lay the rug over a rubber mat.
If you are allergic to natural latex, choose with care and write to us first.
If your hands and feet slide on the mat
This is the slip people usually mean, and it comes down to how cotton behaves. Smooth foam grips dry skin and loses grip when wet. Cotton does the opposite: dry palms on dry cotton glide, and slightly damp palms hold.
- Dampen your palms and soles. Wet your hands and feet and shake them off, or flick a little water where your hands land in downward dog. A few rounds of Surya Namaskar and you will be making the moisture yourself.
- Let the mat warm up. Cotton grips better ten minutes in than at the first pose. Start with standing work rather than planks if slipping bothers you.
- Press, do not slide, into the pose. Set the hands down where they will stay and press through the fingertips. Walking the hands forward on dry cotton is what slides.
- Choose texture. The ribbed weave of the Indico and the raised lattice of the Diamond mats give fingers and toes something to catch on.
- Rinse out softener. If a mat feels slick after washing, fabric softener is the likely cause. Rinse it thoroughly in cold water and never use softener again.
- Give it a week. A new rug is at its slickest; as it is washed and used, the surface opens up and grips better.
Layering a rug over a rubber mat
In Mysore-style rooms it is common to lay a cotton rug over a rubber mat: the rubber holds the floor, the cotton takes the sweat. If you already own a rubber mat and your rug slides on the floor or on carpet, this is the quickest fix of all. Our article on layering a cotton rug over a rubber mat covers when it helps and when it is unnecessary.
Symptom, cause, fix
| What you notice | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Whole mat creeps forward on tiles | Dust on the floor or the underside | Sweep the floor, wipe the latex side |
| Mat slides even on a clean floor | Latex softened after many washes | Thin fresh coat of natural latex |
| Mat slides on carpet | Latex needs a hard floor | Heavier mat, or rug over a rubber mat |
| Hands glide at the start, hold later | Dry skin on dry cotton | Dampen palms, let the mat warm up |
| Mat feels slick after washing | Fabric softener | Rinse well in cold water, no softener |
What not to do
- Do not spray the underside with adhesive or rubber sprays. They can damage the natural latex and are hard to remove.
- Do not chalk or talc your hands on a cotton mat; it fills the weave and makes it slicker.
- Do not use fabric softener, ever.
- Do not dry the mat in strong sun to "set" it; it fades the plant dyes and does nothing for grip.
- Do not lay a cotton rug on a freshly mopped floor. Let it dry first.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my cotton yoga mat slip when it is dry?
Cotton grips better with a little moisture, so dry palms on dry cotton glide while slightly damp palms hold. This is the opposite of smooth foam, which grips dry skin and slips when wet. Dampen your hands and feet lightly before practice, or flick a little water where your hands land, and the grip improves within minutes as you warm up and begin to sweat.
How do I stop a yoga rug sliding on a tile floor?
Sweep the floor first, since fine dust under any mat makes it slide, and wipe the latex underside with a dry cloth. Our cotton mats have a thin layer of natural tree latex brushed onto the underside that holds on tile, marble and wood when both surfaces are clean. If the mat still slides on a clean floor after many washes, the latex has softened and a thin fresh coat of natural latex restores it.
Does a cotton yoga mat work on carpet?
Less well than on a hard floor. The latex underside grips tile, marble and wood, but on carpet any mat slides a little and wobbles in balance poses. A firm, heavier mat such as the 7 mm Diamond moves least, and laying the cotton rug over a rubber mat is the other reliable fix.
Should I put a cotton rug over a rubber yoga mat?
If you sweat heavily or your floor is carpeted, yes: the rubber holds the floor and the cotton takes the sweat, which is how many Mysore-style Ashtanga rooms practise. On a clean, hard floor at home it is usually unnecessary, because the latex underside of the rug does the holding on its own.
Next step
Sweep the floor, dampen your palms, and give the mat a week before you judge it. If the underside has gone smooth after years of washing, read how to restore the latex grip.
