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How to Flatten a Yoga Mat That Keeps Curling Up
How to flatten a yoga mat that keeps curling up: roll it the other way, poses out, weigh down the corners, then store it so it stays flat.
To flatten a yoga mat, roll it up the other way, with the top side facing out, and leave it for about 15 minutes. Then lay it on a hard floor with a heavy book on each corner, overnight if the ends are stubborn. To stop it curling again, always roll it that way round. On a mat with engraved poses, that simply means poses out.
You unroll the mat on the living-room floor, your child is already standing at one end, and both ends rise like a scroll that wants to close again. Any mat that has spent a while rolled up can do this.
Why does a yoga mat keep curling up?
A yoga mat curling up is keeping the shape it was stored in. Rolled with the top side on the inside, the ends curl up towards you when it's unrolled. Rolled the other way, they fall towards the floor.
A light mat has less weight of its own pressing it flat, so the direction of the roll matters more than it would for a heavy one. That's the whole problem, and it's why the fix is mostly about rolling, not force.
When should you flatten a new yoga mat?
Flatten a new yoga mat the day it arrives, so it's ready the first time your child wants it. Do it again after a long spell in a cupboard, and after cleaning, once it's completely dry. The same steps work for a new mat and an old one.
And if you're wrapping one as a present, roll it poses out first, so the pictures are the first thing your grandchild sees and the ends fall to the floor when it's unrolled. There are more screen-free gift ideas in our gift guide.
How to flatten a yoga mat, step by step
Six steps, cheapest first. Start at step 1 and stop as soon as the mat lies flat.
1. Lay it out on a hard floor, poses up
Unroll it on a wooden, laminate or tiled floor rather than carpet, which gives underfoot and leaves the ends less to press against. If carpet is all you have, see our guide to doing yoga on carpet. Your child will be standing on it within seconds, which is fine.
2. Roll it the other way
Roll it up with the poses on the outside, snug but not squeezed, and put the strap round it. Leave it for about 15 minutes. Your child will want to unroll it after two, so give them the job of timing it.
3. Unroll it upside down for a few minutes
Lay it out with the poses facing the floor, so any curl left in the ends points down into the floor instead of up. After a few minutes, turn it back over. Expect a child to lie on it while it's upside down, which helps.
4. Put a heavy book on each corner
Hardback books are ideal: flat, heavy and easy to put away. Leave them overnight if the ends are stubborn. Choose books rather than anything a toddler could pull over or roll away.
5. Let your child walk it flat
Barefoot, your child finds each numbered pose in turn, from 1 to 15, and stands or sits on it for a moment. On our mats every pose is numbered, so it becomes a treasure hunt that presses the mat down as it goes. You can see both numbered pose sequences if you're still choosing.
6. Leave it lying flat
Leave the mat flat until the morning, or until your child next wants it. Nothing else to do.
How long does it take for a yoga mat to lie flat?
Start with 15 minutes rolled the other way. If the ends still lift after that, leave the books on overnight. A mat that has been rolled the wrong way round for months may need the routine on two or three evenings in a row. Those are instructions, not promises: every mat is different.
What if your yoga mat still won't lie flat?
Repeat steps 2 and 4 rather than escalating. A second reverse roll and another night under the books is the next thing to try.
You'll find plenty of advice online to use sunlight, a hairdryer, a warm bath or even an iron. None of those is part of a Yogi-Me mat's care instructions, which are a damp cloth, mild soap and air-drying flat, so we wouldn't use them on one. If it's another brand's mat, its own label is the place to look before trying heat or water.
If your Yogi-Me mat still won't lie flat after a few evenings, email us at info@yogime.co.uk. If it's someone else's mat and you're thinking of replacing it, here's a guide to choosing your child's first mat.
How do you keep a yoga mat flat?
Roll it poses out, every time. That one habit is the prevention. Make sure it's dry before you roll it, so let it dry flat after cleaning, and keep the strap snug rather than tight.
Teach your child the rule. Our mats weigh 800 g and come with a carry strap, so rolling one up properly can be their job.
How to store a yoga mat in a child's room
Store it rolled with the poses out, hung by its strap from a peg or a door hook, stood in a corner, or lying flat under the bed if there's room. Put it low enough for your child to reach, so getting it out is their job too.
A mat your child can help look after
A mat with pictures on it shows which way up it goes. With 15 numbered poses laser-engraved on the top side, "poses out" is a rule a four-year-old can follow. Looking after one is a damp cloth, mild soap and air-drying flat. The mat measures 183 x 61 cm and is 6 mm thick, in non-toxic, PVC-free TPE, and it's £34.99, with UK delivery included.
See every colour, in both designs. If the mat is already rolled out and ready, our guide to first steps in kids' yoga covers the first session.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to roll or fold a yoga mat?
Roll it. A rolled mat has no fold line to flatten, and a carry strap fits round a roll, not a fold. Roll it with the top side, or the poses, facing out, so the ends fall towards the floor next time. If a mat has been folded, the same steps work on the crease, with the books over it.
How do you get creases out of a yoga mat?
Use the same steps: roll it the other way, then lay it flat with heavy books along the crease, and leave them longer, overnight or across two nights. Heat and ironing aren't part of a Yogi-Me mat's care instructions, so we'd stick to rolling and weight. On another maker's mat, its label has the final word.
Can you soak a yoga mat in water to flatten it?
Not a Yogi-Me mat. Its care instructions stop at a damp cloth, mild soap and air-drying flat, and a soak goes beyond them. Rolling it the other way and weighing down the corners with books is all it needs. With a mat from another maker, read its label before it goes anywhere near water.
Which side of a yoga mat goes on the floor?
On a Yogi-Me mat, the poses face up, so the side without the pictures goes on the floor. That's also the side to have on the inside when you roll it up. On a plain mat, check the maker's label or website, because mats differ.
