I wanted to flip it over and use the plain side, but boy, what a smell! I was at Ben Franklin today and thought to buy a new one, but smelled the back and it smelled too!

I left it plain side up and had a few tissues on it, went to use one and they smell too, so whatever is in the mat is going to permeate any fabric I lay on it.

Any ideas?

Soak it in the bath with a little laundry detergent. Not too much!

Leave for a while and then gently rinse and dry. It should smell lovely and feel great too and it also prolongs the life of your board.

Really? I didn't think you could get them wet.

And, are those FLAMINGOS? omg, where do you live?

Sue, you were right. Didn't think to google first.

http://www.generations-quilt-pattern...tting-mat.html

My olfa mat smelled so bad when I first got it, that I thought we had a chemical leak. Took me a little while to realize that it was coming from the mat! It faded over time, though.

I lay mine out in the sun on occassion.... maybe that would help?