Nothing is worse than the smell of a dirty yoga mat that's soaked up your sweat. The smell can even prohibit you from being your best, and could potentially stop you from enjoying yoga as you once did. Let's go over some of the ways you can wash a yoga mat if it smells.
What are Yoga Mats made of?
One of the biggest reasons that yoga mats smell is because of what they are made of. Most yoga mats are made of PVC, and this can become very smelly easily from sweat and bacteria.
Thickness is a large factor in your yoga mat. Basically, the thicker your yoga mat is, the harder it may be to wash it out. This is especially true for when you hand wash your yoga mats.
Texture is also an important factor in your yoga mat. The texture may determine if you're able to stay still on your mat with a good grip. Better grip on your yoga mat may be associated with better smell. When you sweat and use a slippery mat, you're going to rub in your sweat and bacteria into the mat, causing it to smell bad.
Environment Friendly yoga mats are made using renewable and recyclable resources unlike most PVC mats. They can be easy to clean, but they're also more likely to become smelly overtime since they're made from material that wasn't artificially made to block smells.
Now that you know more about your yoga mats and the characteristics of what make them smell, let's talk about how to wash your mat.
Ways to Wash a Yoga Mat
Every yoga mat should have what's called a care label. This can tell you what you're able to do with it, such as some ways you can wash it or even dry your yoga mat. If you're lucky, your yoga mat might allow you to put it in the washer. This is ideal, because it's obviously the easiest and most efficient way to clean it. However, don't put a non-washable mat in the washing machine!
Scrub with a sponge - If your yoga mat won't allow you to put it in the washer, there are alternatives to getting rid of the smell. One thing you can do is to lay out your mat on the floor. Then, fill a bucket with water and grab a sponge. After this, use a few drops of dish-soap and apply it on your sponge. This is when you can begin to scrub your mat. The scrubbing will take out the horrid smells and leave your mat clean!
Cold water and vinegar - This is an easy solution that can be homemade to apply to your mat. First, get some white vinegar and mix it with cold water. Try to aim for a 50/50 mixture and BAM! You have yourself a working solution that can clean your mat. Spraying your mat, scrubbing it in, and then letting your mat dry is a great way to make it smell better.
Soak and soap - For those of you who want a deep clean and can't put your mat through a washer, the soak and soap method is for you. First, run your bathtub and fill it up with cold water. Then, place your yoga mat in the tub and let it soak. Once it's submerged, you can begin to apply a few drops of liquid dish soap to the bathtub. Mix the water and then let it sit for as long as you want. Afterwards, take it out and let it dry. This is a great method for you to clean your yoga mat. If you want an even deeper clean, you can scrub the mat while it's under the water.
Wash in a washing machine. Like mentioned earlier, the care label should tell you if it's machine washable. This is by far the easiest way to clean your mat, but not many mats allow you to clean it in a washing machine.
Hopefully these methods helped you to wash a yoga mat and fixed your smell. If you're interested in getting your own custom, promotional yoga mat, we offer them!
