The Best Ways To Clean A Yoga Mat

Yoga has indeed become an inseparable part of a healthy life style all over the world.  Every home or office may have yoga mats that people often start their day with. Custom yoga mats are a popular promotional giveaway for businesses as well. Further, it will also encourage their employees and clients to adopt yoga in their life.

However, most people never think about the importance of keep the yoga mats clean. Wish to know about the best ways to clean a yoga mat and to keep it nice looking and fresh smelling? It is fact that most people overlook. This quick guide will reveal some easy tips to keep your custom yoga mats spic and span

Yoga mats made of sturdy and non-slip material will stay firmly in place on the ground. It will make it easy for people to do their yoga routines with ease and elegance. Plus, it will provide the much needed cushioning effect under hands, feet, back, and knees while performing work outs.

How often Yoga Mats Need to Be Washed?

Ideally you should wipe the sweat off the mat with a wet towel after every workout. For better results you can use water, white vinegar, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. It is ideal to deep clean yoga mats once every month to remove dirt and grime. Clean the yoga mat with a cloth dipped in soapy solution. Rinse away with a spray bottle. Keep a dry towel on the mat to absorb the moisture. Hang to air dry afterward for 24 hours atleast. Do not dry in direct sunlight as it can make the mats brittle.

You can follow the specific cleaning instructions provided with the yoga mats because cleaning methods can change with the design and material of the mats.

How yoga mats turn smelly 

Yoga mats are made with absorbent materials like rubber or PVC, which will absorb your sweat and make yoga mats smell bad over time.  To remove the odor, sprinkle some baking soda on the mat, leave it for  30 minutes and  vacuum up the grains before putting it back in storage.

Can Yoga Mats be machine washed?

There are contradictory opinions about how safe is it to wash yoga mats in washing machine. So, it is better to wash it by hand to avoid damage. It is an effective and simple way to keep your mat free from odor and harmful bacteria. Most yoga mats are made of  Jute, Organic cotton, Polyurethane, PVC, Rubber and Vinyl among other materials. Generally these materials are safe for hand wash and will keep your yoga mat last longer.

Can Yoga Mats  be put in the Dryer?

No. It is not recommended to put your yoga mat in the dryer! The heat can cause the  mat to crumble or break. Air drying is the best option

How to Keep Yoga Mats Clean

Make sure to wipe-your-feet and hands before stepping onto the yoga mat. After the work out, apply a solution of water & white vinegar mixed with essential oils on the yoga mat. Wipe it dry and put it inside a bag.

Use a Towel

Using a cooling towel during work outs will surely help you to stay fresh and wipe off the sweat while using the mat. It will also prevent the sweat from falling on to the mat and soaking up a mess at the end of the workout session

How Often Should You Clean Your Yoga Mat?

Spay the mat with a mix of water, vinegar and essential oil after every use. In addition, it will keep the mats fresh smelling for a long time. Deep clean your yoga mat once every month to remove bacteria.

When is the right time to Replace Your Yoga Mat?

Replace your yoga mat with a new one, if it starts wearing out  or sliding off the floor. If you notice that the mat is stinking even after a thorough cleaning., it is time for you to get a new mat

How to Reuse Old Yoga Mat?

 Old yoga mats can be put to use in many other ways and can be repurposed. For instance, you can donate it to animal shelter or use it as tent floor during camping . You can even use it as shelf or stair liners. Another way to repurpose yoga mat is by using it under pet bowls or in kennels.

How important are Yoga Mats in modern life?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 53% of U.S. adults regularly exercise each week. The  sale of  health and exercise equipment doubled during the pandemic and going by the trends, home fitness movement is here to stay! Yoga mat has made it easier for everyone to stay fit mentally and physically without shelling out a fortune in fitness clubs. Yoga mats will protect you from bumps and hits on the ground and protect the floors from fitness accessories like weights and dumbbells.  
Remember, your yoga mat at home could contain 4x more bacteria than one at a gym or studio. So, make sure to keep the yoga mats clean to get the real benefit of work outs and a healthy life.