Ever had a pose with your nose pointing towards your yoga mat and then start wondering where this dirty smell is coming from? Well, there are a lot of people who might have been victims of bad-smelling yoga mats. Now you might ask is it because the yoga mat is of poor quality that it starts smelling after several uses? Well, the answer is no! Yoga mats are supposed to be well cleaned just like how you put your clothes to wash right after you work out. Having your sweat compiled in the yoga mat will definitely result in a bad smell coming off the mat. If you have had such a situation before then it Is about time that you learn the right way to clean your yoga mats!
Is it okay to put yoga mats in the washing machine?
One of the biggest mistakes that a lot of people tend to do is to put their yoga mats in the washing machine. While it definitely depends on the product with which the yoga mat is made and its quality, there are only some companies that would allow you to wash the mats in a washing machine. In worst cases, the yoga mats will be really hard to wash in a washing machine and will also end up with the powder detergent being stuck in between the ridges. If you do not want this to happen to your mat as well, then it is better off that you keep your yoga mats away from the machine. As this will keep not only your mat from destroying your machine but will also reduce the work if things go wrong.
While it is hard to think about cleaning the mat every day with your hands here are some tips in order to keep your yoga mats clean.
1. Make sure weekly management of mat is done:
Cleaning your mats daily is definitely one of the hardest decisions that you can make but if you can then its and if not then you might want to wash your mat and make it clean at least once a week so that you do not end up with dirty yoga mats that can then give off a distinct smell.
2. Mat wipes are your daily rescue:
If you do not find to clean it even weekly then you can also make sure you buy some mat wipes which are readily available as they can be used to clean your yoga mats after daily use. Using the maps to clean your mats daily will also keep it sweat-free so the next time you roll out your mat you do not find yourself in a difficult situation.
3. Loads of soap is not recommended:
Loads of soap can make the mat wrinkly and will also make it even more slippery to use. Definitely not a recommended option. However, you can just use some water to clean off any sweat or dirt that has been stuck on the mat to keep it clean and then dry off to maintain the color and the sturdy nature of the mat.
4. Do not let your mat stay in sun for too long:
While you can keep it out for drying but keeping it for too long under direct sunlight is definitely not a good idea. Lots of sunlight will result in crumbling up of your mats and will also make practicing yoga on it much difficult. Hence keep it only for a definite amount of time.
With these tips now you can keep your mats clean. You can also use a DIY mat cleaner solution which is quite easy to make.
All you need are the following stuff:
- Empty bottle
- Tea tree oil or any other essential oil
- White vinegar
- water
Step to form the solution
1. Combine both water and vinegar in equal parts.
2. Add in the essential oil
3. transfer into a bottle and mix them
That’s it, now you can spray this mixture on your yoga mat and clean it off with a soft cloth to make sure it is wiped out properly.
Now that you know how to clean your yoga mats, you can also check out some great yoga mat providers. You can now also get your own customized yoga mats through a custom yoga mat manufacturer!