DIY Yoga Mat Cleaning Spray
You roll out your yoga mat to practice, and you notice it’s a little grimy. Or worse yet, you don’t see the funk but, you smell a less-than-pleasant aroma when you move into Child’s Pose.
Your mat is dirty. Over time it has collected sweat, dust, and dirt from the floor(especially if you’re outside), tears(hopefully of joy :) ), and honestly, germs.
Yoga mats can get pretty gross if not cleaned often. Think about it- you wash our yoga clothes after each use, why not your yoga mat?
In the Eight Limbs of Yoga written by Patanjali centuries ago, one of the Niyamas(personal tenets of yoga) is Saucha. Translated from Sanskrit to English, Saucha means cleanliness. Within the physical practice of yoga, it is a cleansing of the mind, body, and spirit. In personal life, it is keeping our bodies clean through diet and personal hygiene. Saucha also refers to the cleanliness of our space, our home, cars, and yoga mats.
Creating this ritual of cleaning your yoga mat after each practice is embodying more yoga into your being.
Now the question is, what is the best way to clean yoga mats?
Sometimes I get the question, why not wash with soap and water. What I’ve researched is that yoga mats, especially the non-slip kind, actually absorb moisture. The soap and water can get “stuck” inside your yoga mat, making it slippery and making your yoga practice less fun.
What about bleach? It certainly is effective in cleaning and disinfecting your mat but, because of its strength(even when diluted), irritates your skin, eyes, and lungs. And it may even degrade your yoga mat over time. And really, who wants to lay their body on bleach? And as mentioned before, if it gets absorbed into your yoga mat, you will be coming into contact with bleach.
There are yoga mat cleaning sprays and cleaning wipes out there for purchase which are great, but you can also make a solution at home with easy-to-find goods.
Here’s what I use to clean my mat after each use to keep it fresh and clean.
Yoga Mat Cleaning Spray:
1-part White Vinegar or Witch Hazel(I typically alternate between the two to change it up)
4-parts Water
4-5 drops Essential oil (My favorites are Lavender, Tea Tree(for its antimicrobial properties), Eucalyptus, Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood)
Spray Bottle
Mix everything into a spray bottle and shake well.
Unroll your yoga mat, and spray the whole thing down.
Using a clean towel or rag, wipe your mat down in a circular motion. If it has been a long time since you last cleaned your yoga mat, you may want to do this twice.
When finished on the first side, give it an hour or so to dry, then flip and repeat.
Give your mat time to hang out, unrolled for a few hours to dry out, then roll it up, and you are ready for your next yoga practice.
When you roll it out next time, it will be ready for your practice.
Happy practicing.