She Strengthens

Clean Slate: The Ultimate Guide to Sanitizing Your Yoga Mat

Yoga mats are breeding grounds for bacteria, fungi, and odors. Regular cleaning is essential to reduce the risk of infections and maintain a fresh, clean practice space. In this article, we’ll explore the best ways to disinfect and deep clean your yoga mat, plus introduce you to top products and DIY solutions to keep it fresh.

The Importance of Mat Maintenance

Your yoga mat is a hub for skin-on-skin contact, making it a perfect environment for germs and fungi to thrive. While certain brands absorb more body odor than others, all types of mats can get gunky. To keep your mat clean and healthy, it’s essential to wipe it down with a disinfecting solution after each sweat session and give it a deep cleaning once a month, depending on how often you practice yoga.

Disinfecting vs. Deep Cleaning

Disinfecting involves using an antibacterial solution to eliminate lingering germs and fungi. You should do this after each use. Deep cleaning, on the other hand, involves physically washing or wiping down the mat to remove dirt, oil, and sweat. This helps maintain a clean and hygienic practice space.

How to Disinfect Your Yoga Mat

To lightly disinfect your mat, follow these steps:

• Unroll your mat and spritz one side with a cleansing spray.
• Use a clean towel to wipe the mat and soak up any excess liquid.
• Flip the mat to the other side and repeat steps 2 and 3.
• Dry the mat over a chair or railing before rolling it up again.

Deep Cleaning Your Yoga Mat

If you lightly disinfect your mat regularly, you won’t need to deep-clean it as often. Once a month usually does the trick, unless you notice a weird smell or grit buildup. Here’s how to deep clean your yoga mat:

• Fill a spray bottle or bucket with warm water and add a few drops of liquid dish soap.
• Spray the mat with the mixture and use a clean cloth to gently scrub the mat in a circular motion.
• If you have a closed-cell mat, rinse and wipe it dry with a clean towel. If you have an open-cell mat, submerge in clean water or rinse thoroughly.

Remember: Bacteria love warm, moist spaces. Make sure your mat is bone dry before putting it away.

Top Yoga Mat Cleaning Products

To properly clean or disinfect a yoga mat, you’ll need to use a cleaning product. Here are some top-notch options:

• Manduka Yoga Mat Wash and Refresh
• ASUTRA Natural & Organic Yoga Mat Cleaner
• Black Diamond Stoneworks Yoga Mat Spray Cleaner
• Mind Over Lather 100% Natural Yoga Mat Cleaning Spray
• Vapor Fresh Natural Sports Cleaning and Deodorizing Spray

DIY Yoga Mat Cleanser

You can also make a natural cleansing wash at home using ingredients like apple vinegar and witch hazel, which have antibacterial properties. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to keep things smelling fresh. Here’s a simple recipe:

• 1/2 cup witch hazel or vinegar (or combine 1/4 cup of each)
• 2 to 3 cups filtered water
• 13 drops of essential oil

Shake the ingredients in a spray bottle and you’re good to go!

The Type of Yoga Mat Matters

Yoga mats come in open-cell and closed-cell varieties. Open-cell mats are porous, absorbing more sweat and making them grippier, but harder to deep-clean. Closed-cell mats are nonporous, easier to clean, but tend to be slick and more expensive.

Yoga mats can also be made from various materials, including natural rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and blends like cork and rubber or jute and PVC.

Using a Towel Can Help

Some yogis place a towel on top of their mat before practicing. The towel offers extra grip and acts as a sweat-absorbing barrier between your skin and mat. However, a towel can only absorb so much. While it might help lengthen the time between deep cleanings, it won’t ward off bacteria or fungi.

The Bottom Line

Regular cleaning and disinfecting are crucial to maintaining a clean and healthy yoga practice space. By following these tips and using the right products, you can keep your mat fresh and your practice safe.