As we all know, having your very own yoga mat 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 Lululemon yoga mat in just a couple of minutes.
So, how do you clean your Lululemon yoga mat?
There are three mixtures you can prepare to clean your Lululemon yoga mat. One is with water, vinegar, and tea tree oil. The second is with a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice. The third is with warm water and dish soap. Spray your mat with the solution, simply wipe it down and let it air dry.
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!
Of course, if you want a ready-made cleaner for your Lululemon yoga mat, you can find the Lululemon Yoga Mat Cleaner here!
How to Clean a Lululemon Yoga Mat in a Couple of Minutes
Although you first need to go out and buy or order the ingredients, the total time that you actually spend working on it takes about 2 minutes. So this is a great little project to undertake once a week, or whenever you feel like your 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 it will need some time to dry after you clean it off. Feel free to place your Lululemon 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.
Step One: Prepare the Cleaner
There are 3 types of cleaning solutions you can prepare to clean your Lululemon yoga mat. Each of these is explained in detail below. All really work great, it just depends on perhaps what you already have in your kitchen, or what you feel more comfortable using.
The first method uses essential oils
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.
Get a spray bottle and then mix together 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water. And then 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.
I like to make this solution in my yoga studio and my students now use it regularly to wipe down their yoga mats after practice.
The second method uses baking soda and lemon juice
This is another popular cleaning method and will be great if you notice your Lululemon yoga mat getting a bit smelly, as baking soda helps eliminate foul odors.
Get a spray bottle and then mix together 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and up to 10 drops of lemon juice.
The baking soda removes tough stains, eliminates foul odors while the lemon juice has antibacterial properties.
The third method uses warm water and mild dish soap
This is perhaps the best method if you’re looking for a deeper clean. Plus, you most likely have most of these ingredients right in your kitchen.
Get a small/medium-sized basin and then add in some warm water (not too warm though) and a few drops of mild dish soap.
Step Two: Spray Your Lululemon Yoga Mat
The next thing you’ll want to do after you make your cleaning mixture is to spray the entire yoga mat. Make sure that you cover the entire surface.
If you are using the third method, then add the water and the dish soap to the basin and mix it up slightly. Then dip your sponge into the basin and use that to wipe down your yoga mat (no need to spray anything here).
As a side note, as method 3 is the messiest as it involves more water, you can do this in a bathtub or make sure you place your Lululemon yoga mat on a towel.
Plus don’t forget to do clean both sides of your mat!
Step 3: Wipe down your yoga mat
After you have sprayed your mat, use your cleaning cloth or sponge to wipe it off, front and back. This shouldn’t take very long but you want to make sure that you wipe it all down nicely.
Step 4: Let the yoga mat air dry
And so for the final step, after you have wiped down all the cleaner, let’s hang it to dry.
You can 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. The reason for this is that the Lululemon yoga mat is 61% natural rubber. And unfortunately, UV light damages the natural rubber and may make the surface porous and slippery.
After you have waited about an hour and your Lululemon 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 three solutions I mentioned above, wipe it down, and then you are going to let your Lululemon 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 4 easy DIY yoga mat cleaner recipes you can try. Be sure to check it out!
Use a ready made cleaner for your Lululemon yoga mat
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.
1. The Manduka Mat Wash Spray
One such cleaner is the Manduka Yoga Mat Wash and Refresh, which is a 100% Natural Essential Oil Yoga Mat Cleaning Spray.
This is considered an all-purpose yoga mat cleaner and contains essential oils, thus leaving your yoga mat smelling lovely. It can be used both for a post-practice clean and also for a deep clean.
For a quick post-practice clean spray it on your mat and wipe it down.
For a deeper clean, spray it on your mat and leave it to soak for 5 minutes.
2. Yoga Wipes for Mat and Body, with lavender and tea tree
Another easy option is to use yoga mat cleaning wipes. This is an easy but perhaps rather costly method of cleaning yoga mats.
The yoga mat cleaning wipes contain no alcohol nor bleach and contain organic essential oils, thus leaving your yoga mat smelling lovely.
And an added bonus of these mats is that they are also for your body. So these could be a great option if you are rather busy and don’t have time to have a shower after your yoga practice.
How often should you clean your yoga mat?
It is advised to wipe your mat with a damp cloth after each yoga class, especially if you sweat a lot. Once a week you can wipe it down with a DIY yoga mat cleaner and once a month give your yoga mat a deeper clean by using warm water and dish soap. Always air dry your mat 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.
For more information, check out my article: This Is Really How Often To Clean A Yoga Mat
Both are indicators that your mat is ready to be cleaned.
Should you clean your yoga mat after each use?
As a general rule, aim to wipe your mat with a damp cloth after every use. This will help keep dust and sweat off your mat and help prevent any bacteria from growing. Once a week aim to give your yoga mat a better clean by using a DIY cleaner and once a month give it a deep clean with water and soap.
I have students in my yoga studio who sweat A LOT! And so I advise them to wipe down their mat after every class so as to remove any sweat from the surface. Then, if possible, the best thing to do is let your mat air dry.
Of course, if you practice yoga at home this may be a possibility. However, if you practice in a yoga studio this may not be possible.
If you practice in a yoga studio, then try to roll out your mat when you get home and let it air dry.
Why Cleaning Your Lululemon 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?
When it comes to our yoga mats, we place our hands, feet, and even our faces all over the mat while doing our yoga practice.
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.
Why Lululemon is a great yoga mat
If you are reading this article and you’re still considering whether it’s worth buying a Luluelmon Reversible yoga mat, well let’s have a look.
For any yoga practitioner that is looking for a good quality yoga mat that has good grip, good cushioning, and is under $100, you’re going to want to check this mat out.
For a full review on the Lululemon reversible, check out my article, Lululemon Yoga Mat Review: 1 Year Later
It has a superior grip in dry and sweaty conditions, meaning that this is a perfect yoga mat for dynamic yoga practices. It has an interesting leather-like top layer that maximizes your grip no matter how much you sweat. And that’s something worth checking out!
Features to love about Lululemon:
- Good grip for an Ashtanga yoga practice
- Antimicrobial layer
- 5mm thick meaning you will experience great cushioning
- Comes in a variety of colors
- Affordable
If you are still looking for a yoga mat and you’re not sure of which one to go for, check out these articles which may help out:
Related questions
How do you wash a Lululemon reversible yoga mat?
There are several ways to wash your Lululemon yoga mat. One is to make a mixture of water, vinegar, and tea tree oil, spray the mat and wipe it clean. The other involves making a mixture of baking soda, lemon juice, and water, spray it and wipe clean. For a deeper clean use warm water and dish soap.
Can you use Clorox wipes on Lululemon yoga mat?
It is best to avoid using Clorox wipes on a Lululemon yoga mat. Firstly, the active ingredients in these wipes can potentially damage your yoga mat. Additionally, if the cleaning solution is not rinsed off or wiped off the mat, you may experience an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the wipes.
What can I use to clean my yoga mat?
As a general rule, you can wipe down your yoga mat with some water after every practice. For a deeper clean you can make your own solution of water, vinegar, and tea tree oil. If you want a ready-made cleaner, there are natural sprays and wipes available on the market.
How to get the smell out of Lululemon yoga mat?
The best way to get the smell out of a Lululemon yoga mat is to let it air in a well-ventilated place away from direct sunlight. It may take from a couple of days to a couple of weeks to completely get rid of the smell.
Why do Lululemon yoga mats smell?
As a general rule, Lululemon yoga mats smell because they are made of 61% natural rubber. This smell dissipates over time. And so if you want to accelerate the process, make sure you air your mat in a well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight.
