But it s hard to relax breathe properly and stretch your nose to the floor when you re dealing with a stinky yoga mat many yoga mats are machine washable but some are not so check the label on the mat or contact the manufacturer before putting your mat in the washing machine.
How to wash clean yoga mat.
To clean a manduka pro series yoga mat use a washcloth or sponge with manduka s all purpose mat wash and gently scrub the yoga mat on both sides.
If desired add a few drops of your favorite aromatherapy essential oil too.
Wipe down the mat after every yoga session.
Thoroughly hand wash the mat and rinse in clean water.
According to yang it s important to clean your yoga mat thoroughly.
You can tell the areas you use the most because they will likely have a slightly different color to the rest of your mat.
Allow it to dry completely before storing.
Hang the yoga mat to dry or lay it flat.
Once your mat has soaked for a few minutes use a soft cloth to wash both sides of the mat.
It is recommended to clean a yoga mat with this gentle scrub every few months.
Hand wash the mat with a soft cloth.
Wash feet and hands before every yoga session.
After squeezing out the excess water lay the mat on a dry towel and roll the mat and towel together.
You can clean your yoga mat the same way you wash your hands with water and dish soap.
Tips to keep your yoga mat clean longer.
Soap is an amphiphile one end of the molecule is attracted to water and repelled by fats and proteins and the other side is attracted to fats and repelled by water she explains adding that it s this dual.
Thoroughly wipe each side concentrating on the areas that your hands and feet touch most often.
In between these deeper cleans you can make a nontoxic yoga mat spray by mixing a 50 50 blend of nongmo white vinegar and filtered water in a clean spray bottle.
Try manduka mat wash.
In an article for abc 13 melanie rech the laboratory director at emsl analytical examined swabs taken from personal and communal yoga mats mats from the local yoga studio came back the cleanest with 3 million counts of normal environmental bacteria writes ktrk houston.
How often to clean a yoga mat.
She suggests taking a sponge and body soap to your mat post workout ensuring that the soap has plenty of suds.
Porat recommends putting your mat in the bathtub or shower and giving it a good scrub and rinse.
Hang rather than rolling the mat during storage so that it receives good air circulation.
So just how dirty is your yoga mat.
Then unroll and hang to air dry.
Cleaning the manduka eko series yoga mat is just the same but use the natural rubber mat wash to clean both sides of the yoga mat with a cloth.
Practicing yoga is an excellent way to keep your body flexible and your mind clear.