If you've ever unrolled a brand-new Manduka PRO® Mat and thought, why is this so slick? — you're not imagining it, and you're not alone. It's one of the most common questions we get from new PRO owners, and the answer is a little more nuanced than the advice that's been floating around the yoga community for years.
First, let's clear something up.
The Salt Scrub Myth
For a long time, the go-to advice for breaking in a new PRO mat was to scrub it down with coarse salt, leave it in the sun, and rinse it off. It was shared on forums, passed between studio regulars, and — we'll own this — it even made it onto some of our own packaging.
We're officially retiring it.
Not because it's harmful to the mat, but because it's not actually doing what people think it's doing. The slickness on a new PRO mat isn't a layer of residue that salt can scrub away. It's the nature of the surface itself, and it resolves on its own with use.
Why the PRO Mat Feels Different at First
Every PRO series yoga mat is hand-poured and built to last a lifetime. The closed-cell surface, which makes it so dense, supportive, and durable, starts out firm and consistent across the entire mat. Because each one is made individually, how it feels in those first sessions can vary.
What develops over time is your relationship with it: how you distribute your weight, how you move through poses, how your body learns to work with the mat beneath it.
The good news: your PRO mat is fully functional the moment you unroll it. It's stable, supportive, and built for the long haul. The rest is practice.
What Actually Helps
1. Use your mat consistently.
The most effective thing you can do is practice on it. The more contact your mat gets (hands in down dog, feet in warrior, weight shifting through poses), the more confident and deliberate your movement becomes.
2. Wipe it down after every session.
Sweat, body oil, and product buildup (lotion, sunscreen, anything on your skin) sit on the mat's surface and contribute to slip. A quick wipe-down after each practice removes that layer before it builds up. Use a damp cloth or a dedicated mat wash; our mat wash formula is designed for our full line of mats and won't degrade the material over time.
Avoid soaking the mat or submerging it in water. The PRO's closed-cell construction means it won't absorb moisture, but prolonged saturation isn't good for the material or its durability.
3. Use a towel for hot yoga or high-sweat practices.
The PRO mat is built for stability and support, not for sweat absorption due to its closed-cell construction. In heated classes or any practice where you're sweating heavily, a yoga towel is your best friend.
The Yogitoes® Hot Yoga Mat Towel is purpose-built for this hot yoga and sweaty practices. It lays over your mat, activates with moisture (the wetter it gets, the grippier it becomes), and protects the mat surface at the same time. For hand grip specifically, the eQua® Hand Towel is a simple addition that makes a meaningful difference.
When It's Not About the Break-In Period
If you've been practicing on your PRO mat for several months and still experiencing significant slip, it's worth looking at a few other variables.
What's on your skin. Lotion, oils, and even some soaps leave a residue that transfers to the mat. Try practicing without anything on your hands and feet and see if it changes the feel.
How you're cleaning it. Some cleaning products, particularly anything with oils or conditioning agents, can make the surface more slick. Stick to a formula that's specifically designed for yoga mats, like Manduka’s Yoga Mat Wash & Refresh.
How much you sweat. The PRO is built for stability and support. If you tend to sweat a lot and are practicing without a towel, it may not be the right setup for you. The GRP® Adapt Yoga Mat is designed specifically for high-sweat practices, with a surface that holds up under moisture without needing a towel layer.
Your weight distribution. Slip in poses like down dog often comes down to biomechanics — specifically, pushing forward rather than pressing firmly down through your finger pads and the base of your palm. This isn't a mat problem, it's a technique cue, and it's worth exploring with a teacher if you’d like additional guidance.
The Bottom Line
Some adjustment time with a new PRO mat is completely normal. It's not defective, and it doesn't need a salt treatment. What it needs is practice, and a little basic care to keep the surface clean between sessions.
If you're in a heated yoga practice or sweating a lot, pair it with a Yogitoes or eQua towel. If you're in the early weeks with a new mat, trust the process. The PRO is designed to become more yours with every session, and once it does, it tends to stay that way for years.
The best version of your PRO mat is still ahead of you. That’s why we guarantee it for life.
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