When you finally invest in your first yoga mat, it's very special. I don't know about you but my yoga mat is like my second home. It has been with me in parks, decks, on concrete, to studios and has even traveled cross-continent with me.
However regardless if you and your yoga mat are inseparable, or just meeting each other casually every now and then, it's worth it to take good care of your mat. It's like any household cleaning, regular routine to maintain cleanliness goes a long way!
So here’s the big question:
How do you clean your yoga mat and how often?
Firstly lets address why you should clean your mat
Basic hygiene - If you are like many yogis, cleaning your mat after your practice is an after thought that usually doesn’t get addressed. But think about it, regular use combined with sweat, dust, dirt, body oil, and other debris can really pile up, leaving an odor on your mat that you would probably like to avoid. After all, your face, hands and bare feet are constantly touching your mat during practise.
Prolongs the Life of Your Yoga Mat - Not only will your mat smell fresh and clean you'll also be removing nasty sweat and dirt that can build up from use and that can cause your mat to deteriorate sooner.
Best ways to clean your mat and how often:
Deep clean - I like to place my mat in a bath of shallow warm water with a little eco friendly caster soap, give it a good rub with a cloth and then let it air dry.
Depending on what style of yoga you practice, you may not need to clean your mat after every session, but you should try to clean it at least once a month. If you practice regularly, or keep it in unusual places (like the back your car, under your bed, by your desk at the office), you should be looking to wash your mat every week, otherwise every other week should do.
Simple clean - To keep your mat looking and smelling like new, wipe it down before and after each yoga session with a natural yoga mat cleaner that's good for you and the environment. You can always make your own Spray using Distilled water, Emulsifier, Anti - bacterial, Anti - fungal and Anti - Viral essential oils. Store this mixture in a dark glass spray bottle and keep in a cool place. Or keep things simple and invest in one of our Aromatic Yogi Sprays.
Our Aromatic yogi sprays can be used during yoga, pilates, meditation, energy healing or room cleansing.
We hope you enjoy reading our posts and we look forward to any comments you may have.
Namaste from N & A xx