How to Clean a Yoga Mat

Every yogi knows that their yoga mat is a home away from home, which means it should be kept as clean and tidy as possible. It’s important to keep your mat clean because if you don’t, mildew can form over time and make it smell bad.

This article is going to be a great resource for you because it will explain to you how to properly clean a yoga mat.

First things first, if you are going to clean your mat and it is possible that it has mildew on it, then the first thing that you should do is allow it to air dry completely. The reason why this action is important is because mildew likes water and if there’s mildew on your mat after drying, and then you put water on your mat while cleaning, then the mildew will get back onto the mat.

Why Is It Important To Have A Clean Yoga Mat?

Many people think that the reason why it’s important to clean your yoga mat is because of bacteria. You can also use r mat cleaner to clean your yoga mat. However, there are two main reasons why you want to keep your yoga mat clean.

The first reason has to do with bacteria and fungus, since some yogis may have fungus and mildew growing on their mats. If you have fungus growing on your mat, it could cause a type of black mold that looks like a spider web and can be very uncomfortable to touch.

The second reason why you should clean your yoga mat is because the bacteria and fungus cause odors in your mat. The odors can make you have many things if the problem isn’t controlled correctly, such as headaches and itchy skin.

How Often Should You Clean Your Yoga Mat?

The short answer to this question is that you need to clean your yoga mat when it needs it.

How do you know if your mat needs cleaning? Well, there are two main signs, the first is foul smelling odors and the second are stains or mildew. If you are experiencing foul smelling odors or stains on your yoga mat, then it is time for a cleaning!

What’s The Best Way To Clean It?

To clean a yoga mat, you need two buckets of water and a large towel.

Start by filling up one of the buckets with warm water and fill the other with cold water. Place the wet towel in one bucket, your yoga mat in the other bucket to soak. Gently wring out your towel so that it’s not dripping wet when you start washing your mat.

Wring out your wet rag from the second bucket in order to moisten it as well, then wash both sides of your sticky mat with it by going taut over the sink.

Drain the two buckets of water and add a little more cold water until reach the desired temperature and repeat with the hot water.

Add some soap to your warm water, then rinse and wring out your mat again. Last but not least, make sure to dry your yoga mat with a clean cloth or paper towel before storing it as you would in a regular washing machine.

Tips for Cleaning Your Mat:

1) Work with a small amount of soap so that you don’t have to waste too much time scrubbing your mat after every use.

2) Use a damp cloth to clean off your mat.

3) Keep doing this at least twice a week to get the updates about mat from getting sticky and dirty.

4) Never use the same wet rag for both ends of the mat, just do one and then move on to the next one.

5) Use rubber yoga blocks for extra padding so that you don’t rip your mat apart (just make sure that you lay down on them when using them!).

6) Lastly, avoid using regular soap or bleach as they can damage your yoga mat over time and make it more vulnerable to stains. Only use water based products like dish washing liquid or baby wipes to help avoid leaving spots or streaks on the surface of your mat.