Use a towel. To keep your mat cleaner from the get-go, Emily Schmookler, a CorePower Yoga senior yoga trainer based in the Bay Area, suggests laying a towel down on top of your mat when you practice, especially one that is moisture-wicking and will absorb sweat. The mat will stay cleaner and you can throw the towel in with your laundry. “Preferably get one that has the sticky buttons on the bottom,” she says, “and don’t use fabric softener when washing it.”
When in doubt, use soap and water. Cleaning your yoga mat with a wet cloth and a small amount of soap or detergent is probably your best bet in most cases. That will remove dirt and grime from the surface as well as physically destroy or remove plenty of microorganisms without the need for sanitizing or disinfecting chemicals.
Consider a mat spray. Several yoga mat companies recommend cleaning your yoga mat with a specialized mat spray as an alternative to soap and water. It’s also possible to make your own cleaner by mixing vinegar and water plus two or three drops of an essential oil you enjoy.
The experts and companies we reached out to had different suggestions on the proportions of water to vinegar, and a few companies have specific recommendations for their mats (see below). Schmookler suggests making a spray with water and witch hazel, rather than vinegar, plus a few drops of tea tree oil. However you make your mat spray, she says, remember that diluting with water is very important.
Keep in mind, however: Some brands advise against using vinegar or essential oils because these could damage some mats.
Tread lightly with disinfectants. Several people I spoke with recommended against using a disinfecting wipe on a yoga mat because of potential damage, to avoid coming into contact with harsh chemicals, or even because of the unpleasant chemical odor it might leave on your mat. The American Cleaning Institute told me that while a disinfecting wipe can be a reasonable choice for a nonabsorbent closed-cell mat, it might not be the best for a porous open-cell mat.
If you do decide to use a disinfecting wipe or product, make sure you’ve cleaned the mat first to remove any dirt or grime. Check the label for directions on how long the disinfectant should sit on the surface to be effective.
Deep clean using a washing machine or your shower. If, and only if, your mat is machine-washable (check with the manufacturer), that can be a simple way to do a deep clean, which you might need if your mat is getting odorous or particularly grimy. The American Cleaning Institute says you should use a gentle cycle with a mild detergent. But many mats can’t be cleaned in a washing machine. So it’s important to make sure before you try it.
Other methods of deep cleaning are available if you can’t use your washer. Bingham recommends soaking the mat in a tub of warm water with a small amount of detergent, though at least one yoga mat company—Manduka—says its mats should not be submerged. You could also use a slightly soapy sponge to clean both sides of your mat, then use your shower to rinse it thoroughly.
Always dry completely. Whichever cleaning method you choose—rubbing with soap and water, wiping with a mat spray, or deep cleaning in the tub or washing machine—it’s important to allow your mat to dry thoroughly. “If it’s stored away when it’s moist, it can start to breed microorganisms again,” Pettis says.
So once you’ve cleaned your mat, drape it over something like your shower curtain bar to ensure that it can dry completely. Or employ the sun. Several people I spoke with recommended letting your mat air dry out in the sunlight, for no more than 30 minutes. Be careful not to leave it outside and then forget about it—several yoga mat companies say too much sunlight could damage the mat.
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