How to Clean Your Yoga Mat

Your yoga mat should be something you love, something that feels like home to you. It’s with you when you practice advanced moves, soar through flowy vinyasas, and sink into peaceful savasana. AshtaLuxe™ yoga mats aren’t very difficult to take care of, in fact, they’re much easier to clean than other brands due to the closed-cell technology. Here are some simple ways to keep your beloved yoga mat clean for a sustainable practice.

Whether you’re doing hot power yoga, aerial yoga, slower-paced, relaxed yin yoga or fast-paced, energetic vinyasa, there’s one constant throughout every type of practice: your yoga mat should be washed often. Without regular cleaning, an open-cell natural rubber mat can accumulate bacteria such as staphylococcus and streptococcus. Normally they’re harmless, but if these bacteria come into contact with an open wound, it can lead to infection or illness. Foot fungi can also survive on a yoga mat for days. All this being said it’s better to be safe than sorry and keep that yoga mat clean. 

If you practice regularly or tend to sweat a lot, a quick wipe down after every session is a good idea. Not only is it good hygiene practice, but it helps prolong your mat’s life as well. The quickest way to do so is by using a cleaning spray. You can either purchase one—they might even be for sale at your local yoga studio—or make your own! To make your own yoga mat cleaner, pour equal parts water and white vinegar OR mix a light solution of environmentally friendly multipurpose soap and water to wipe down your mat. Spray a little bit on and wipe it off. 

If you practice in a studio and feel like this is something you might forget to do later (or might just put off doing), use a travel-size spray bottle and bring it with you so you can give it a quick spritz/wipe-off immediately after you finish practicing. AshtaLuxe™ yoga mats are made with closed-cell technology which means they strongly resist absorbing moisture. This also means our mats have increased durability and last longer which is good for the environment since they do not need to be replaced often. Therefore, they don’t need a deep clean as often as an open-cell, natural rubber mat and should normally just be cleaned with a cleansing spray after practice. Your AshtaLuxe™ mat will serve you well in your practice with unparalleled surface grip, stability, and comfort so give your mat some love back and treat it with care.