Cleaning Your Yoga Mat In The Washer

A dirty smelly yoga mat can seriously affect your state of mind when heading to yoga class.

Cleaning your yoga mat in the washer.

To dry your jade yoga mat hang it up on a shower curtain rod or drying rack inside. Porat recommends putting your mat in the bathtub or shower and giving it a good scrub and rinse. 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. Try manduka mat wash.

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. 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. To wash your yoga mat start by creating a solution of warm water and mild detergent in your bath. While lots of yoga mats are advertised as being.

Next soak the mat in the solution for a few minutes to dislodge dirt. Make sure they are well rinsed and always air dry a yoga mat. Using a washing machine to clean yoga mats. Instructions for cleaning a yoga mat.

On the bright side washing your mat is simple and it could make a big difference in your practice. You can clean your yoga mat the same way you wash your hands with water and dish soap. After the mat has soaked wash both sides of it with a soft cloth. The sun will discolor your mat and the heat humidity might cause it to warp and not lay flat.

Practicing yoga is an excellent way to keep your body flexible and your mind clear. 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. If you have a front loading washing machine you can wash your jade mat in the machine on the gentle cycle as long as you do not use an agitator. 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.

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. All yoga mats will last longer if gently hand washed. However it can be difficult to get the most out of your practice when the yoga mat itself is emitting a pungent odor. So just how dirty is your yoga mat.