If you do yoga or exercise regularly (whether indoors or outdoors), your yoga mat must need proper cleaning and sanitization from time to time. Germs, grim, and dirt get easily accumulated on the yoga mat, making it stinky.
It is the heaven for skin disease bacterias as they propagate in humid and warm environmental conditions. Moreover, these infections can be transferred from one to the others. We have accumulated some brief key points on how to clean a yoga mat properly. Read more to know.
Why is Cleaning A Yoga Mat Necessary?
Yoga has surprising health benefits. Everybody, especially seniors should do yoga on daily basis. But it can be very harmful if you are not focusing on cleaning your yoga mat regularly. You may not believe it but yoga mats can be one of the dirtiest things you use.
During exercise or yoga class, all the sweat, germs, and grime absorb into the yoga mat because human sweat is the medium of growth of bacteria. So it is super important to take proper measures and follow cleaning steps regularly. You may find it difficult but it’s way easier than cleaning your brick house.
One most important aspect is that if you are exercising or doing yoga in a studio or gym, it is highly likely that the mats are shared. In this condition, it is necessary to clean it regularly to prevent contamination and the accumulation of germs. Or even if you are using it at home, you still have to disinfect and sanitize it regularly to remove any impurity or bacteria.
There is a higher chance of the development of bacteria, other pathogens, and microorganisms in a yoga mat if you don’t clean and disinfect it regularly. Moreover, if you use it in hot yoga, there are increased chances of getting pathogens and fungi into the mat.
How Often Should You Clean Your Yoga Mat?
Whether you do hot yoga or Bikram yoga, it solely depends upon how much you use your mat in a week and the quality of the material.
- If you are using a yoga mat one to two times a week, it is better to clean it once a month.
- If you do yoga regularly, then wash and disinfect it after every one or two weeks.
- Or, if you practice hot yoga, you have to clean it more frequently.
So the best practice to prevent grime and bacteria from accumulating on the yoga mat is to spot clean it. It will not allow the growth and spread of fungi and bacteria effectively.
What is the Proper Way to Clean A Yoga Mat?
It is advised to clean and wipe your yoga mat after every use and disinfect it to kill bacteria and germs. Although, you should know about the type of your yoga mat before opting for any cleaning procedure.
There are two types of yoga mats. The open cell and closed cell. Here is a brief look into the cleaning process of both types of yoga mats.
How to Clean An Open-cell Yoga Mat?
Soak the open-cell yoga mat into the tub filled with mild water with dissolved dish soap or any detergent of your choice. After soaking it for just a few minutes, scrub it softly with any microfibre cloth to remove grime and dirt. And then rinse it with clear water to remove any residual soap, squeeze it to remove excess water. And then let it dry in the open air. Do not roll or fold it before it gets completely dry.
How to Clean A Closed-cell Yoga Mat?
Firstly, lay the mat on an open flat surface (preferably outdoors). Then mix the mild water with any detergent or dish soap you want. Make sure not to use too much soap and not to use hot water as it can damage the material of the mat.
Dip the rag into that soapy solution and then clean the whole surface of the yoga mat. Focus on the dirty spots. Scrub both sides of the mat (from top to bottom in a circular motion). Finally, use a dry and clean towel to wipe it and remove any excess soap or moisture. Let it dry for at least half an hour or whatever time it takes to get completely dry.
For regular cleaning of the yoga mat, it is good to use a DIY cleaner and wipe it after every yoga session or exercise. When making the cleaner, make sure you read all the instructions and cautions about the handling of the yoga mat because some brands advise not to use oils or vinegar.
Whether you have thick yoga mat with a porous surface or a thin one, spray the DIY cleaner on it and spread it on the whole surface. Let it dry for a few minutes, and then roll it to store in the dry and clean place.
Other than that, here are some options you can consider to disinfect and clean your yoga mat.
Use Sanitizing Wipes to Clean the Yoga Mat
It is the easiest and quickest way to clean and disinfect the yoga mat. Make sure that you properly clean all the grooves and corners of the yoga mat and keep it in the open air to dry and then fold it.
If you want to use a disinfectant wipe, keep it wet for a few minutes after wiping. It will kill the germs and bacteria that accumulate on the mat.
Use Tea Tree Oil with Vinegar to Disinfect the Yoga Mat
Read the instructions about your yoga mat before using this technique.
Make a solution by mixing water, vinegar, and tea tree oil to kill the bacteria on the yoga mat. The antibacterial properties of tea tree oil will prevent germs and fungus getting accumulating. With the addition of vinegar, this DIY cleaner becomes more killing for the bacteria to survive.
The Bottom Line:
You put a lot of effort into exercising and doing yoga to keep your body toned and to get a peaceful mind. There is no doubt that yoga mats accumulate a lot of dirt and sweat every day. So it will require a little effort to wipe it or use a microfibre cloth to clean it with a disinfectant spray. Scrub it once or twice in the month to deep clean it. It will keep your health maintained and make your practice sessions hygienic.
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