How To Clean And Care For Your Eco Friendly Yoga Mat

We strive to make a positive impact by prioritising sustainability without compromising on quality and style. Our Eco Friendly Eco Friendly Yoga Mat is made from premium cork materials. While our Cork Yoga Mat is incredibly durable we suggest keeping your mat clean and dry in order to maintain its longevity. Keeping your mat for longer means less impact on the environment and keeps cash in your pocket.  With our yoga mats, you'll enjoy longevity and exceptional value for your investment, making them the perfect choice for yogis seeking both performance and durability. Let's get into the cleaning and maintenance of your beautiful Cork Yoga Mat.

Regularly cleaning your yoga mat is not only essential for its longevity but also for maintaining hygiene and appearance. When you commit to proper maintenance, you're not just extending the life of your mat; you're also contributing to sustainability efforts by reducing the need to purchase a new mat.

First and foremost, keeping your yoga mat clean helps preserve its durability. Over time, dirt, sweat, and oils from your skin can accumulate on the surface, leading to premature wear and tear. By regularly cleaning your mat, you remove these residues, preventing them from breaking down the material and causing deterioration. This means your mat will last longer, reducing the need for frequent replacements and ultimately reducing waste.

Regular cleaning is crucial for preventing bacterial buildup on your mat. During your practice, sweat and skin contact create the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. Without proper cleaning, these microbes can multiply, leading to unpleasant odors and potential health risks. By maintaining a clean mat, you minimise the risk of bacterial contamination, ensuring a safer and more hygienic practice environment for yourself and others.

Cleaning your yoga mat also helps maintain its fresh appearance. A clean mat not only looks better but also feels better to practice on. Stains, dirt, and grime can detract from the beauty of your mat and affect your motivation to practice. By regularly cleaning and caring for your mat, you preserve its visual appeal, creating a more inviting space for your yoga practice.

Ultimately, by prioritising the cleanliness of your yoga mat, you support sustainability initiatives in the yoga community. By extending the lifespan of your mat and reducing the frequency of replacements, you lessen your environmental footprint. Additionally, proper maintenance reduces the need for harsh cleaning chemicals, minimising the impact on the environment.

Plastic Yoga Mats: Synthetic rubber and plastic yoga mats often emit a strong odour, which can be off-putting. Plastic yoga mats harbour bacteria and will become smelly over time. Not only that but they are terrible for the environment. The production of synthetic rubber mats, relies on non-renewable resources and emits greenhouse gases. These types of products put the people who make these items in danger by causing damage to their immune function, disruption in hormones and pollution to their work and home environments. Factories discard unusable materials and wash away dies into nearby waterways further affecting communities animals and biosphere.

You can identify a plastic yoga mat by looking for abbreviations such as:

1. TPE: Thermoplastic Elastomer Foam
2. PVC: Polyvinyl Chloride Foam
3. EVA: Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Foam
4. NBR: Nitrile butadiene rubber

These are just a few to be aware of. When checking a yoga mat for its materials be sure to do a Google search to understand the materials used. Some will claim that their yoga mats are sustainable due to the durability or the plastics used but the damage while making and destroying these mats will cause irreparable damage on our environment and our people.

Eco Friendly Yoga Mats: Eco friendly yoga mats made from cork and/or natural rubber are not only functional and stylish but they are durable too. Cork is naturally antimicrobial meaning it will resist bacteria. Despite this they will last longer when kept clean.

Cork yoga mats are made from the bark of the cork oak tree. The tree does not need to be cut down which makes it a highly renewable recourse as the cork will regrow and produce new material in the future.

Cork yoga mats also contain natural rubber. This is used for the base to make the mat squishy and supportive. Natural rubber is produced by "tapping" rubber trees. This is when a small hole is placed in the tree to drain the sap while leaving the tree intact to produce material in the future.

Having an eco friendly yoga mat means you're not just supporting your practice, you're also supporting the environment. Purchasing a cork yoga mat instead of a plastic one you're choosing a material that's renewable, biodegradable and free from harmful chemicals. Please consider an eco friendly yoga mat the next time you need to buy one.

Cleaning your cork yoga mat after each use is important for maintaining its quality and hygiene. It's a simple, quick and easy process. Begin by spraying your mat with an alcohol-based spray. Then, use a microfiber cloth to wipe away any dirt, sweat, or natural oils accumulated during your practice. This routine not only keeps your mat clean but also ensures a fresh and inviting surface for your next session.

When it comes to yoga mat cleaning sprays, the options are plentiful, and you can even create your own custom blend and pop into an empty cleaning bottle. Here are some key ingredients you can use:

Isopropyl Alcohol: Isopropyl alcohol, especially when diluted to concentrations between 60% and 90% with purified water (10% to 40%), exhibits rapid antimicrobial properties against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It effectively eliminates sticky residues, sweat, and grime, making it an excellent cleaning solution for your yoga mat. Alcohol evaporates quickly and does not leave residue behind. 

Purified Water: Diluting your mixture with purified water ensures that the cleaning solution will ensure the alcohol does not evaporate too quickly. Tap water is often laden with minerals, and if you look at your shower screen you can understand that purified water is important to reduce mineral buildup over time. 

Vinegar: Vinegar is highly effective in killing germs and bacteria, thanks to its 5% acetic acid content, which has been proven to combat common pathogens. Vinegar evaporates quickly and does not leave behind any smells or residue. 

Witch Hazel: With its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, witch hazel is an excellent addition to your cleaning spray for added germ-fighting power.

Essential Oils: Not only do essential oils contribute to disinfection, but they also impart a pleasant aroma to your mat. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil for a bacteria-free and pleasantly scented yoga mat.

If you prefer a ready-made solution, we recommend the Yoga Mat Spray from Bondi Wash for its effectiveness and convenience.

If you're not into making your own products there are plenty of ready made options on the market. We suggest looking for options that are free of toxic chemicals, in recycled or recyclable packaging (preferably aluminium, second preference is glass and last is recycled plastic), those are committed to sustainability practices across their entire business model and those that are Australian owned. Here are a few that we recommend:

Bondi Wash Yoga Mat Spray: $30.00 for 150ml. Comes in a aluminium bottle, which means you can recycle this container infinitely!

Ritual Sanitiser Yoga Mat Spray: $19.90 for 125ml. This brands is committed to clean ingredients across their entire range and is totally worth checking out:

Niaouli & Myrtle All-Purpose Disinfecting Spray: $11.95 for 500ml. This brand and uses 100% post consumer waste rPET (recycled PET) for their bottle which is much better than virgin plastic.