There’s nothing quite like that so-fresh feeling you get when practicing on a clean yoga mat. Add in the best yoga mat cleaners—a brand-specific cleaner, or a DIY yoga mat spray—and the experience can be practically transformative.
That’s why when I set out to find the best yoga mat sprays for this article, I understood that the winners needed to do more than simply clear away dirt and oil. These needed to be products that could become part of a daily or weekly ritual. Products that were affordable and natural, with no nasty chemicals.
A great spray will make short work of cleaning your yoga mat while also helping to prevent any damage. So I sprayed and wiped my way through several products. This helped me find the best yoga mat sprays for the list you see below. Read on for what to look for when making your own personal selection, and keep scrolling to see my top picks.
Overall, the best yoga mat cleaner is the Manduka Yoga Mat Wash and Refresh. It’s effective, non-irritating, pet-friendly, and made with a plant-based formula. I have the Lavender version which smells amazing.
As a side note, I wrote an article titled How To Clean a Yoga Mat The Right Way. Be sure to check it out!
My Top Picks
Best Overall: Manduka Yoga Mat Wash and Refresh
Best for Disinfecting: Manduka Botanical Disinfectant Cleaner
Best for Rubber Mats: Plant-Based Mat Wash
Best to Restore Rubber Mats: Natural Rubber Yoga Mat Restore
Best DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner: Cleaner with Vinegar
Best DIY Yoga Mat Spray for Smelly Yoga Mats: Cleaner with Baking Soda
Best Safe DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner: Cleaner with Witch Hazel
What to Look for In a Yoga Mat Spray
Let’s be honest, it’s normal to forget about cleaning our yoga mats. But regular maintenance will help it last longer. And since you made the investment to purchase a yoga mat, take the time and initiative to keep it for a very long time by cleaning it regularly.
The most important thing you want your spray to be able to do? Remove dirt and impurities, without causing any damage.
If you do have a rubber yoga mat stay away from vinegar and essential oils. For more information on what to do and what not to do with a rubber mat, check out my article on how to clean a Jade yoga mat which is 100% rubber.
How Often Should You Clean Your Yoga Mat?
How often do you practice? How much do you sweat during your practice? Those questions will determine how frequently you should clean your yoga mat. For more information, check out my article: This Is Really How Often To Clean A Yoga Mat
The 7 BEST Yoga Mat Cleaner Sprays
01. Best Overall Yoga Mat Spray: Manduka Wash & Refresh
For a top-notch yoga mat cleaner that is effective at removing dirt and also smells great, check out Manduka’s Yoga Mat Wash and Refresh. This yoga mat cleaner not only cleans up dirt but its plant-based formula is safe to use in households with kids and pets. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly cleaner, this is the one for you. If you’re looking for a strong and effective cleaner, this is still the one for you. That’s why this is my best overall pick. It’s easy to use, cleans great, and smells even better. I have the lavender version.
I was expecting to really like this yoga mat spray, as I’ve had my Manduka Pro for the past 11 years and so I was expecting a good quality cleaner.
As a result, this is safe for all mats. This versatility makes it a go-to choice for practitioners with several different yoga mats. The squirt-and-wipe formula eliminates the need for dilution and also requires no rinsing. Just point, shoot, and wipe to have a mat ready for your next practice.
The spray comes in two versions: lavender and lemongrass. I love lavender so that was a natural option for me and yes it smells amazing. For anyone concerned about the scent, it does fade quickly.
How to use this yoga mat spray
- For a daily clean – Spray the entire surface of your mat and wipe it dry.
- For a deep clean – Spray generously till the mat is visibly wet. Leave the spray on the surface for 1-2 minutes before wiping.
And so after every sweaty practice, I like to spray and wipe clean. And then once a month or when I feel like my mat needs a deeper clean, I then like to let the clear work it’s magic a little longer.
Bonus points
Manduka’s Yoga Mat Wash & Refresh uses 100% naturally derived ingredients, formulated to keep mats smelling fresh and free from surface dirt and stains.
Available in sizes 4-oz, a medium 8-oz, and a large 32-oz.
For anyone interested in disinfecting their yoga mat, Manduka recommends also using the next product in this list.
02. Best Yoga Mat Cleaner to Disinfect: Botanical Cleanser
Give your yoga mat the royal treatment with the Manduka Botanical Disinfectant Cleaner. The formula is specially designed with the need of disinfecting yoga mats in mind, and the result is a ready-to-spray cleaner that doesn’t need rinsing but will leave your mat clean and disinfected.
This plant-based formula can be used on all non-porous (closed-cell) yoga mats. And so if you have an open-cell rubber mat (such as Jade Harmony and B Yoga mat) avoid using this cleaner.
The spray comes in one fresh citrus scent. Though the main smell is that of thymol, which has natural antiseptic properties.
How to use this yoga mat spray
- For a regular clean – Spray the entire surface of your mat and wipe it dry.
- For a deep clean – Spray generously and wet thoroughly. Leave the spray on the surface for 10 minutes before wiping or leaving to air dry.
Manduka points out that we first need to make sure our mat is clean before disinfecting. And so when I do use this spray, I like to first clean my mat with the Yoga Mat Wash & Refresh and then disinfect it with the Manduka Botanical Disinfectant Cleaner.
Bonus points
According to Manduka: “The Botanical Mat Cleaner is an all-natural plant-based solution with thymol that thoroughly cleans in one step, kills 99.9% of bacteria and requires no rinsing or wiping after use. “
Available in sizes: 8-oz, and a large 32-oz.
Read next: How To Clean Manduka Yoga Mat: Step-By-Step
03. Best for Rubber Yoga Mat: Jade Plant-Based Mat Wash
Give your rubber yoga mat the royal treatment with this Plant-Based Mat Wash from Jade. The formula is specially designed with the needs of rubber yoga mats in mind, and the result is a ready-to-spray cleaner that doesn’t need rinsing but leaves your mat clean.
This eco-friendly formula was designed to not only clean your mat, but it contains antioxidants that help extend the life of your mat.
How to use this yoga mat spray
Jade recommends spraying your mat with this cleaner, wiping it down, and allowing it to dry away from the sun.
Bonus points
Purchasing this yoga mat spray comes with an extra bonus, as according to Jade: “through our partnership with Clean the World, we will provide a bar of soap to a person in need with the purchase of each bottle of mat wash.”
Available in sizes 4-oz, a medium 8-oz, and a large 32-oz.
Read next: How To Clean Jade Yoga Mat: Step-By-Step
04. Best to Restore Rubber Yoga Mat: Manduka Yoga Mat Restore
Another popular option on the market for rubber yoga mat cleaners is this formula from Manduka. Natural Rubber Yoga Mat Restore is designed to condition and restore natural rubber yoga mats.
It uses 100% naturally derived ingredients and can be used on any natural rubber yoga mat. The big advantage of this cleaner is that it is formulated to reverse surface oxidation (which fades and discolors rubber mats).
How to use this yoga mat spray
Spray generously and wet thoroughly. Leave the spray on the surface for 5 minutes before wiping or leaving to air dry.
Bonus points
This product contains thymol, which has natural antiseptic properties.
Available in sizes 4-oz, a medium 8-oz, and a large 32-oz.
05. Best Yoga Mat Cleaner DIY: Vinegar & essential oils
You don’t have to spend a fortune to keep your yoga mats clean. Making your very own yoga mat spray with vinegar is an affordable formula that dissolves dirt and is safe to use with most yoga mat materials (except rubber). Like the other yoga mat cleaners, once you mix up the recipe, it’s a ready-to-use formula that you just spray and wipe off.
Water and vinegar are some of the most commonly used DIY yoga mat cleaner formulas.
This is actually my go-to method for cleaning the yoga mats in my yoga studio. I make up this solution once every few weeks and just refill it when needed.
How to use this yoga mat spray
Get a spray bottle and then mix together 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water. And then an option is to add up to 20 drops of tea tree oil. The tea tree oil kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi, while the white vinegar dissolves dirt, grease, and grime.
Bonus points
You most likely have vinegar in your kitchen and don’t worry about any vinegar smell as it quickly fades.
Read next: How To Clean A Yoga Mat With Vinegar
06. Best Natural with Witch Hazel: Witch Hazel & Essential Oils
For an alternate yoga mat cleaner, consider using Witch Hazel. This is also a very popular ingredient for DIY yoga mat cleaners and is safe to use on all types of yoga mats.
For example, the very popular Yoga with Adriene shared a video of her preparing her favorite DIY yoga mat cleaner, and what was one of the ingredients? Well, you perhaps guessed it, Witch Hazel!
However, one thing to point out is that Witch Hazel is not a disinfectant. So keep this in mind if you are using it to clean your mat.
How to use this yoga mat spray
Get a spray bottle and then mix together 1 part Witch Hazel to 4 parts water. And then an option is to add up to 20 drops of tea tree oil (which has antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic properties) or lemongrass (which has antibacterial properties).
Bonus points
This can be used on all types of yoga mats.
07. Best For Smelly Yoga Mats: Baking Soda
If you’re looking for a top-performing yoga mat cleaner that can handle a variety of yoga mats, reach for some baking soda and make your very own baking soda cleaner.
Baking soda is one of the most commonly used homemade cleaners. Its added advantage is that it is great as a deodorizer, as it is able to neutralize the acids that cause bad smells. Excellent news when it comes to smelly yoga mats!
As Live Science pointed out: “baking soda dissolves organic compounds like dirt, grease and other sticky ickies”. And so no wonder this is what Liforme recommended I use when I asked them how to deep clean my Liforme yoga mat.
How to use this yoga mat spray
Get a spray bottle and then mix together 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
The baking soda removes tough stains and eliminates foul odors.
Bonus points
This solution is ideal for cleaning all yoga mats, especially when you notice them getting smelly, as baking soda eliminates bad odors.
How to Clean a Yoga Mat in a Couple of Minutes
Once you’ve decided which yoga mat cleaner to go for, let’s have a look at how we can actually clean our yoga mat.
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you’re done with your practice because it will need some time to dry after you clean it off.
Step 1: Spray Your Yoga Mat
Begin your yoga mat cleaning project by spraying the entire yoga mat.
Plus don’t forget to clean both sides of your mat!
Step 2: Wipe Down your Yoga Mat
Get your clean cloth and wipe down your yoga mat. If you notice some extra dirt or parts of the yoga mat that need more attention, then spray again and wipe down till the dirt has been removed.
Step 3: Air Dry the Yoga Mat
Place your yoga mat on a drying rack in a well-ventilated space to air-dry. You can even do this over a chair or on your washing line.
Just one key thing to point out is that try to not allow direct sunlight on your yoga mat, especially if it’s a rubber mat. The reason for this is that UV light damages the natural rubber and may make the surface porous and slippery.
Step 4: Roll up Your Yoga Mat
After you have waited about an hour and your yoga mat is dry, roll it back up and your mat is ready for your next yoga practice.
Recap
Just a quick recap. You are going to unroll your yoga mat, spray it down with one of the three solutions I mentioned above, wipe it down, and then you are going to let your yoga mat dry away from direct sunlight.
If you notice there is still some dirt on your yoga mat, then repeat steps 2 and 3.
As a side note, I made a video showing you all the steps on how to clean your yoga mat, so be sure to check it out!
Conclusion
To clean your favorite yoga mat, I recommend the Yoga Mat Wash & Refresh, and then once a month consider disinfecting it with the Manduka Botanical Disinfectant Cleaner.
If you want to make your very own yoga mat spray, then vinegar, witch hazel, and baking soda are all great options. Just check what you’ve got in your kitchen already and you’re already one step closer.
Related questions
What do you spray on a yoga mat?
You can spray your yoga mat with a mixture of water and vinegar. This is the most common DIY yoga mat cleaner. One option is to also add a few drops of essential oils, which can not only make your mat smell nice, but may even help disinfect your yoga mat.
How do you make a yoga mat spray?
To make a yoga mat spray mix up a solution of 1/2 part water and 1/2 part white vinegar. You can even add a few drops of tea tree oil. Spray a damp cloth with this solution and wipe your mat. When done, repeat on the other side of your mat and allow it to air dry naturally.
Can you use an all-purpose spray on a yoga mat?
As a general rule, you should avoid using all-purpose cleaners on your yoga mat. The reason is that some of these cleaners contain alcohol which can damage your yoga mat.
Can you use Febreze on a yoga mat?
As a general rule, you should avoid using Febreze on your yoga mat. The reason is that it contains alcohol which can damage your yoga mat.
Can I use Clorox wipes on my yoga mat?
No, don’t use Clorox wipes on your yoga mat. The active ingredients can damage your yoga mat. Additionally, for these wipes to disinfect your mat, the surface has to be wet for 4-5 minutes, something that wipes can’t do. Finally, you will need to rinse it off to avoid potential allergic reactions.
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