Can you wash a yoga mat? Yoga mats are incredibly useful for different kinds of workouts, not just yoga. However, after a week or two weeks of use, yoga mats become increasingly dirty and unusable. It can get itchy if you continue using a dirty yoga mat. So what should you do? That’s what we’re going to discuss in today’s influential fitness blog.
What Is the Best Way to Clean a Yoga Mat? How to Clean a Yoga Mat at Home?
Yoga mats are designed to cushion your skin when you are working out, to reduce friction, and to keep you somehow clean as you burn those calories.
However, with time, the soft cushiony material tends to aggregate sweat and dust, and frequent use makes it dirty and unusable. Regular cleaning is necessary if you want to preserve your yoga mat and prevent it from becoming too dirty. Sweat, dust, and other contaminants are very common in yoga mats because sweat makes grime stick to the surface more quickly.
You can use a DIY yoga mat cleaner like vinegar and baking soda for yoga mats. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners as these may degrade the synthetic material used for manufacturing yoga mats.
There are two kinds of mats as well. Open-cell mats are designed to absorb sweat to help reduce your body temperature during hot yoga. On the other hand, closed-cell yoga mats are designed to repel water and sweat, so the sweat stays on the surface and dries there, making the yoga mat sticky. Either way, you need to wash your yoga mat if it already looks very soiled.
If you have time to deep-clean your yoga mat, consider soaking your yoga mat in the bathtub with a mild detergent. Dish soap can also be used. Soaking your yoga mat thoroughly dislodges the dirt that’s been compacted in the smaller spaces of the mat. It also deals quickly with large quantities of dried sweat that can easily make your yoga mat smell awful.
When using organic compounds like lemon and vinegar, keep in mind that some of the scents of these organic cleaners can be retained on the yoga mat’s surface. To get rid of the smell, you need to rinse the yoga mat thoroughly by rinsing with baking soda and warm water. Do not use hot water on your yoga mat no matter how dirty it has become, because that would probably degrade the material faster.
Additionally, we recommend wiping down your yoga mat with each use. Use a mild dish soap solution and warm water. Always hang your yoga mat to dry outside. Nothing beats air-drying and natural sunlight to kill any remaining bacteria in your yoga mat.
The ideal ratio for dish soap or detergent is 15 ml for every gallon of water you will use to wash, wiping, or soaking your yoga mat. Mild detergents are all you need because body oils and grime are relatively easy to remove from the surface of synthetic materials.
How Should I Clean My Lululemon Yoga Mat? How to clean a Lululemon yoga mat?
Lululemon yoga mats are more expensive than regular yoga mats, so we are sure that you don’t want yours to become excessively grimy. We have a simple routine for quick-cleaning Lululemon yoga mats that we will outline below:
- Mix the juice of one whole lemon, one tablespoon of baking soda (you can increase the quantity if you want), and a cup of warm water. Place the cleaning agents in a basin and mix well.
You can create more of this solution following the ratio set for it. Feel free to increase the quantity of either the acid (the lemon juice) or the primary cleaning agent (the baking soda) if you have several more mats and fitness gear to clean. This solution is safe for most fabrics and synthetic materials for fitness use. - There are two ways to apply the solution. You can use a cleaning rag soaked with the solution or pour the solution directly onto the yoga mat and spread it using your cleaning rag or sponge. Do not use anything that is even slightly abrasive because abrasives will wear down and probably destroy the yoga mat’s surface.
- Scrub the surface vigorously to remove the sweat and grime. Around this time, you will see the dirt being removed by the solution. All the previous odors will also be removed in the process.
- When you are done cleaning, rinse the yoga mat thoroughly. Use warm water to remove any remaining grime and cleaning solution.
- Hang your yoga mat outside to sun-dry and air-dry it. We recommend putting it in a shaded area as too much sunlight and heat can degrade synthetic materials. s
How Often Should I Clean My Yoga Mat?
Depending on how intense your workouts are and how dirty the yoga mat gets, you should be good with at least once a week cleaning. Some people like cleaning theirs immediately after use, but if this cleaning routine is too demanding, weekly cleaning is a good start. If you tend to sweat excessively, even with minor movements, you need to clean more often.
Can You Clean a Yoga Mat with Lysol Wipes?
Lysol wipes can be used as a yoga mat cleaner. These antibacterial wipes don’t just deal with the grime and dust; they also absorb contaminants and introduce antibacterial power into the cleaning process. If you can’t wash your yoga mat, you can use Lysol wipes instead.
What’s more, these wipes come in so many scents that you can take control of the awkward smells that are common when working out. When traveling, Lysol wipes are also a practical choice for working out in a hotel room or similar lodgings. You can maintain your hygiene easily and get your fitness right wherever you may be.
