Are you passionate about yoga? Then you probably know that it comes with a treasure trove of benefits that include sleeping better, feeling more relaxed and even getting fewer colds. Your yoga mat is the most important piece of equipment for your sessions. With constant use, it is bound to get dirty, sweaty and stinky. In this state, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll enjoy your yoga sessions. For this reason, you should make a habit of cleaning your yoga mat after every few uses.

How to Clean Yoga Mat

1. Using Soap and Water  

This is the easiest way to clean your yoga mat. You can use dilute dishwashing soap to clean your mat. To do this, dilute 4 drops of dishwashing soap with 2 cups of water. This ensures you do not use too much soap as doing so will leave a slimy residue on the surface of your yoga mat. This can make your yoga practice dangerous.

If there are any soiled areas on your mat, you can use a soft sponge to scrub the dirt off. Avoid using rough scrubbers as they can destroy your mat. Once you have scrubbed the mat, you can rinse it using hot water.

In the event that the mat is too dirty, submerge it in the water mixed with dishwashing soap for a while.     

2. Sanitizing Your Yoga Mat

There are different types of yoga sanitizing sprays in the market, but you can also make your own sanitizing pray at home. Use essential oils such as tea tree or lavender oils. These essential oils are great sanitizers due to their antibacterial properties.

If you prefer not to use essential oils in your sanitizer, consider using hydrogen peroxide. Mix 3 parts water with 1 part of hydrogen peroxide. This is how to make yoga sanitizing spray:

Step 1: Use a teaspoon of essential oils to a spray bottle full of water. 

Step 2: Add some baking soda (about 1 teaspoon) if your mat has a stinky smell.

Step 3: Shake the mixture well and spray a generous mist of the sanitizing solution onto your mat.

Step 4: Wipe the solution off using a hot, damp towel.

You can also use commercial yoga mat sanitizers, but they contain alcohol and bleach. While these bleaching agents can help to get rid of bacteria and viruses, they can cause skin irritation.

3. How to Clean Yoga Mat Using Washing Machine

Is your yoga mat machine-washing friendly? Check the manufacturer’s guidelines before machine washing it. If you own an eco-friendly yoga mat, then you will need to hand wash it since machine washing it can cause damage.

Make sure to use only a little washing detergent. Set the machine to gentle cycle with cool water and make sure you do not wash the mat together with other clothes. Avoid using the spin cycle as it can damage the mat.

Yoga Mat Aftercare: Drying Your Yoga Mat 

Once you have cleaned your yoga mat, you need to dry it. Roll it out and squeeze out the excess water.

Use a terry cloth to rub it dry before hanging it to dry. If you have a very absorbent mat, lay it flat open on a dry towel. Now roll the towel and the mat together and step on them to squeeze out the excess water. Once you’re done, unroll them and hang the mat to dry.

A yoga mat should be left to dry overnight, but it can take longer if the weather is humid. Avoid placing the mat in a tumble dryer, a space heater or radiator.     

How to Maintain Your Yoga Mat

Now that you have learned how to clean yoga mat, you need to learn how to keep it clean. You should create a schedule for cleaning your mat. If you use it a few times each week, clean once or twice a month. If you use it once in every few months, you can opt to clean it once every few months. Make a habit of hanging your yoga mat instead of keeping it rolled up when not in use.

Avoid sharing your mat to avoid fungal infections and ensure you wash your feet before using the mat. If you sweat too much, consider getting a yoga towel that fits the length of your mat. The towel should be made from material that’s extra absorbent to make it easy to dry.