The 12 Top Yoga Mat Cleaners To Consider For Your Mat

You come into very close contact with your mat every day…

Beyond rubbing your hands, feet, and sweating on it, some of us even use it as a makeshift place to eat lunch on top of when we are at the park or the beach. 

Needless to say, there are a whole lot of reasons we need to keep our mats clean. I’d like to help you in your quest to find the best yoga mat cleaner for all types of mats. 

Let’s take a look at the first one now…

Are you a ginger-lover?

No, I'm not talking about being married to a redhead. I mean actual ginger. This spray has a lot of this delightful smell to it. If you enjoy that scent then you’ll love it. If you are not a fan of ginger then definitely avoid this spray. 

The main cleaning agent used for the Gaiam spray is Teatree Oil. This is a safe cleaner for most mats. Teatree can be a bit strong in its raw form but when it’s diluted in a spray bottle it’s not intense enough to harm your mat. 

It is safe to use vinegar or baking soda on your rubber mat. You should stay away from alcohol-based cleaners because they might harden or dry out your mat depending on how it was manufactured. 

Manduka has been making rubber mats for over 20 years. When they formulate a cleaning spray you can be sure that it’s safe to use on a rubber mat. 

Stay away from alcohol-based cleaners for rubber mats. Even some essential oils can be harmful to rubber. Fortunately, you’re buying a cleaner that is made by the same company who specializes in these sort of yoga mats. 

It is safe to use vinegar on most yoga mats with one exception. I would stay away from cleaning a PVC yoga mat with vinegar. Lots of PVC mats are made with all types of harmful chemicals and I wouldn’t want to risk any type of negative interaction. 

Saucha Natural Mat Spray 

This is another tea tree oil and lavender based cleaner. 

Something to keep in mind when ordering a yoga mat cleaner is whether or not it comes in a plastic bottle. While we can all agree that plastics are not the 100% best for the environment, it’s not good to have broken glass to clean up either. 

Some studios with hardwood or tile floors won’t allow glass in the studio so keep that mind. It’s surprisingly easy to knock over any items next to your mat when you’re in the zone. 

If you have a rubber yoga mat you may want to stay away from this cleaner. It’s mixed pretty strong and the essential oil mixture might make your mat a bit oil - thus defeating the purpose of it’s non-stick properties. 

Here’s a cleaning spray for those serious about getting your mat clean. 

Other spray bottles on this list are more of a “spritz” than a full on spray if that makes. When only a small amount comes out then you’ll have to work extra hard to clean your whole mat. 

Lets face it, we are all accustomed to using more of a standard size of spray bottle for cleaning other things like counter tops and mirrors. Why can’t you have something similar for your yoga mat?

Here’s a fun solution to cleaning your mat.

These wipes are perfect for a quick clean up after each practice. The absorber grime helps disinfect your mat at the same time. 

After using the wipe, just throw it away! They are fully biodegradable so you don’t have to worry about harming the planet.

The smell of this spray is absolutely wonderful. 

It’s nice to have such a large portion as well. 16oz is really nice when you compare it to other 8oz  bottles on this list. 

The glass bottle it comes in is wonderful. Glass is better than plastics for the planet, but you may not be allowed to bring this into the local studio. If you are just using this around the house then it’s the ideal yoga mat spray. 

If this looks familiar that’s because it’s already on this list. However, I had to include it because it’s pretty rare to have the option to purchase bulk yoga mat cleaner. 

Anyone who owns a yoga studio will enjoy having access to a full gallon or two of this cleaner. It’s safe to use on all yoga mat types and is hypoallergenic so it’s safe for the public. 

It’s not the best idea. Not necessarily because of the water, but because of the detergent you’re using. Even if you have a non-toxic soap, most yoga mats are somewhat spongy so they will absorb a lot of the soap. This can be pretty hard to fully clean out of your yoga mat even with multiple rinses… 

This mat cleaner has an old-timey, even artisan look to it. It would make a wonderful gift for someone in your life who’s vegan and environmentally conscious. 

It smells absolutely wonderful and it works really well at cleaning up your mat. The downside is that it may actually make your mat a bit oily.

If you’ve had your mat for a long time then this cleaner is probably safe. If you’ve had it for less than a year then you may want to avoid using this cleaning spray. 

If you use gloves on your yoga mat then this may not be an issue. 

This is a really good cleaner as long as you don’t have a rubber mat.

It has a faint amount of alcohol in it so you’ll want to avoid using it on a high-end rubber yoga mat. On the flip side, it actually smells wonderful! There’s a nice sage and rosemary scent to it. 

Even if you did use this on a rubber mat it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Some mats even have a dual layer with a felt top and a rubber bottom. This would be okay to use on the felt layer as any amount that would reach the rubber bottom would be negligible. 

Rubbing alcohol isn’t a good thing to use on mats made with rubber, but it’s safe to use on most other mats. Too much alcohol on a rubber mat can dry it out, but you’re going to need a whole lot of it for that to happen. 

This stuff really cleans, almost like it’s drawing stuff out of the mat. 

For that reason, you’ll need to be sure you wipe down your mat really well. It almost seems like it will be oily after you spray it down. Don’t worry, just keep wiping. 

It’s a good thing this product comes with a towel because you’re going to need it. Lastly, at only $10 for the set it’s a real bargain! 

Finding a way to clean your mat will depend on quite a few different things. I hope this post has helped shine a light on what to look for and what to avoid. The best yoga mat cleaner is typically something like the Asutra you can find here.

If you want to use one of the big guns on this list then try this one that comes in a normal spray bottle. It’s pretty easy to spray down and clean your whole mat quickly. 

Do you have a certain spray cleaner you enjoy? Let me know below!