How To Clean Your Yoga Mat - A Guide From Fable

We’ve been there. You wake up from savasana feeling so re-energised and ready to face the day that cleaning your yoga mat is the last of your priorities. Taking the plunge and purchasing a new mat is a personal investment in yourself and your yoga practice, but it’s a financial one too. Cleaning and caring for your mat properly will ensure it lasts longer and performs better. Not to mention, remove the sweat, dirt and bacteria that your yoga mat is exposed to over time. Because, let’s be real, when your feet and face are touching the same surface a consistent cleaning routine is a must.

Not all yoga mats are cleaned equally

Before you clean your yoga mat it’s essential to check the material composition and manufacturer instructions - yoga mats are created from a variety of materials including PVC, cork, tree rubber, jute and more. Each style of mat often comes with different recommendations to clean. In fact, some cleaning methods can compromise your mat performance so if in doubt, always double check.

Fable Yoga Easy Yoga Mat Cleaning Guide

Fable Pro Grip yoga mats are crafted with a natural tree rubber base and PU upper - this is what gives the mat its incredible grip (zero slippery palms over here). However, the open cell structure of the mat is a porous surface that absorbs sweat -  it’s this structure that helps it to stay non-slip. This means it will also absorb oils like body moisturisers so skip them before practice. 

We recommend diluting some simple dish soap in water and wiping down with a soft cloth after sweaty sessions or when needed. 

Where our yoga mats are concerned (and those containing rubber and/or PU), step away from the essential oils or chemical cleaning sprays which can break down the grippy materials and compromise performance. A simple organic dish wash soap heavily diluted with water is sufficient to cut through any post-practice sweat and dirt.  

While you don’t want to under-clean, It’s also important to avoid over-cleaning your mat and saturating with water as this will wear out the materials faster - while PVC mats can withstand heavier cleaning (they have a closed cell, non-absorbent surface) our mats must be gently hand cleaned and are not suitable for machine washing. After cleaning your mat, leave it to dry fully, before rolling back up. 

Used Not Perfect

While it’s essential to clean your mat to keep bacteria at bay, it’s also there to be used. It’s normal for your mat to look less than perfect over time and show some signs of wear and tear. In fact, we like to see these signs of use as commitment to your practice. So enjoy your practice, enjoy your time on the mat - just don’t forget to give it a clean in the process.