How to Clean a Yoga Mat | Best Tips and Tricks

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Your yoga mat sees plenty of smiles, laughs, and even tears and sweat. It serves you
well and is your constant companion into your fitness journey. But when you spend so
much time on it, isn’t it evident that over time it is going to get dirty and smelly?

Of course, it will. And it is your job to clean it.

If you regularly use your yoga mat, you will need to clean it at least once a month. This
not only keeps your mat looking good and smelling good, but it also ensures that you
don’t transfer a bacteria onto your body the next time you are on it.

Now, if you are not using your yoga mat that frequently, then you can get away with
cleaning it just once in two or three months. But when you do clean it, make sure you really deep clean.

There are many among us who like to regularly clean their yoga mats. You might not be
a cleaning freak for doing so – just someone who wants to maintain hygiene! And that’s
great!

Regular Yoga Mat maintenance and cleaning

If you are looking to regularly clean your yoga mat with a mild solution, try this:

1. Add two cups of warm water and about 4 to 5 drops of mild dish soap into a
   spray bottle.
2. You can also add a few drops of tea tree essential oil into the mixture. The
   essential oil not only removes odors but also contains antibacterial and antifungal
   properties. It thoroughly cleans your yoga mat of bacteria and germs.
3. Mix this solution well – shake the spray bottle before every use.
4. Now, spray this solution directly on your yoga mat.
5. Use a damp sponge to really rub the solution wherever you need to.
6. Wipe down the entire mat with a clean, damp cloth.
7. Finally, hang out the mat to air dry completely before bringing it back inside and
   storing it. If you don’t allow it to dry thoroughly, the mat will smell musty.

Magical white vinegar

Another solution that you can make easily at home involves vinegar. As you already must know, vinegar is an absolutely magical solution when it comes to cleaning anything! Of course, if you are scared that your yoga mat will smell like vinegar after this, you have another magical ingredient in hand – Essential Oils!

Here is how you can make a slightly more durable cleaning solution for your yoga mat:

1. Take a small container and add just about 1 to 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
2. Add cold water to fill up the container and mix it well.
3. To get rid of the vinegary smell – simply add 4 drops of your favorite essential oil into the solution. You can choose tea tree essential oil, lemon, citronella, lemongrass, as these have a strong but pleasant smell. It will easily cover up any vinegar smell and make your yoga mat smell fresh.
4. Mix all of these together and add it into a spray bottle.
5. Shake your spray bottle well before every use. Spray the solution directly on your yoga mat.
6. Take a damp sponge and scrub wherever you think you need to.
7. Take another clean cloth and dip it in warm, clean water. Use this to wipe down your mat.
8. Finally, take another clean, dry cloth, like a terry cloth, and wipe down your mat.
9. Allow it to dry thoroughly out in the sun – it will help kill any germs and bacteria as well as remove odors and dry your mat thoroughly.
10. Once it is completely dry, you can store and use your yoga mat again!

Deep cleaning your yoga mat

Of course, every once in a while, you will need to deep clean your yoga mat. You don’t
need to use this method too often – but once in a while can be really good. This deep-
cleaning solution works on your cotton, hemp, PVC, and even shower mats!

1. Place your yoga mat into a front-loading washing machine.
2. First, set your machine on soak and add a mild laundry detergent into it.
3. If you wish, you could add two or three drops of tea tree essential oil – just to remove the bacteria and make your mat smell right.
4. Make sure to wash your yoga mat on either a gentle cycle or a delicate cycle.
5. After you finish, make sure that you remove your yoga mat and allow it to dry naturally. The dryer can potentially ruin your beautiful yoga mat due to using excessive heat.

Another essential thing to keep in mind is to use just a bit of soap and water solution
when you are cleaning your yoga mat. Too much, and you can end up causing waterlogging. It is also much harder to clean out excessive soapy water solution from
your yoga mat.

Once you remove your yoga mat from the washer, you can wring it dry manually. You
can even roll it up and step on your mat, to really squeeze out the water. Otherwise, you
might just have to carry a dripping wet mat outside – dropping water all over your home
as you do so!

For those who regularly use their yoga mats, it can be a good idea to simply wipe down
the mat using the vinegar or just soap and water solution. It is just good hygiene, and it
hardly takes a few minutes to do it.

If you don’t have a washer at home, you can always use a bathtub as well – it might just
be harder because you will have to manually soak, scrub, and rinse your mat. But that
counts as a workout too!

If you want to air-dry your yoga mat – you can hang it out in the sun, but not for too long.
While the sun really helps dry it up and even kill the bacteria and germs, too much direct
sunlight will cause the mat to eventually crumble and damage.

Cleaning your yoga mats sounds like a big deal, but it’s really not. It’s a good practice and allows you to enjoy your yoga workout on a clean, healthy, and fresh mat.

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Filip is a blogger, with a passion for cleaning, organizing, and home improvement. You
can find more about Filip’s work and some amazing cleaning tips at House Cleaning
Advice.

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