Yoga mat care - germs be gone!

Maybe the idea of washing your yoga mat has never crossed your mind… or maybe it has, but you don’t know where to start?

Do you use rubbing alcohol? Too harsh?
Do you use soap and water? Or one of those fancy sprays?
Can you just throw it in the washing machine?

You may also ask yourself, how often should I be washing it? Daily, weekly, monthly?

To help, here are the best practices you should be following.

1. Disinfect after each use
   A commonly used disinfectant is equal parts distilled water and white vinegar, with a splash of tea tree oil. These have antibacterial properties to help kill germs, bacteria and fungus that want to make your yoga mat their home. This should generally be done each use of your mat. Remember to spray both sides and let your mat dry before rolling it back up.

2. Deep clean
   Assuming you are using your mat more regularly - say a few times a week - and you’re disinfecting after each use - you’ll still want to do a more thorough clean once per month. This can be done with a few drops of soap (I prefer Blue Dawn) and warm water. Spray your mat down on both sides and rub firmly with a microfiber cloth. When you’re done you can rinse the soap off with warm water and remember to let it air dry before rolling it back up.

3. Can I wash it in the bathtub?

   To make the deep clean even easier, you could throw your mat in the tub and hang it over the shower door or shower curtain rod to dry - with the fan on to reduce humidity. Although, it’s worth considering that when you submerge your mat it could become waterlogged and will take much longer to dry. I’ve done this before and it helps to wring it out gently then roll it in a towel and press to remove some of the excess water before hanging to dry.

4. Can I just throw it in the Washing Machine?
   I’ve done this once. I had used my travel mat on the beach and it was caked in sand. I just couldn’t get it off easily. After I tried to clean it as best as possible myself I opted for using the washing machine and it did the trick.
   Note: It’s best to confirm on the manufactures website that this is suitable for your mat.

5. Can I use Clorox wipes or rubbing alcohol?
   These options contain harsh chemicals and can wear your mat faster, drying it’s surface. It’s best to stick with the natural solutions listed above or one of the many pre-made spray options that are specifically made for cleaning yoga mats.

6. Storage tips

   These are the main points to remember.
   a) Keep your mat out of the sun! This will deteriorate the rubber much faster.
   b) Let your mat dry fully before rolling it back up for storage.

I hope these tips will give you the confidence to start cleaning your mat more regularly!