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Yoga mats are one of the most commonly used pieces of fitness equipment. Whether you have your own yoga mat or use one from your local gym, it’s important to know how to keep your mat clean and prevent bacteria from growing on its surface.
“The grooves, crevices, and other features give yoga mats a three-dimensional appearance, which provides more surface area and a pleasant tactile feel, but also more opportunities for bacteria to thrive and hide,” explains Jason Tetro, a microbiologist and bacteria expert known as “The Germ Guy.” Trow notes that the soft surface can quickly and easily trap a variety of water-based contaminants, such as bacteria. “When the surface dries, some bacteria survive, and when it becomes wet again, they are transferred,” he explains, as shown in a study published in the journal Microbiome.
The average yoga mat can contain about 100,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter, Trow said, but some studies he analyzed found millions of bacteria on yoga mats.
Because yoga mats are a frequently touched surface, Tetro says most of the bacteria commonly found on yoga mats are skin-borne, including:
First, clean your yoga mat, then disinfect it. Ideally, your yoga mat should be wiped down after each use to remove dirt and sweat. You can use any cleaning products you have at your gym for this. However, to properly disinfect your yoga mat to effectively kill germs, there are two key steps: using the right disinfectant and allowing the disinfectant to sit on the surface of the mat for the right amount of time.
“[Disinfection] means using an active ingredient that is known to kill microorganisms (like hydrogen peroxide or citric acid),” explains Tetro. “Then the active ingredient needs to be sprayed on the surface and left for a certain amount of time — we call this contact time or dwell time.”
To effectively disinfect a surface, Tetro says you should apply an EPA-registered disinfectant to the entire surface of the yoga mat and then leave it wet for the full “soak time” recommended by the product manufacturer.
The dwell time depends on the type of product. Disinfectant wipes are a common cleaning method used in many gyms and can last anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes depending on the formulation. Most gym-goers quickly wipe down their mats without fully wetting them or allowing them to dry, meaning that bacteria on the mats are not effectively killed.
Another concern is the natural disinfectant sprays offered by some gyms and yoga studios. Essential oils like lavender, tea tree, and lemongrass have become more natural options for cleaning yoga mats. While they may make your yoga mat smell nice, Tetro says they’re not very effective at killing bacteria. “Lemongrass oil won’t work on bacteria unless you let it sit on your yoga mat for at least 20 minutes,” he says. “Tea tree oil will work in about 15 minutes and should be used undiluted. Lavender has some antibacterial activity, but it also takes a few hours to reduce bacteria.”
After each use, your yoga mat should be wiped down with a damp, hot cloth or your choice of cleaning solution. Tetro says that if you only use your yoga mat at home, you can disinfect it after every few uses. If you bring your yoga mat to the gym or fitness class where it will be laid out on the floor, you should disinfect it after each public use to avoid bringing germs home.
When choosing a sanitizer, choose a bleach-free formula, like Clear Gear, to avoid damaging your yoga mat. Tetro recommends using the 3W method to sanitize your yoga mat: wet, wait, wipe.
If you’re looking for an all-natural way to sanitize your yoga mat, Tetro says you can do so with hot water or even a steamer. “Hot water (over 160 degrees Fahrenheit) instantly kills germs,” explains Tetro, so if you have a bathtub, briefly soaking your yoga mat in hot water is a free way to sanitize it. You can also use a handheld steamer to sterilize your yoga mat. For best results, Tetro recommends holding the steamer over each area of ​​your yoga mat for about five seconds.
Whichever method you choose, make sure your mat is completely dry before storing it. Rolling up a yoga mat that is not completely dry can create a damp environment for bacteria to grow again. Don’t let your hard work go to waste!
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