CLEANING YOUR MAT?

[artwednesday]

#1191

I practice Bikram Yoga 6 days a week and keeping a supply of fresh towels is often a challenge. I usually just hang my mat up to dry off outside of my house but I am thinking this might be dangerous to spreading of bacteria!?! Do you wash your mat after each class? Is it safe to use bleach on it?

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#3525

Hello artwednesday

Hanging your mat to air is really important. I think you could find something to spray on it to help kill the bugs…

I am pretty sure you are going to hear some great home remedies from the community here :cheese:

This is what we do at our studio: we have a spray bottle with drops of eucalyptus oil and tea tree oil in water and spray and then wipe down the mats after each class. And when we get the chance we place the mats in the sun for several hours. Basically a combination of sun, air and natural disinfectant. Works a treat.

The less often you do your mat maintenance routine the bigger the guns are that you have to employ to get the smell and offending material out!

I remember I have popped my mat in the washing machine. But that was before we started with the method I described above. I have never used bleach on my mat and am not sure as to what it would do to your mat, but I guess it would work well diluted. Be aware that your face may be down near your mat so that could determine what agent you will use (both for smell and safety).

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[blue]

#3526

I too have washed my mat but now use a skidless yogi towel ( my mat is BONE DRY ) and a tee tree oil spray.

[artwednesday]

#3531

Tee tree oil and eucalyptus huh? I’ll have to give it a try. Just mix a little of the two with water in a spray bottle?

Thank you for the input, I would love to hear more remedies from other people as well.

Namaste

[Ithisia]

#4067

I make my own spray that is similar to Gabrielle’s.
I found it on crafts.com!
I find vinegar is a great neutralizer.
Just make sure you don’t put too much in, or you’ll smell it and I don’t really like the smell of the big Vinegar! haha.

http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=709

Or:
Filtered water
1/4 cup of Vinegar
3 tbs Alcohol
Eucalyptus essential oil
1 tsp Tea Tree Oil

Fill up your spray bottle with the vinegar and Alcohol. Then add 1 tsp of Tea Tree Oil. Add 12 drops of Eucalyptus oil. Fill the bottle with water.
Alternatively try a subtle mint essential oil.

Take the spray and lightly spray the yoga mat and air dry it before rolling up.

-Angela

[Element461]

#4085

yeah I want to ask the same answer too. you know after few days of practice it has to be cleaned,
somehow I ended up with this forum and find great tip of what angela posting thanks!

[synchro.idiotic]

#4099

I make my own spray that is similar to Gabrielle’s.
I found it on crafts.com!
I find vinegar is a great neutralizer.
Just make sure you don’t put too much in, or you’ll smell it and I don’t really like the smell of the big Vinegar! haha.

http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=709

Or:
Filtered water
1/4 cup of Vinegar
3 tbs Alcohol
Eucalyptus essential oil
1 tsp Tea Tree Oil

Fill up your spray bottle with the vinegar and Alcohol. Then add 1 tsp of Tea Tree Oil. Add 12 drops of Eucalyptus oil. Fill the bottle with water.
Alternatively try a subtle mint essential oil.

Take the spray and lightly spray the yoga mat and air dry it before rolling up.

-Angela

Does this spoil at all? I tried using a few drops of essential oil into a spray bottle with soap and water, and after a while it started to look like the beginnings of a science project. :ohh:

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