How to Soften a Wrestling Mat
- 1). Never unroll new wrestling mats in cold weather. Keep them in a warm environment for a 24-hour period before they are unpacked and unrolled. The mats need to be at temperatures of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit before they are unrolled. If they are delivered in the middle of winter and the temperature outside is freezing, leave them rolled up until they have been at room temperature for 24 degrees. This will soften the wrestling mats.
- 2). Keep the mats as clean and immaculate as possible after every match or practice session. The mats will not only look bad if dirt is allowed to be ground in, but those dirt particles also can bore small holes into the mat. Once the mat has been damaged, it will need to be repaired quickly before small holes turn into major rips. The best way to avoid tears is to keep the mat clean. That will allow you to preserve the mat's soft exterior.
- 3). Clean the mats with a chemical cleaning solution designed for wrestling mats. This will get rid of a potential mildew problem and keep the mats looking sharp. During the wrestling season, use the chemical cleaner after every second match. The chemical cleaner will dull the finish of the mat while it is being applied; however, the original color will be returned once the mat is dry.
- 4). Repair and recondition a mat at the first sign of a tear or the loss of foam inside the mat. Small cuts and tear can be repaired with your repair kit. However, if you have a cut along one of the seams, you will have to send it back to the manufacturer to have it professionally repaired. Do not hesitate to do this even if you are in season. Use an older mat as a substitute or borrow one from a competitor. Using a damaged mat is sure to shorten its lifetime, and it will quickly lose it softness.
- 5). Store your mats flat during the off-season. This may not be possible since some mats are 40 feet by 40 feet. If you don't have that kind of storage room, the mats must be rolled and put in storage tubes. Do not leave the mats on a transporter, because that will cause deep depressions on them. Storing mats correctly will leave them softer by the start of the next wrestling season.