Yoga Mat Sprays & Washes – Healthy Yoga Mats

Like any other piece of yoga equipment, it’s important to keep your yoga mat clean. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Who the heck wants to practice their favorite poses on an icky mat? Not me! In this post today we are going to talk about yoga mat sprays and washes.

Apparently a lot of people feel the same way I do. According to Shape.com, “how do I clean my yoga mat?” is one of the questions yoga instructors find themselves answering, over and over again.

The following information is meant to answer that question without the assistance of an instructor. By the end of this post, you’ll be a pro… well, almost!

Go Organic – Yoga Mat Sprays

The healthiest cleaners to use on your mat are organic ones. Think of it this way. Don’t use anything on your mat that you wouldn’t use on your skin. I recommend both of these spray cleaners.

The first one is the Auororae Original Natural Organic Yoga Mat Wash. Try to say that, three times, fast! This certified organic cleaning solution gets excellent reviews and it’s not as expensive as you might think, especially when you consider it contains essential oils that include coconut, olive, cedarwood, rosemary, eucalyptus, and lemongrass.

Made in the U.S.A. and USDA approved, the spray not only cleans, it also prolongs the life of your yoga mat. How, you ask? Good question! It doesn’t contain ingredients like alcohol, a well-known culprit when it comes to drying out mat material.

Cleaning your mat is easy-peasy. Liberally spray on the wash. Let it soak for a few minutes. Then either wipe it down with a clean cloth, or allow the mat to air dry. No more stinky, bacteria-laden mat!

When reading about how other people use the spray, I noticed someone said they just lightly spray the mat, after each use. I can see maybe doing it once or twice before a more intense cleaning but no more than that.

The second product is the Indigo Wild – Zum Yoga Mat Spray Cleaner. It’s available in the same size container as the yoga mat cleaner mentioned above. It’s not “certified organic”, but the label does indicate it’s all natural, which works for me!

This Indigo Wild spray has a citrus scent. The smell isn’t overpowering by any means. However, it’s still strong enough to be uplifting.

As of this writing, the spray is available in a two-pack. It’s a great deal, when you consider you’re getting double the Aurorae brand for less money.

Cleaning Wipes

Cleaning wipes are perfect for the yogi-on-the-go. They’re portable and hardly take up any space. Don’t be surprised if occasionally you find yourself digging around the bottom of your bag for one. I speak from experience!

The brand I typically buy now is Jo-Sha. There’s a total of 50 lavender-scented wipes in each dispenser pack. My only complaint is that it’s necessary to use more than one wipe to adequately clean my mat. If they were a little larger and a little thicker, it would really help. If you aren’t fond of lavender they also have Tea Tree Oil wipes available now.

Make Your Own Yoga Mat Sprays

If you’re into saving money and want to know the EXACT ingredients in your yoga mat cleaner, you have the option of whipping up your own.

There are scads of online recipes, for yoga mat cleaners. The majority of them consist of a variety of essential oils (think lavender, tea tree and peppermint) and distilled water.

A couple of these recipes contain ingredients like witch hazel with aloe vera or vinegar. I suggest experimenting with some of the different combinations and coming up with something that not only cleans but suits your sense of smell.

Wrapping it up for today, I prefer to air dry my mat. But, if you don’t have tons of time, try pressing out some of the moisture with a towel. Whatever works, right?