How To Regularly Clean A Yoga Mat
This is easy! Spot clean both sides of your mat with either a yoga mat cleaner or a mix of a few drops of mild dishwashing liquid and two cups of warm water in a spray bottle. Spritz the solution onto the mat and wipe the surfaces clean with a soft cloth. Rinse the mat with a damp cloth that youve dipped in clear water and wrung well. Lay the mat flat or hang it over a shower rod to dry fully before rolling it back up.
Washing A Yoga Mat In The Washing Machine
Practicing yoga is an excellent way to keep your body flexible and your mind clear. But its hard to relax, breathe properly and stretch your nose to the floor when youre dealing with a stinky yoga mat. Many yoga mats are machine washable, but some are not, so check the label on the mat or contact the manufacturer before putting your mat in the washing machine.
Natural Cleaning Spray For Yoga Mats
Using a natural yoga mat cleaner will clean your yoga mat, as well as remove any funky odors. How often you clean and deodorize your yoga mat depends on the type of yoga you are practicing and how often.
- 3 drops of each essential oil you choose
Use a mixture of oil blends in your mat spray. Add all ingredients, including essential oils, into a spray bottle. If your yoga mat is filthy, allow the cleaner to sit for several minutes before wiping off.
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Q: How Often Should I Clean My Mat
A: Every time you use your mat, your body is releasing skin and sweat onto the surface. Over time, those materials invite bacteria to grow . We recommend using Mandukas Mat Wash andRefresh after every practice to help reduce stains and odor buildup. At least once a week you should follow the instructions to clean your mat, using more of the solution and scrubbing common touch point areas. Generally speaking, you only want to disinfect your yoga mat when you feel it has been exposed to germs. If you are practicing at home and no one in your home is sick, you really dont need to disinfect your mat very often. Having said that, given the current asymptomatic spread of COVID-19, disinfecting once a week is probably a good idea. If you practice at a studio, you should disinfect your mat after your class. We recommend you only use Mandukas Botanical Disinfecting Cleaner to deep clean and disinfect your mat.
How To Clean A Yoga Mat Washing Away Stains And Smells
You wont need to clean your yoga mat as often as you disinfect it, but its still important. This method will get rid of sweat and dirt stains, as well as fend off any unwanted smells. As a rule of thumb, with regular use, we would recommend cleaning your yoga mat once every two weeks.
1. Mix up a solution of warm, soapy water.
2. Apply directly to your yoga mat using the non-abrasive side of a sponge or a microfiber cloth. You might find it easier to lay out your yoga mat in the bath tub for this.
3. You can scrub over areas of dirt and grime, but be careful not to damage the foam or the naturally sticky surface.
4. Turn your mat over to wash the alternative side.
5. Once scrubbed, rinse the soap away and dry as best you can using a towel. Dont wring out the mat, as this could tear it.
6. Leave your mat out to air dry until it has thoroughly dried, then roll it back up again ready to use.
Your yoga mat should now be looking like new again! Remember to routinely clean it to make it last longer.
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Melaleuca Essential Oil Yoga Mat Spray
While melaleuca and eucalyptus essential oils have antibacterial and antifungal properties, you can mix and match your oils to create pleasing scents. Use this spray weekly to clean your yoga mat.
Recipe for Melaleuca Essential Oil Yoga Mat Spray
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup of filtered water
- 30 drops melaleuca essential oil
- 30 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 16-ounce spray bottle
Add all ingredients to a 16-ounce spray bottle and shake to mix well. Spray generously onto the yoga mat. Use a clean, dry towel to wipe spray off of the mat.
Wash Your Feet First And Use A Small Head Towel
Good for everyone.
One of the best ways to keep your mat clean is to go at it with freshly washed feet . You can even use hand sanitizer on your feet first.
Avoid moisturising hands and feet before use as it makes the mat slippy and can degrade it, advises Laura.
Lastly, bring a small flannel or towel to your practice. You may have noticed that in childs pose, all your make up and greasy forehead will be on the mat, so you often get a little head patch where your head goes. That wears the grip down, not to mention the fact that you are putting your forehead where your feet have been! I use a face towel to protect mine. Even after a headstand, I notice the residue. Your face and head are way more oily naturally than hands and feet!
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So Just How Dirty Is Your Yoga Mat
In an article for ABC-13 News, Melanie Rech, laboratory director at EMSL Analytical, examined swabs taken from personal and communal yoga mats. Mats from the local yoga studio came back the cleanest with 3 million counts of normal environmental bacteria, writes ABC-13 News. This isnt the most surprising, since yoga studios are supposed to regularly wash their communal mats . The results from a local womans personal mat who admittedly doesnt clean her mat often were the most shocking, testing positive for 12 million counts of bacteria, writes ABC-13 News.
The fungi and bacteria that are responsible for athletes foot, plantar warts, staph infections, and ringworm, among others, are commonly found on yoga mats since they thrive in warm, dark, moist environments.
So, not cleaning your mat can be pretty gross.
Its important to keep in mind that if youre cleaning your yoga matbut not disinfecting ityou might not be doing enough to actually get rid of these germs. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, while cleaning removes germs, disinfecting kills germsand although each method individually works, you need to do both to fully sanitize your mat.
Which Chemicals Can I Use On My Mat
Due to the natural and open-celled nature of the B MAT, we recommend avoiding using solvents, harsh abrasives, undiluted oils, or added moisturisers as these will clog or break down the compounds that keep the B MAT grippy and supportive.Please see recommended cleaning instructions above for our recommended day-to-day maintenance/cleaning!
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Essential Oil Yoga Mat Cleaner Recipe
Essential oils can be used for different health reasons, cooking and relaxation purposes. But essential oils can also be used for cleaning because of their many uses and benefits.
The best essential oils to use to clean yoga mats are tea tree oil and lavender oil because of their antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.
You can use essential oils to make a quick and easy spray to use after each class before you get home to do the actual cleaning of the mat. Lavender oil adds an extra benefit when sprayed on the yoga mat its relaxing aurora that helps relieve stress and tension.
Items needed:
- Distilled or spring water
- Tea tree oil or Lavender oil
To make this spray you will need a small spray bottle, distilled or spring water, two drops of tea tree oil and one drop of lavender oil. Some people also add in Witch Hazel, which is also a great antibacterial agent.
White vinegar can be used in place of Witch Hazel because vinegar can be used to clean absolutely anything!
Mix all of the ingredients into the spray bottle, shake then spray on the mat after your next yoga class. Tea tree and lavender oils are used because of their antibacterial and anti-fungal benefits but you can experiment with other essential oils that work for you as well.
Some people do not like the smell of tea tree oil and it can leave the mat slippery if too much is used. Other essential oils that can be used are lemongrass, eucalyptus or peppermint oils, all of which have great benefits as well.
How Do I Clean My Mat Properly
Fortunately, there’s no need to purchase an expensive yoga mat cleaner. Instead, you can make your own with simple household ingredients!
Well go over our easy DIY yoga mat cleaner recipe below. Once you have it made, heres how to wash a yoga mat:
- Spray 3-5 spritzes over your mat after every session.
- Wipe clean with a towel.
- Let dry for a few minutes before rolling er up for storage!
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Disinfecting Your Yoga Mat
In addition to cleaning your mat, Itâs a good idea to disinfect it about once a week. This process actually kills the bacteria, not just cleans it off the surface. Itâs a nice habit to get into, especially if you practice in a public space, like a yoga studio.
To disinfect your mat, go with a high-quality product like Microban Sanitizing Spray. We particularly like this brand because it not only kills 99.9% of germs on initial contact, it continues to kill bacteria for up to 24 hours.*
To disinfect bacteria and viruses:
Step One:If you havenât already, pre-clean the surface.
Step Two:Hold the container 6-8â from your yoga mat and spray it until itâs thoroughly wet. Donât forget to do both sides.
Step Three:Let stand for 60 seconds to fend off bacteria** and then wipe dry with a cloth. Let stand for five minutes to fend off bacteria, viruses, and fungi*** and then wipe dry.
If you simply want to deodorize your mat, a simple spray without letting it sit will do the trick.
And now, a final word about some good daily practices to get into:
And thatâs it, a primer on how to clean, disinfect and care for your yoga mat. Of course, doing all these things will extend the life of your mat, but more importantly, itâll help you and all the yogis around you stay healthy. Which if weâre being honest, gives us a lot of zen.
*When used as directed, effective against Staphylococcus aureus & Enterobacter aerogenes bacteria for 24 hours.
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.
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Machine Washing Your Mat
I tend to avoid machine washing any of my mats, even when advised to. Laura agrees. You can technically machine wash microfiber/rubber mats such as The Skinny. The reason I don’t unless absolutely necessary is that they last longer without machine washing. The mid-layer that sticks the microfibre to the rubber base will degrade quicker the more ‘wet time’ it gets. Also, microfibres are bad for the environment so we shouldn’t really be washing them that much, just as we should try to wash our polyester leggings less.
Q: How Do I Clean My Eko Mat
A: Without soaking or submerging, use a generous amount of Mandukas Natural Rubber Yoga Mat Restore over the entire surface, paying close attention to any areas of decolorization. Allow the cleaner to sit for 5 minutes and then gently Use a clean cloth to wipe mat dry before rolling or using.
We do not recommend cleaning your mat with a garden hose, putting it in the bathtub, shower, washing machine, or using a vacuum cleaner, as any of these will likely damage the mat beyond repair. Do not leave the mat exposed to excessive amounts of sunlight. Do not use any type of soap for cleaning, as it will compromise the performance and integrity of the mat. The salt method is not intended for eKO mats.
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How To Clean A Pvc Yoga Mat
PVC mats the lightweight foam mats you’ll find in many yoga studios are ‘closed-cell structures’, meaning they can withstand a lot more in terms of rigorous cleaning and don’t absorb water, or in fact sweat. However, this doesn’t mean other germs won’t gather on the surface.
Essentially PVC mats are non-porous, which means you can use soapy water and a towel to remove grime from the surface. Don’t be afraid to give these types of mats a good dousing of soapy water they can take it. Using a disinfectant after this initial clean is a good idea to ensure any bacteria are fully removed.
PVC mats are the most robust and can also be cleaned rigorously by soaking them in water in the bath or shower, for example, if you ever need to give them a deep clean. A spray of water and essential oils can be used on this type of mat for a pleasant smell next time you use it.
Sanitize Your Yoga Mat With Disinfectant
Good for all mats right now just dont get the PU ones too damp.
Should we be using diluted bleach and 60 per cent alcohol sprays as we are doing for our hands and hard surfaces in the age of Covid-19?
Before lockdown, I switched from natural vinegar cleaning to hardcore diluted Dettol mat cleaning,” says Laura. “I use one-third of a cap of Dettol Liquid Antiseptic Disinfectant in one litre of water. You can use a ratio up to 50/50 but bear in mind its really strong smelling and not suitable if you have sensitive skin.”
If and when studios reopen, you might want to sanitize your personal mat after its been on the studio floor, where others have walked. A yoga towel is a good call as you can put it down on your mat or a studio mat and machine hot wash it afterwards.
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Q: How Do I Care For My Grp Mat
A: Mats designed to absorb moisture should never be treated with disinfectant as the liquid will be absorbed into the mat and then cannot be thoroughly cleaned out.
Use Mandukas GRP Yoga Mat Restore to condition, clean and prevent buildup on the surface of your mat, while maximizing the performance and lifetime of your mat.
Wet a clean cloth with water and squeeze out excess water. Pump foam onto damp cloth, apply pressure and wipe down surface of your mat. Use between two to four pumps of restorative solution for each application. Repeat this process until entire mat surface is complete. Rinse cloth thoroughly and wipe down mat with fresh water. Use a dry cloth to soak up any excess water. Hang mat to dry before rolling and storing.
Don’t Let Your Mat Sunbathe
Hanging your mat in the sun might sound like a good idea , but it could really dry out your mat, Westra says. “It’ll crumble up and get nasty on you,” he warns.
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Q: What Makes Mandukas Mat Wash And Refresh Better Than Homemade Solutions
A: To put it simply: ingredients and preparation. Its true, our product, just like homemade solutions, is built on water and essential oil. But, as we all know, water and oil dont mix at least not without a lot of help. Thats why we add a bio-based fragrance solubilizer that not only helps our cosmetic level organic essential oil spread evenly through our purified water, but also ensures it stays there . Then we thoroughly mix our three simple ingredients in an industrial mixer at 1700 rpm . That ensures every spray from our bottle delivers the right balance of water and essential oil to your mat.
How To Disinfect Your Mat
Spritz the solution over both sides of your yoga mat and use a towel to wipe the solution off. This should kill the pathogens lingering on your mats surface and freshen up its smell. Both sides of the mat should be cleaned as microbes can migrate from the dirty side to the clean when conventionally rolled, says Stiff. When you roll your mat up, the side that touches the floor will be resting on top of the area where you regularly place your feet, hands, chest, back, and face, so spraying all of your mats surfaces is essential for keeping unwanted grime and bacteria off your body.
If you dont want to wait in line for the tea tree oil spray after every class and dont trust your mixing abilities when it comes to making your own, consider purchasing pre-made cleaning solutions.
TryHugger Mugger PureMat Gear Wash
The disinfectant method is not only useful for fending off ailments like athletes foot, plantar warts, staph infections, and ringworm it can also help clean dirt and oil off the surface of your mat. Thats a good thing, considering that all of these things can cause skin conditions, including acne.
Just be sure to only use a few drops of the dish soap: Too much can leave a slippery film on your mats surface. Using a microfiber cloth to scrub your yoga mat clean will be the easiest on its materials, but the soft side of a sponge or an old cotton tee-shirt will work as well.
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