yoga mats need to be cleaned regulary

Don't let your yoga mat go from bliss to blah

No matter how blissful your yoga practice might be eventually, with constant use your yoga mat will need cleaning. Yoga "sticky" mats accumulate dirt, sweat, and yes, even germs from regular use. If mats are not cleaned they wear more quickly and eventually lose their "stickiness". Here are some tips for cleaning your yoga mat.

First, if the mat is heavily soiled consider putting it in the washing machine, Check if it is machine washable first. Many yoga mats purchased at a retailer like Target or Walmart are washable. Wash on the gentle or normal cycle in cold water with a little mild soap and air dry. This will work for most heavily used mats.

If the mat is not heavily soiled and has been cleaned regularly, there are several commercial cleaning products (spray cleaners or wipes) for purchase. Or try the do-it-yourself and create your own organic cleaning solution using one of the recipes below..

Mat cleaner Recipe 1 from craftbits

Ingredients

• 1 Spray bottle
• Filtered water
• 1/4 cup of Vinegar
• 3 tbs Alcohol
• Eucalyptus essential oil
• 1 tsp Tea Tree Oil

Fill the spray bottle with the vinegar and alcohol. Then add 1 tsp of Tea Tree Oil. Add 12 drops of Eucalyptus oil. Fill the bottle with water. Alternatively try a subtle mint essential oil or lavender. Take the spray and lightly spray the yoga mat and air dry it before rolling up.

Mat cleaner Recipe 2

Ingredients

• 1 Medium sized spray bottle
• Tea tree oil
• Lavender oil

Fill the spary bottle with water. Add 20-30 drops of tea tree oil and 5-10 drops of lavender oil (depending on your preference, just don’t over-do it!)

If the mat is somewhere in between heavily soiled and lightly used try rubbing or scrubbing the mat lightly with a mild soap and cold water solution. Lay the mat in a tub or on a large beach towel. Air dry as above.

More mat cleaning tips

How do you clean your mat? Leave a comment to let us know and share your mat cleaning tips.

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