Nothing is more disturbing than doing yoga on a smelly yoga mat. It loses your focus and distracts you in the middle of your meditation.

Luckily, yoga mats are easy to clean – some are even machine washable.

But the question is, how often do you clean your mat?
If you are a sweaty person and odor sticks to your mat easily then you might want to wash or give it a good wipe a couple of times a week. However, you have to be cautious as some yoga mats wear off easily.

Let’s get down to the cleaning part.
If your mat just needs simple cleaning maintenance do the following:

To clean your mat properly, you have to check both sides of your yoga mat. You can either use a yoga mat cleaner spray or a mixture of mild dishwashing soap and warm water in a spray bottle.

Spray the cleaner or the solution on the mat and wipe it with a clean dry cloth. Give it a good rub and rinse it off using a damp cloth. Before rolling your mat back up for storage, make sure that it is completely dry. The best thing to do is to hang it, so both sides will surely dry.

However, if your mat has stains or a really bad smell then you might have to deep clean it.

• If this is the case, then your mat might need more care. But make sure that you check your yoga mat’s washing directions or cleaning recommendations which are usually found on the packaging or on the website.

Some mats have more specific washing directions as others are hand-washable and machine-washable; can be washed using mild soap or cold water, etc.

After washing, make sure that you rinse them well and that they are completely dry before rolling them back up.

If the stain is really bad, try using a water and vinegar mixture to clean it off.

Keeping your yoga mat clean is so simple, isn’t it?

Here are more tips for you then.

• As much as possible avoid using solvents or any harsh yoga mat cleaners solution.
• Hang your yoga mat to dry but avoid direct sunlight as it will cause the mat to brittle and fade.
• Rub baking soda to your mat to avoid odors or oils and let it sit for 20-30 minutes before brushing it off.
• Make sure the yoga mat is completely dry before rolling it up for storage.

Although this might seem like a no-brainer it is important that you clean your yoga mat properly. First, you can keep its quality for some time and second, you are comfortable every time you use your yoga mat.