This Is The Best Way To Clean Your Yoga Mat

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Let’s do a simple math exercise here. How many times a week do you use your yoga mat? Now, how many times do you really clean it? If your first answer is more than one and your second answer is less than one, we have some work to do.

Your yoga mat is supposed to create a safe, zen space for you during a time of self-care. But when it’s loaded with residual sweat, dirt, oil and bacteria, your mat is anything but relaxing. Seriously, do you want to be shoving your face into that dirty thing as you sink into child’s pose and take multiple deep breaths? We think not.

When it comes to proper yoga hygiene, regardless of whether you move through a flow once a week or every single day, you need to wash your yoga mat a minimum of once per week — no exceptions. In the same way you wouldn’t wear dirty, smelly leggings to class, you don’t want to be lying in your own filth as you try to achieve inner peace in savasana.

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Luckily, there isn’t a wild science to cleaning your yoga mat. Simply combine one part water and one part vinegar in a spray bottle, douse your mat in the homemade solution and wipe it clean with a microfiber towel. You might feel compelled to reach for soap, but it will only make your mat slippery after cleaning, and most yogis know that there’s a good kind of stickiness to be coveted in particularly challenging poses. After wiping it down, let your mat air dry, unraveled in a shaded area.

And that’s that! You can add some of your favorite essential oils to your cleaning solution for fun as long as your mat manufacturer says that those oils won’t degrade the mat or react with the material in an unsavory way. It’s always good to check, especially if you spent some serious cash on your yoga mat. Otherwise, if you just dedicate five minutes of your week to caring for your best yoga buddy, you’ll be good to go.

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