Helpful Guide To Cleaning Your Yoga Mat

You probably take a shower and wash your gym clothes after a good workout, but what about your yoga mat? After a nice, long session most people simply roll up their mat and throw it in the back of their car or in the corner of their apartment until the next lesson. Most people never think about cleaning their yoga mat, but consider this: yoga mats absorb all the sweat, oil, and grime they’re exposed to. Not to mention it also picks up whatever dirt from the yoga studio floor as well making it a perfect vessel to spread infection.  Unsurprisingly, many people contract ringworm or a staph infection because they didn’t properly clean their mat.

If you want to keep your yoga mat from smelling and keep your skin clear of infection, the best thing you can do is clean it immediately after use. While it might not start smelling funky immediately, every time you use your mat, it’s just getting dirtier. It might seem like a hassle, but cleanliness is just as important in yoga as relaxation. After all, how can you focus on your poses if you’re worried about how dirty your mat is?

How Dirty Is Your Yoga Mat?

If you’re just looking at your yoga mat, you might not think it looks too dirty. After all, most studios have you take off your shoes when practicing your poses so how dirty could it really be? The answer: very dirty. Several editors from Elle magazine swabbed yoga mats at both gyms and studios in New York City. They found two types of bacteria that can be dangerous to people who are immunosuppressed. Besides that, there were also reports of ringworm and even herpes. As well, doctors have seen a 50 percent increase in both plantar warts and athlete’s foot from people who take part in communal yoga.

Unfortunately, you’re not safe even if you bring your own mat to these classes. In fact, many people’s personal mats can be up to four times dirtier than the ones at the studio as they at least clean the mats at the end of the day. Ask yourself this: when was the last time you gave your mat a good wash? If you can’t remember, chances are your mat probably has a nice build up of dirt, grime, and sweat. Not pleasant to think about is it? If you bring your personal mat to yoga studios, other people’s germs can get on your mat simply through proximity. Skeeved out yet? Well luckily, it’s very easy to clean your yoga mat.

Why Clean Your Yoga Mat

The most obvious reason to clean your yoga mat is to prevent the spread of germs. A yoga mat offers perfect conditions for germs to thrive and multiply. Doubly so if you’re doing the popular hot or Bikram yoga. The more skin you expose to the mat, the more likely you are to pick up the germs that are on it. For that reason, it’s a good idea to wear long leggings and a tank top that covers your entire torso.

Of course, cleaning your mat isn’t just about germs and bacteria, although that’s obviously a huge part of it. It’s also a great way to stay energized during your fitness journey. A clean mat, like a clean home, sends your brain the message that you respect your workouts and body!

When Should I Clean Your Mat

 If there’s anything the COVID-19 pandemic should have taught you, it’s the importance of cleaning consistently to eliminate germs. While it might seem excessive, it’s best to clean your yoga mat after each use. Even if you don’t sweat, you lose around 30,000-40,000 skin cells every day. Plus yoga is all about physical body-to-mat contact, which spreads germs, oils, and more.

Luckily, cleaning your yoga mat is relatively simple and shouldn’t take longer than 10-15 minutes. If you haven’t cleaned it in a while, it might take a bit more time, but it will certainly be worth it. You don’t have to get too aggressive with your cleaning as you want to maintain the ‘sticky’ grip of your mat as it’s essential for a safe and beneficial workout. You can also invest in a yoga towel, which can help keep your mat cleaner for longer.

How Should You Clean Your Yoga Mat

A lot of people might be cleaning their yoga mat, but they miss the all important step of disinfecting it. While washing it down with water and soap will help keep it looking fresh, it unfortunately won’t effectively kill the various bacteria and fungi lingering on your mat. Instead of washing your mat daily, you should focus on disinfecting it.  

Many yoga studios and yoga teachers suggest using a natural disinfectant that combines distilled water and white vinegar with a splash of tea tree oil. Tea tree oil has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. When combined with the antibacterial properties of white vinegar, you have a strong disinfectant. The best part is that it won’t cost you a lot of money to make your own concoction at home. With that said, this concoction won’t kill off the more harmful bacteria like staph and MRSA. For that, you’ll want to use some Lysol spray or bleach diluted in water. Still, using harsh cleaners can eventually degraded your yoga mat’s quality so the choice is up to you on what you use.

To disinfect your mat, simply spray the solution on both sides and then use a towel to wipe off the solution. That’s it! It only takes a couple of minutes and you don’t even need to let it soak. Not only does this process protect you from contracting staph infections, athlete’s foot, and ringworm, it also cleans the dirt and oil from your mat. If you go to a studio, make sure to disinfect your mat before and after your session.

Unfortunately, disinfecting isn’t enough to take care of the sweat and grime buildup. For that, you’ll need to give your mat a good wash. Simply use a couple drops of dish soap and give the yoga mat a light scrub with a microfiber cloth. You don’t want to go too hard when scrubbing as it can damage your mat. You also don’t want to use too much soap as it can leave a slippery residue which can make future yoga practices dangerous.

Once you cleaned the mat, make sure to dry it properly. Roll it up and squeeze out any excess water then rub it dry with a towel. After that, unroll the mat and hang it up to dry. You want to make sure you dry the mat properly as the mat will become waterlogged, making it even better breeding ground for viruses and bacteria. NEVER put your mat in a dryer or on top of a radiator or space heater.

Read The Manufacturer Tag

There might be some days where you’re just too tired to wash your yoga mat. It shouldn’t be an issue if you put it in the washing machine, right? Well, most experts suggest that you avoid doing so. Yes, some yoga mats can be washed in cold water on the delicate cycle, but it’s better to hand wash. Using a machine can damage both the mat and the washing machine.

Even when hand washing, it’s a good idea to read the care instructions on the mat. They are not all made of the same material so it’s best to follow the instructions. If you’ve thrown it away, you can look up the information on the yoga mat’s website. Either way, the goal is to take care of the mat. Not only does it prevent harmful fungi and bacteria from growing, it will also extend the life of your mat, saving you money in the long run.

Disinfecting and Cleaning Your Yoga Mat Should Be Part Of Your Daily Workout Routine

A dirty yoga mat means that you’re using it, which is great. Of course, what’s not great if you keep it dirty. Just spending 5-10 minutes every day disinfecting the yoga mat can help improve your health and the mat’s lifespan. Of course, that’s so long as you follow the proper care instructions!

When it comes to giving your yoga mat a deep clean, you really don’t have to do it too often so long as you are consistently disinfecting. In general, you should give your mat a good scrub down at least once a month. This can remove whatever built up sweat and smells that accumulate on it. While it might not look like new, it’s a badge of honor to have a ‘broken-in’ yoga mat. That means you take your health and fitness goals seriously. Of course, don’t hold on to a mat that’s too worn down. Once it loses its stickiness or if there are just too many tears, it’s time to replace it. Disinfecting and cleaning your mat might seem like a hassle at first, but once you build up the habit it will become second nature to keep your workout gear clean.

Karen A Mulvey is a personal social blogger and mom with 14 years of experience in the every day world of motherhood and sustainable product research. Karen is on a mission to help everyday families select sustainable, non-toxic organic products, stop stressing about uncertainties on sustainable home goods and apparel, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.

Follow Karen at @karenAmulveycs | Karen A Mulvey

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