Making The Cleaning Solution
If you do decide to create your own mat cleaner, just mix about a tablespoon of detergent and about a gallon or so of water in a bowl or in the sink. Lukewarm water is fine. It doesnt have to be scorching hot. If your mat is especially stinky, you can throw in a teaspoon of baking soda.
After youve mixed the soap and water, you can either drop your mat into the solution directly and quickly pull it out or apply the soap to the mat with a small spray bottle or a clean kitchen sponge. Dont use a coarse scrubber or steel wool pad. You shouldnt need one, and it may damage your mat. You can also use the sponge to gently buff of any dirt spots.
Dont Worry About Tossing Your Mat In The Washing Machine
Lauren Imparato, founder of I.Am.You yoga in New York City, who provides mats for her students, is very particular about mat hygiene. Even if you wipe them down thoroughly after each use , throw yours in the washing machine once a month. No soap. Then into the dryer on medium to high heat. They hold up, she swears.
Yoga Mats With Open Pores Need More Care
Yoga mats with open pores need regular extra care because bacteria, fungi, and germs can settle in their open porous structure. To keep them hygienic, you should wipe them after each yoga class with a natural yoga mat spray and let them dry well before you roll them up.
Since most open-pored yoga mats are getting made of natural rubber, the hand wash in the bathtub or shower described above its recommended for more thorough cleaning.
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Maintaining Your Yoga Mat Regularly
How To Clean Your Mat
Add warm water and a few drops of dish soap into a spray bottle. Spritz your mat with the solution then scrub it firmly with a microfiber cloth. Dont be too vigorous with your scrubbing though, since you want to keep the naturally sticky nature of your mat intact. Be sure to spray and scrub both of its sides. To finish, rinse off your mat with warm water and allow it to air dry.
Wash your mat with soap and water at least once per month. Lilleston typically washes her mats once per month, but shell do it more frequently if she takes a few hot yoga classes. Although the mats odor is a good indicator of when it needs a wash, by the time it starts to reek it has already absorbed a lot of sweat and dirt that coats your body with every use, so sticking to cleaning it once per month will ensure that your mat never gets too bad.
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Caring For A Yoga Mat
Getting a new yoga mat is an exciting experience. Not only is it a wonderful way to fully commit to your yoga practice with newfound inspiration and energy, its also a great way to express your personality with a variety of colors, designs, and materials.
As a yoga instructor, Im often asked how to take care of a yoga mat and whats the best way to prep a new yoga mat for its first downward dog session. Here are a few tips and tricks Ive learned over the years.
Hand Wash with Soap and Water: The tried-and-trusted method that I use is to wet a washcloth with soapy water and wipe down my yoga mat before using it for the first time, as well as once a week throughout its life.
Add an Essential Oil to the Mixture: Buying a mat spray that contains essential oils is a great way to clean, disinfect, and add a nice scent to your mat. The scents Ive had the best luck with are lemon, orange, and eucalyptus for energy, or lavender and mint for a more relaxing scent.
Vinegar and Water: For a quick clean, create a 50/50 mixture of water and apple cider vinegar to wipe down your yoga mat. Let it hang dry in a well-ventilated room or outside in the fresh air.
Air Dry: New mat smell? Try hanging your mat outside for a day or two. As anyone who line-dries their laundry knows, fresh air and UV rays can do wonders.
I hope these tips help you stay grounded and balanced while on your mat, whether its your new companion or a longstanding friend to your yoga practice.
Wondering How Often You Should Clean Your Matand The Best Way To Remove Germs Dirt And Stink Read On
Theres nothing worse than rolling out your sticky mat before you practice and noticing a layer of grime or sniffing a subtle hint of days-old sweat. Yet it happens to the best of us, because cleaning your yoga mat is often an afterthought.
However, think about this for a moment: Yoga mats absorb all the sweat, oil, and grime that theyre exposed to. That means they can become dirty, smelly, and even contaminated with germs quickly, especially after a hot yoga class or particularly sweaty asana session. To keep all that gunk off your mat, establishing a consistent cleaning routine is crucial. Craig Stiff, the director of hardgoods at Manduka, recommends cleaning your mat after every practice or use.
Youre entering a sacred space when you practice, so the way you keep that space has an effect on what you get out of your practice, says Heather Lilleston, one of the founders of Yoga For Bad People. She continues, the whole idea of the dirty hippie yogi should be thrown out the window. A huge part of practice is cleanliness. If you cant remember the last time you thoroughly scrubbed down your mat, its probably time to give it a wash. Heres your guide to cleaning your yoga mat the right way.
Try Manduka Mat Wash
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Extra Tips On How To Keep Your Yoga Mat Clean
To make sure you get years out of your yoga mat, no matter what the material, here are a few of our tips:
Clean your feet before you practise If youve been walking around barefoot at home or outside and then you come to your mat, guess what? Those dirty feet are going to leave marks all over your mat! Wipe down your feet with warm water before you start your class.
Use a yoga towel to protect your mat during practise This will protect your mat from sweat and oily head stains our pick of the best yoga towels has some great options to help keep your mat looking brand new.
Use a blanket under your head in relaxation Hair has natural oils that can leave marks on the end of your mat. Using a blanket under your head when in relaxation, typically the longest time we lie down in a yoga class, can help to keep these stains from forming
Dry Your Mat Really Well
Its important to bear in mind that most yoga mats are porous, so drying will take anything up to and beyond 24 hours. It can take days if fully wet, cautions Laura. Keep your mat out of direct sunlight as it has the delightful ability to fade any beautiful designs and the sun can cause the mat to become stiff and brittle.
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Store Your Yoga Mat Properly
Pay attention to the grip and stickiness of the mat and whether it still retains its shape.If you notice your mat starts peeling, it’s time to purchase a new mat.
Additional Tips for Keeping Your Yoga Mat Clean
- After each yoga session, hang your mat and allow it to fully air dry rather than keeping it rolled up.
- To avoid a potential fungal or bacterial infection, don’t rent shared yoga mats from the studio or gym.
- Keep your mat out of direct sunlight, as it can cause fading and, depending on the material, can become brittle.
- If you don’t feel comfortable mixing your own cleaning products, check online for a pre-made solution designed for yoga mats.You might be surprised at what you find.
- When your yoga mat stars showing significant wear and tear, don’t bother with another washing.It’s time to replace it.Even a great mat can only withstand so many deep cleans.
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How To Wash Yoga Mat The Best Way In 4 Steps Explained
How to wash yoga mat? Your yoga mat has to withstand a lot: Lets assume that you practice yoga twice a week on average. After a year, you will have spent about 150 hours on your mat and at least ten times as many beads of sweat in it.
At some point, the bacteria party takes on festival dimensions.
It smells in the looking down dog, and hygiene during yoga practice is questionable. To stop this from occurring sooner and ensure that you enjoy your yoga mat for a long time, you should regularly maintain it.
Yoga is, besides relaxation, also a sweaty sport. Therefore you should wash your yoga mat regularly.
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Be Gentle While Cleaning And Drying
While most yoga mats are flexible and sturdy, it is still important to treat them gently, especially when you are cleaning them. Make sure that you use a soft material to wipe it clean before hanging it to air dry.
Also, it is advisable to avoid leaving it in sunlight to dry. Another important thing to remember is that most yoga mats are not designed to be washed in a washer so avoid putting your yoga mat in a washer or dryer.
Remember, a yoga mat can take your yoga sessions to the next level. Therefore, its your responsibility to keep it clean and fresh at all times. Keep in mind that staying sanitary is the only way to enjoy all the benefits that come with yoga practice!
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Make Sure You Remove Odours
As an eco-friendly alternative, sprinkle some baking soda onto your mat and rub it in.Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes, then brush it off or vacuum up the excess.
You can also create this homemade deodorising spray:
Note: You can also use a watered-down witch hazel, which is an astringent and may be more gentle on your skin.Witch hazel also helps neutralise odours trapped in your mat.
When shopping for yoga mats, look for products made from anti-odour materials.The Nike Mastery yoga mat is made from natural rubber and synthetic materials that are 20% recycled.Its anti-odour construction means no smelly odours in class.
Namatse Yoga Mat Hanger
Let no area of your home go unutilized, especially the often-overlooked spots. Over-the-door storage is the perfect solution for organizing small spaces, and were a big fan of the Namatse Yoga Mat Hanger.
If youd rather keep your mat unrolled but dont trust leaving it flat on the ground, this solution offers the best of both worlds.
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How To Store Your Yoga Mat
Rolling up your mat length-wise while on-the-go is the easiest method of packing it up. But back in your apartment, the ideal approach is to let it hang or lay flat.
An empty corner of the room where your mat can spread out away from pets or curious kids or roommates with sticky hands will suffice.
Prefer to keep your mat out of the way?
Here are five yoga mat storage solutions that will keep your mat safe and in good condition:
Why You Need To Wash Your Yoga Mat
Yoga mats are a prop that will get dirty, icky, stinky and sweaty with regular use and over a period of time. A dirty and stinky yoga mat always disrupts the meditative calming benefits of yoga and does not leave you with very pleasant yoga experience.
And so it is extremely important that you know exactly when to clean your yoga mat because washing it too often could even destroy it.
Here, we are going to let you into the process of cleaning a yoga mat in a washer and also share a few tips on how to maintain it on a regular basis.
While sweat, odor dust, and dirt can be cleaned with just a few wipes of the yoga mat, but there is harsher dirt like skin and product oils that tend to penetrate the surface of the mat and destroy it preventing a firm grip of your feet on the mat.
So, to increase the shelf life of your yoga mat and for slip-free yoga practice, it is absolutely essential to give it a wash and keep up with the daily maintenance.
So, if your yoga mat is machine washable then that makes your task simpler. Follow this process and youll find the right way to clean your yoga mat in the washer.
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Time For A Thorough Clean Of Your Yoga Mat
While the above method is very beneficial, you canât put off washing your yoga mat forever. Every so often, itâs a good idea to really give a thorough clean to remove any bacteria, oils, dirt, and germs that have built up over time. After all, it’s not just sweating thatâs the problem â your yoga mat spends most of its time on the floor, picking up all sorts of dirt that are hanging around. Fortunately, itâs very simple to wash your yoga mat.
How Often Should You Wash Your Yoga Mat
The frequency with which you wash your yoga mat depends on several factors:
- How often do you practice?
- How much do you sweat during practice?
- Is the surface you put your mat on pretty clean?
- What type of mat is it?
Your mats manufacturer usually provides care instructions on their website, but generally speaking, its a good idea to spot clean or wipe the mat about once a week and deep clean it every 4-6 weeks.
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Whip Up A Natural Solution
“We usually recommend a water-based, organic, all-purpose cleanser,” says Stacie Leavitt, brand rep for Manduka mats. “If you have a mat made from natural tree rubber, using a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar is a great way to naturally disinfect and restore the rubber’s texture and color.” Tea tree oil, and essential oils, like lavender or thyme can make nice additions, but you should check with the manufacturer of your mat to make sure the mat can tolerate these.
Know When To Wash Your Yoga Mat
- Before you get to the process of washing your yoga mat, you need to be aware of when exactly you should be washing it. It is recommended that you wash your yoga mat after a few months of use. If you are an everyday yoga performer, you need to wash you mat more often.
- Knowing when to wash your mat is not only important for extending your mats life but it also helps keep you safe from bacteria. A few instances of when you need to have your yoga mat washed are:
- Wash your yoga mat at least once every month, especially in hot weather conditions, if you are exercising every day.
- If you see the mat is visibly dirty.
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