As good yogis, we know that our mat is our best ally. Therefore, it is imperative that we pay special attention to its care in a regular and proper way.

The yoga mat, even if we always take care to clean our hands and feet before any practice, can always be filled with microorganisms - partly due to the sweat we shed. Hence, the importance of cleaning it regularly: we recommend you always clean it lightly after each use, and depending on how often you use it, more thoroughly every two weeks or every month.

Below, we show you different ways to clean your mat, so that it is always in its best shape and its useful life is as long as possible.

How to clean your Yoga mat daily

It is important to keep your mat clean, and for this we recommend cleaning it after each practice to keep it fresh and in good condition.

You can clean the mat daily with spray cleaners; you can get them both in specialized stores and in more generic sales platforms (such as, for example, Amazon) and their cost is around seven or eight euros. But if you prefer, you can also create your own cleaner. Here we propose two formulas:

1. In a container (better if it is a sprayer, as it will be much more comfortable) mix the juice of half a lemon by reducing it with a little water, a part of distilled or filtered water and a few drops of essential oil -it can be the one you like.
   
   
2. In a spray bottle, mix ¾ of filtered water and ¼ of white vinegar (it is important that it is alcohol-free), a few drops (8-10) of tea tree essential oil - for its antiseptic and antifungal properties - and again, a few drops (3-4) of the essential oil of your choice.
   

You can also add 3 to 5 drops of Solubol to this mixture: a natural emulsifier that helps to dilute the essential oils.

Your solution is ready! Then, all you have to do is shake the spray bottle well, spray your mat with the cleaner and gently rub your mat with a microfiber cloth so as not to damage its surface.

Cleaning according to your material

As we mentioned at the beginning of the post, the frequency of the most thorough cleaning will depend on the use you give to your mat: if you usually use it daily, we recommend cleaning it thoroughly once every two weeks, but if you make a more sporadic use of it, you can do it once a month.

To clean your mat properly, it is important to take into account the materials it is made of, as it will differ in the way it can be treated:

• If it is made of rubber, you can clean it in the bathtub or shower with warm water, or use a hose. To do this, add a little liquid detergent (with which you normally wash your clothes) and rub it carefully with a microfiber cloth. Then remove all the detergent and let it air dry - it is important to remember not to expose it to direct sunlight.
• If, on the other hand, your mat is made of PVC or similar material, you can put it directly into the washing machine. Use a temperature of 30 degrees, a fast wash program and always avoid spinning. In this case, you can choose to use detergent or not. Once it is clean, we can air dry it again without sunlight.

Keep in mind that the mat acts just like a sponge, and therefore it can take up to a day to dry completely! So to avoid injury and to keep your practice comfortable, it is best to use a spare mat while it dries - as a wet mat can be very slippery.

As a general rule, we recommend that you always store your mat rolled up and if possible in a cover.

We hope that all these tips will keep your mat in top shape!