How to Clean a Yoga Mat

The last thing you want is to be that person- you know, the one who shows up for your yoga class, unrolls their mat and is immediately surrounded by a smell that can only be described as rancid? You can give dirty stares to the perfectly unassuming student next to you in a vain attempt to pass blame, but you can’t hide the truth for long. That’s your yoga mat that reeks, and you need to do something about it sooner than later. The question is, what? The good news is that your yoga mat is likely made of some form of rubber or latex, therefore it can take a serious scrubbing.

The Soap-and-Bleach Method

Lay your yoga mat out on the kitchen floor (or outside in the grass) and fill a bucket with warm water, a good squirt of dish detergent, and a cap full of bleach. Using a sponge with a scrub layer, really wash down your yoga mat hard, being sure to scrub into the foam as hard as you can so as to work the bleach water down into where any nasty bacteria might be hiding. Chances are, they’re the culprit of the smell. Once done, wipe it down with a clean, wet cloth and let dry overnight.

But wait. What if you’re a crunchy hippie and bleach isn’t your style? That’s great! You deserve high praise and a different method all together.

The E.O. and Sunshine Method

Try this: Mix five to ten drops of a naturally antimicrobial essential oil (such as lavender or grapefruit seed) into about a full spray bottle of warm water. Shake hard to incorporate, and then heavily dampen the yoga mat. Let sit for a few moments before firmly wiping down with a clean wet cloth. Let sun throughout the midday by unrolling it in a yard or driveway. The sun is also antimicrobial and should help remove odors or light staining.

The Easy Way Out

If all else fails, bring the mat into the shower with you. If your soap and shower puff are good enough for you, they’re good enough to wash down your mat. Rinse it off right in the stream of water and let hang over the rod overnight to dry. Hey, two birds with one stone!

Regular maintenance of your yoga mat will keep you from being the bane of the yoga studio, and it might make asking out that cute student next to you a world easier. Especially if you’re no longer trying to place the blame for your stinky mat on them.