How to Make Your Own DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner (2020)

Ally and I have attended hot yoga classes for a couple years now and boy does it get messy!

Around 25 minutes into class you are sweating so much to the point that it looks like someone turned on a faucet of water and forgot to close the handle! As gross as that sounds it is such a cleansing experience that I highly recommend everyone to try.

Before doing hot yoga I never really thought about cleaning my yoga mat or to even look up the best way to clean a mat.

One of the best ways to clean it is by creating an easy DIY yoga mat cleaner. This is a simple homemade yoga mat cleaner that uses natural ingredients.

Using this cleaner will not only clean your mat but it will get people asking what is that wonderful smell during your practice.

Before we jump into this yoga mat cleaner recipe, I want to talk about why you should clean your yoga mat.

 

Why You Should Clean Your Yoga Mat

The ground you place your yoga mat on will most likely have dirt on the ground from the outside or if you practice at a studio, previous sweat or bacteria from the previous person that was there.

Bacteria can survive in this type of environment from several hours to days, while viruses can survive up to several weeks.

These germs and bacteria have the potential to lead to skin infections, acne, athlete’s foot, and much more.

I say this not to alarm you but to educate you. To learn more about the germs on your yoga mat I would highly recommend checking out MindBodyGreen’s article on the topic.

Now that you are aware this is going on you do have the power to minimize these germs by cleaning your yoga mat with a cleaner. Once you get this cleaner the big question people wonder is how often they should clean their yoga mat.

 

 

How Many Times a Week Should You Clean Your Mat

The answer is as many times as you practice yoga.

Every time you do yoga on your mat the bottom of the mat is on the floor and your body is sweating. Both sides of the mats surface are getting dirty and both sides should be cleaned with a yoga mat cleaning spray, preferably a natural one.

Cleaning with a yoga mat spray will reduce the chances of bad bacteria causing harm to your body. We want you to be able to keep up with your daily practice and don’t want you getting sick because you forgot to clean your yoga mat!

Now it’s time to get into how to create your DIY yoga mat cleaner!

 

Ingredients

-Small glass spray bottle

-¾ cup of distilled or spring water

-¼ cup alcohol-free witch hazel or white vinegar

-7 drops of lavender essential oil

-2 drops of tea tree essential oil

 

Directions

Step 1: Combine all ingredients in spray bottle

Step 2: Shake well to combine

Step 3: Spray on both sides of the mat

Step 4: Dry down thoroughly

 

Done!

Making your own DIY yoga mat cleaner spray is as simple as that!

 

Another recommendation to keep a clean and healthy practice is to purchase your own yoga mat. Some people that are starting out are using the mats they have at the studio.

I get that they may be cleaning the mats but you don’t know how often. If you purchase your own yoga mat you will know exactly how often it gets cleaned and what it gets cleaned with.

This DIY yoga spray is a natural, easy, and safe way to keep your yoga mat clean and smelling fresh.

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