Cleaning Your Yoga Mat

by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger

Cleaning your yoga mat is easy and will keep it looking great for a long time. Some people never clean it, until it looks filthy or smells. You should clean the mat at least once a month for appearance and health reasons.

There are several methods that you can use to clean your yoga mat. If the mat is really dirty, you can wash it in the washing machine. Just put the mat in the machine with a small amount of any detergent made for delicate clothing and wash on the gentle cycle. The mat should be air dried, don't put it in the dryer.

You don't need to use the washing machine every time you clean your mat. If you are worried about wear from the machine, you can wash it by hand in a bathtub or large laundry sink with warm water and some gentle detergent. After scrubbing with a wash rag, rinse the mat in the tub and roll the mat to squeeze out excess water and hang it to dry.

Sometimes it just needs a little spot cleaning. You can clean your mat with a commercial yoga mat cleaners. These cleaning solutions can be found in most places that sell yoga equipment or online. There are even some natural or "green" cleaning solutions for environmentally aware yogis.

Yoga mat cleaners are available in a variety of products, including spray cleaning solutions and wipes soaked in cleaner. The wipes are easy to use and are great for spot cleaning and fast drying. These products are easy to find by searching online.

You could also use a homemade cleaning solution to clean your yoga mat. There are many recipes for all natural cleaners that can be made with simple ingredients, such as vinegar, witch hazel, essential oils and other ingredients. Any natural general cleaning solution can be used on your yoga mat. Choose a calming or invigorating essential oil, depending on your preference.

Learn more about Pattie Hughes

Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University.

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