Cleaning Your Yoga Mat In The Washer

Practicing yoga is an excellent way to keep your body flexible and your mind clear.

Cleaning your yoga mat in the washer. Porat recommends putting your mat in the bathtub or shower and giving it a good scrub and rinse. According to yang it s important to clean your yoga mat thoroughly. On the bright side washing your mat is simple and it could make a big difference in your practice. But it s hard to relax breathe properly and stretch your nose to the floor when you re dealing with a stinky yoga mat many yoga mats are machine washable but some are not so check the label on the mat or contact the manufacturer before putting your mat in the washing machine.

Some mats are hand washable in cold water and mild soap while others can be cleaned in the washing machine on a cold gentle cycle. Some yoga mats are labeled as machine washable and can be safely cleaned in a front loading or high efficiency top loading washer without a center agitator. Try manduka mat wash. So just how dirty is your yoga mat.

Soap is an amphiphile one end of the molecule is attracted to water and repelled by fats and proteins and the other side is attracted to fats and repelled by water she explains adding that it s this dual. Using a washing machine to clean yoga mats. A dirty smelly yoga mat can seriously affect your state of mind when heading to yoga class. In an article for abc 13 melanie rech the laboratory director at emsl analytical examined swabs taken from personal and communal yoga mats mats from the local yoga studio came back the cleanest with 3 million counts of normal environmental bacteria writes ktrk houston.

Instructions for cleaning a yoga mat. To dry your jade yoga mat hang it up on a shower curtain rod or drying rack inside. While lots of yoga mats are advertised as being. Keeping your mat clean not only keeps it smelling fresh but it also gets rid of bacteria and helps preserve the sticky surface of your most necessary piece of yoga equipment.

However it can be difficult to get the most out of your practice when the yoga mat itself is emitting a pungent odor. There is no denying the positive effects of yoga on the body s ability to stay flexible and the mind s ability to achieve clarity. To wash your yoga mat start by creating a solution of warm water and mild detergent in your bath. After the mat has soaked wash both sides of it with a soft cloth.

She suggests taking a sponge and body soap to your mat post workout ensuring that the soap has plenty of suds. All yoga mats will last longer if gently hand washed. Make sure they are well rinsed and always air dry a yoga mat. Next soak the mat in the solution for a few minutes to dislodge dirt.