Anne and I both love yoga for its many physical and mental benefits, and our mats can get very sweaty and dirty after practice.

YogiApproved.com writes “When you roll the mat onto the floor, and roll it up again later, you’re rolling whatever mystery goodies (or not-so-goodies) up with it – rolled onto the side that you put your hands and feet and face on too.”  Additionally, they note “In a lab test conducted on several different yoga mats, some of the mats were found to have Staph, yeast build-up (a form of fungus), fecal matter, allergens, and millions of bacteria, to name just a few of the findings.” Seriously gross, right?

We know cleaning our yoga mats is essential, but the problem with most yoga mat cleaners is that they may contain harsh or toxic ingredients one should avoid touching and inhaling (even the “all natural” sprays & wipes may contain questionable emulsifiers, chelating agents, surfactants, and preservatives), can be expensive, and waste resources if they come in a non-reusable plastic container (among additional packaging).

I say skip those overpriced and potentially chemical filled store-bought yoga mat cleaners and make your own natural cleaner in 10 minutes with these easy DIY recipes below - all with items you can reuse.