Lauren imparato founder of i am you yoga in new york city who provides mats for her students is very particular about mat hygiene.
Wash yoga mat in machine.
Hand wash with soap and water.
Technically some brands like yellow willow for example make yoga mats that are actually machine washable.
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.
Thoroughly hand wash the mat and rinse in clean water.
Don t worry about tossing your mat in the washing machine.
Be careful when washing your yoga mat in a washing machine.
Then unroll and hang to air dry.
Just placing bare feet on the mat is sure to cause dust.
Practicing yoga is an excellent way to keep your body flexible and your mind clear.
After squeezing out the excess water lay the mat on a dry towel and roll the mat and towel together.
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.
So just how dirty is your yoga mat.
Not all mats can be put into a washing machine without the quality degrading and the mat becoming more slippery.
Can i clean a yoga mat in a washing machine.
Stepping on the rolled up mat will squeeze more moisture out of the mat and into the towel.
Regardless of how hygienic a person is a yoga mat is certain to pick up some stains and smells.
Make sure they are well rinsed and always air dry a yoga mat.
On the bright side washing your mat is simple and it could make a big difference in your practice.
A dirty smelly yoga mat can seriously affect your state of mind when heading to yoga class.
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.
The tried and trusted method that i use is to wet a washcloth with soapy water non oil based soap is best and wipe down my yoga mat before using it for the first time as well as once a week throughout its life.
6 x expert source atthena breitton e ryt 500.