If you care for your yoga mat properly, like with all of your other valuable accessories, it will be more durable and last longer. To help you clean and care for your yoga mat, we’ve put up a guide.
How Often Should Your Yoga Mat Be Cleaned?
After each session, wipe off your mat with a clean towel to eliminate sweat and any loose surface soil. The mat should be cleaned when significant dirt is visible, or at least once a month, to remove odor and extend the mat’s life. If you practice yoga regularly, you should clean your mat more thoroughly once a week to remove germs and fungi that can cause skin and respiratory problems.
It won’t just help preserve its health and extend its lifespan — it will also ensure that its texture is unbeatable. For extra credit, try using your yoga mat for another purpose, whether that’s moving house or something else. Here are our top six easy maintenance tips to keep your mat in good shape.
1. Make a Cleaning Mixture
Fill a bathtub or a big sink halfway with warm water. Using one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid or light laundry detergent per gallon of water, swirl the soap around to spread it.
2. Soak the Yoga Mat in Water
To loosen surface dirt, immerse the yoga mat entirely in the soapy solution and soak for 10 minutes.
3. Wipe the Mat Down
After soaking, clean both sides of the mat with a gentle cloth or sponge. Pay special attention to the areas where your hands and feet are utilized the most. To avoid damaging the mat, use a delicate touch.
4. Don’t Over Wash
Using a product that’s too aggressive can damage the integrity of your sticky mat. It should be washed with a light soap or, if possible, a pH-balanced soap at least twice a month. Just remember to wash it in the opposite way of the grain.
Get yourself a yoga mat bag to keep it dust-free, and make sure you dry it thoroughly before you put it away. If any moisture gets on your hands when you’re doing downward dogs, wipe it clean with a paper towel or tissue before putting your hands back on your mat.
5. Rinse and drain
Drain the soapy water after washing both sides. For rinsing, fill the tub halfway with new water. To remove any soapy residue, gently pull the mat up and down in freshwater. Drain the rinse water if the water appears filthy or soapy, and repeat until the water seems clear.
6. To Dry, Hang
Drape over an indoor drying rack or hang on an outdoor line using clothespins. You can use a pants hanger to hang garments. However, it might leave scars on the mat. Only use a yoga mat when it has dried thoroughly. Moisture trapped beneath the mat might make it slippery or cause damage to the floor below it.
If you follow these easy cleaning and caring tips, your yoga mat will be in like-new condition for longer and last much longer than if you don’t bother looking after it properly. Remember that the quality of your yoga mat is essential when it comes to your overall progress in mastering various yoga positions. Taking good care of the equipment will improve success when trying new poses like handstands or cranes.