Why You'll Want To Use An Old Yoga Mat Under Your Flowerpot

Yoga mats are notoriously hard to recycle since they're made from PVC, which is one of the toughest materials to salvage. Because of that, it's best not to send your old yoga mats to the recycling bin since they will likely be rerouted to the dump. Instead, find new ways to repurpose them in your house, giving them a second life. And if you're a gardener that loves to decorate with plants, one way to make this task easier is to put old yoga mats under flower pots.

If you have a planter with a drainage hole, you'll know it's both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it offers plenty of drainage, lowering your plant's chances of root rot. But it's also a curse because your planters might leak water onto your floor, even after you give the plant sufficient time to dry in the sink. If this is a predicament you often experience, then try this handy yoga mat hack to catch the dripping water.

Upcycling a yoga mat as a planter coaster is simple and requires a marker, box cutter, or scissors. All you need to do is put your planter on top of your yoga mat and trace its shape. Then take your box cutter or scissors and cut out the form. Since the mat is thick, make sure you sharpen your scissors beforehand to make it easier to cut through.

Once you have your foamy circle, you can do one of two things. If your plant is in a nursery planter inside of a decorative pot, lift the nursery planter out and put the yoga mat piece inside the pot. That way, when you go water the nursery planter in the sink and pop it back into its decorative holder afterward, it blocks the hole, ensuring no residual water leaks out. However, if your plant is directly planted into the pot, simply place the rubbery mat underneath it like a coaster to separate it from the surface below and prevent leakage.

Since these yoga mats are made from PVC, which is a type of vinyl, they're extremely thick and water-resistant. This ensures the water will pool on the mat rather than seep through it and onto your furniture. This is especially true if you have a closed-cell mat, which was created to withstand sweaty workout sessions, making it water-resistant. Open-cell mats are a bit more porous, so they might retain more water, leading to unexpected leaks. You can tell the difference because closed-cell mats are thinner and firmer than their more porous (and thus more cushioned) counterparts.

If you happen to only have a cushiony, open-cell mat lying around, you can still do this hack. Just cut out two foam pieces instead of one to be on the safe side. That way, if the first mat absorbs too much water and begins to leak, the one under it can catch the drips, protecting your furniture.