How to Clean Yoga Mats & Pick the Right One for You (It's Your Personal Altar!) Fitness
Your yoga mat is your personal altar. It’s the place for you to contemplate life, so investing in a good-quality yoga mat is money well spent. Of course, if you don’t end up using your mat it’s like money down the drain, so here are my recommendations as a yoga practitioner and teacher for over 30 years. I have gone through lots of yoga mats!
- Color: Pick a color that evokes a feeling of relaxation or makes you smile.
- Texture: Top-of-the-line yoga mats will be thicker and nonslip. Most yoga instructors use Jade or Manduka.
- Starter Mats: Gaiam makes a good starter mat and you can find them at Target, TJ Maxx or Marshall’s.
If you sweat a lot, be sure to clean your mat after each use. I recommend making your own mat cleaner.
You'll need:
- spray bottle
- essential oil (lavender, Thieves or tea tree oil)
- water
- all-natural liquid soap, optional (I like Bronner's)
Here's how to make it:
- Combine a few drops of essential oils and water in a spray bottle.
- If desired, add some all-natural liquid soap.
I learned how to deep clean yoga mats by Martha Stewart. Here's how:
- Put the mat in the bathtub.
- Apply natural soap.
- Turn the shower on and wash it with your feet like you are dancing on grapes.
- Rinse and hang to dry.
What's your favorite yoga mat?
