Having your very own yoga mat can feel great, however, it also means that you’ll have to clean it. I know that it can feel like a chore, but I have a step-by-step natural and DIY guide to clean your Jade yoga mat in just a couple of minutes.
So, how do you clean your Jade yoga mat?
There are three ways to clean your Jade yoga mat. One way is to wipe your mat after every sweaty practice with a damp cloth using just water. The second is with some water and soap. The third is with Jade’s plant-based mat cleaner. For a deeper clean you may even wash your mat in the bath.
There is nothing like practicing on a clean yoga mat. And in particular, it’s even better knowing we didn’t use any nasty chemicals when doing this cleaning process!
As a side note, I wrote an article titled How To Clean a Yoga Mat The Right Way. Be sure to check it out!
How to Clean a Jade Yoga Mat in a Couple of Minutes
Cleaning your yoga mat can take as little as 2 minutes. So this is a great little project to undertake once a week, or whenever you feel like your Jade yoga mat needs a little clean.
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you’re done with your practice because your mat will need some time to air dry after you clean it. Feel free to place your Jade yoga mat on a towel before you clean it, or you can just unroll it and place it on the floor you usually practice on.
1. Using A Damp Cloth
All you need using this method is a cloth and tap water.
Step 1: Put your cloth under the tap.
Step 2: Wring it out to make sure you remove most of the moisture.
Step 3: Wipe down the entire surface.
Step 4: Turn your mat over and repeat this process on the other side.
Step 5: Either line dry outside (but out of the direct sun) or hang over a chair.
This is actually the method Jade recommends: “For regular mat maintenance and routine cleaning, we recommend wiping your mat down with a damp cloth on a weekly basis. If you have a vigorous practice, or are doing hot yoga, we recommend doing so after each use.”
2. Cleaning With Soap
According to WebMD, if you want to remove dirt and grime and get rid of some germs, then simply clean with soap and hot water.
Keep in mind that soap and water can kill some germs, not all. If you want to disinfect your mat, this will not be enough.
All you need using this method is a cup, a glass or small basin, a cloth, tap water, and soap.
Step 1: Fill a small basin with water and add a few squirts of part mild soap.
Step 2: Dip a clean cloth into this solution and make sure you wring it to remove most of the moisture.
Step 3: Wipe down the entire surface. Repeat if you notice any stubborn stains.
Step 4: Turn your mat over and repeat this process on the other side.
Step 5: Either line dry outside (but out of the direct sun) or hang over a chair.
This is actually the method I was recommended by B Yoga when I asked how to deep clean my mat. And keep in mind that B Mat is also a natural rubber mat, just like the Jade Harmony.
3. Cleaning With The Jade Mat Wash
Now that we know how to make our DIY yoga mat cleaner, let’s now have a look at ready-made cleaners.
These can be great if you don’t have the time or motivation to make your own yoga mat cleaning solution. There are certain yoga mat companies that make their own cleaners and so this could also be a great option for cleaning your yoga mat.
Jade Plant-Based Mat Wash
The obvious choice for a ready-made mat wash is to use Jade’s very own cleaner spray, which was specifically created for rubber mats.
As the Jade website says: “plant-based mat wash is made especially for natural rubber yoga mats and contains white thyme, oregano, and eucalyptus essential oils which not only clean your mat but contain anti-oxidants that help extend the life of your mat.”
Jade recommends spraying your mat with this cleaner, wiping it down with a clean towel, and then allowing it to air dry away from direct sunlight.
Thanks to its thyme, oregano, and eucalyptus oils this spray smells really nice and cleans the Jade Harmony perfectly.
Manduka Natural Rubber Yoga Mat Restore
Another option is to use Manduka’s Natural Rubber Yoga Mat Restore. This ginger grass cleaner helps maintain the performance of any natural rubber yoga mat.
Manduka recommends using this spray once a week and leaving it on your mat for 5 minutes before wiping it off.
I will admit that the lemongrass isn’t my favorite smell in the world. However according to Manduka, this spray “extends the life of your mat”, so I think it is a good option for anyone wanting a ready-made rubber mat cleaner spray.
Important Tip
After you have wiped down your Jade yoga mat, the most important step is to allow it to air dry.
You can do this over a chair or on your washing line.
After you have waited about an hour and your Jade yoga mat is dry, roll it back up and your mat is ready for your next yoga practice.
So although you need about an hour to get your yoga mat cleaned and dried, you will spend about 2 of the 60 minutes actually working. The rest of the time is letting it air dry.
Not to mention, it’s a thorough way of getting it cleaned, and you’ll notice a big difference.
Recap
Just a quick recap. You are going to unroll your yoga mat, spray it down with one of the solutions I mentioned above, wipe it down, and then you are going to let your Jade yoga mat air dry.
As a side note, I made a video showing you all the steps in how to clean your yoga mat, so be sure to check it out!
How NOT to Clean Your Jade Yoga Mat
Jade yoga mats are made of 100% natural rubber. And so this means that there are certain things to avoid, if you want your Jade yoga mat to last as long as possible.
Vinegar
Vinegar is recommended in almost all homemade and DIY yoga mat cleaners. However, it is important to not use it on your Jade yoga mat.
According to Bobvila: “Wherever you find rubber, don’t clean it with vinegar. The acid can eat away at rubber just as it does natural stone, causing it to degrade.”
Essential oils
Not using essential oils is something that is clearly stated on the Jade website: “The really important thing is to NEVER use alcohol, petroleum-based solvents or high concentration essential oils (lavender, tea tree, etc.) on your mat. Unfortunately, these cleaning products adversely impact the natural rubber in our mats, causing it to break down and dry out. Essential oils also may cause your mat to become slippery.”
Sun light
Jade Harmony yoga mats are made of 100% natural rubber, which unfortunately breaks down when exposed to UV rays.
According to the Jade website: “DO NOT use Jade mats outside or leave the mat to dry outside. Sun or UV light can damage natural rubber.”
Can you wash Jade in the washing machine?
Yes. Jade mats can be cleaned in a front loading washing machine with hot water and no detergent. As long as the mat fits in easily, it should be ok.
And yet, this is where it gets interesting.
On Jade’s website they clearly say: “NEVER place the mat in a washing machine or in a dryer”. And yet, when I was researching whether yoga mats can be cleaned in the washing machine, I emailed Jade and asked them. And this was their response:
So I’ll leave it up to you to decide if you want to use the washing machine!
Can you wash Jade in the bath?
Cleaning the Jade Harmony in the bath is something I have seen people recommending. Indeed, this could be a good way to give your mat a deep clean.
When I emailed Jade asking them about it they said:
“For cleaning your mat, you can clean it in a bathtub, but it does not need to be submerged.”
How Often Should You Clean Your Jade Yoga Mat?
Jade recommends cleaning your yoga mat after every practice, especially if you sweat a lot. You can use a damp cloth or Jade’s plant-based cleaner spray. Always air dry your mat after practice and after cleaning to prevent mold and odors.
As a rule of thumb, you could always just clean your yoga mat when it started to look dirty, or when it starts to smell. Both are signs that your mat is ready to be cleaned.
For more information, check out my article: This Is Really How Often To Clean A Yoga Mat
Why Cleaning Your Jade Yoga Mat Matters
When we notice dirt or dust on our yoga mat, our first instinct tends to be to wipe it off.
And yet, getting that little bit of dirt is great, however, how about all the dirty parts of the yoga mat we can’t actually see? Jade is a typical example of an open-cell yoga mat. This means that there are countless places for bacteria to hide.
So can you imagine the sweat, dirt, and bacteria that are left behind on our mats?
Unfortunately, that bacteria can potentially grow on your mat, especially if we don’t clean it very often.
And so if we don’t regularly wipe down and clean our yoga mats after every use, or at least after every few uses, we’re allowing bacteria and dirt to live on and in our mats.
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