the replacement cutting mats are pretty spendy, so i was willing to try alternative methods.
then i remembered those sticky hand toys i had when i was a kid.
when the hand accumulated too much gunk from sticking to too many things, a quick wash with dish soap brought it back to life. hmmm... worth a try!
jackpot! it worked! it took a bit of scrubbing (gently with just my hands) and several generous squirts of dish soap, but the mat is re-sticky-ified!
you have my permission to spend the money you save with this little tip on more [insert your medium here]. mine would be fabric. i think i'm getting addicted.