How to clean and maintain your yoga mat
Our Hero Mat is made of a semi-porous top layer, which you may have noticed, easily absorbs sweat to keep your practice slip-free and grounded. On the practical side, cleaning your Hero Mat ensures that you’ll get the most use out of it in the long run. Proper cleaning maintains the grip of the mat, which is so important for a yoga practice!
Other than that, your yoga mat is your sacred space when you practice. In order for this space to radiate the best energies, it’s important that it’s clean and fresh.
Yoga Mat Cleaning Instructions
How often should I clean my yoga mat? Wipe down your Hero Mat briefly after every practice with an organic solution, using a damp cloth, and ensure that the mat is properly air-dried before storing.
Once a month or so, give your yoga mat a deep cleaning to get rid of gunk that builds up over time. We’ll go over the details below.
Routine Cleaning
It’s always a good idea to clean your Hero Mat after every practice. Given the antibacterial properties of the natural rubber, it is sufficient to use warm water as a cleanser for routine cleaning.
Bring a spray bottle and a clean towel to your practice. Spray on your towel, then use circular motions to clean your mat’s top surface. Air dry the mat before rolling. Heading straight home from your class? No problem, just roll it up, take it home, and unroll to dry as soon as you get a chance.
If you prefer using a cleaning solution, we recommend using lemon juice diluted in water, or any other organic cleansers. Avoid cleansers that contain essential oils, as this may leave a stain on the surface of the mat, and adversely affect its grip.
Deep Cleaning
Once a month, you may feel that you’ll need to deep clean the mat to remove stains or any other gunk that builds up on the surface.
Our recommended solution is to use a drop of dish soap (any brand will do), heavily diluted in water.
Deep Cleaning Instructions:
- Mix a solution of dish soap with water (Recommended ratio: 1 drop for every 3-4 cups of water). The solution is sufficient when you see only light bubbles on the surface of the water.
- Dip the towel in the solution or spray the solution on the towel. Wring out excess liquid.
- Wipe the surface of the mat in a circular motion, ensuring that the whole surface is cleaned.
- Leave the mat to dry until all wet spots are gone from the surface.
- Roll up your mat and place it in your storage area.
How to dry and store your yoga mat
Always make sure that your yoga mat is completely dry before storage. A damp mat may be a breeding ground for bacteria, and may leave irreversible damage on the mat. To dry completely, hang your mat over the back of a chair, on a railing, or leave it on the floor. Once the mat is dry, roll it up tightly and store in a place with good ventilation. Open the mat every few weeks, even if you’re not using it, to allow air circulation.
