Yoga Mat Care: How to Safely Clean and Maintain Your Mat

October 23, 2025

In yoga philosophy, "Saucha" is one of the "Niyamas," meaning "purity," "cleanliness," and "purification."

This practice also extends to cleaning your yoga mat, which you use every day.

Manduka staff, in collaboration with researchers and yoga studios, have developed the following guidelines for the proper care of yoga mats and props.

How to Clean Your Yoga Mat

Properly cleaning your yoga mat is crucial for maintaining a comfortable user experience, as well as preserving its original performance, durability, and hygiene.
Manduka is dedicated to helping you care for your valuable mat so you can enjoy it for longer.
Here are the items you need for mat maintenance.

Mat Wash Refresh & Restore

Our yoga mat cleaner is made with 100% natural, organic ingredients. We offer two types: "Refresh" for all types of mats including PVC and TPE, and "Restore" specifically for natural rubber yoga mats.

Manduka Yoga Mat Material Features

Before cleaning, it's important to understand your yoga mat. Knowing the material of your Manduka yoga mat is crucial for choosing the appropriate cleaning method. Since each series uses different materials, the optimal care method also varies.

PRO Series
PRO, PROlite, and PRO Travel – these mats use closed-cell material.

eKO Series
eKO, eKO Lite, and eKO Superlite yoga mats are made from natural rubber and are also closed-cell material. These mats are easy to clean but need to be dried properly.

GRP® Series
GRP, GRP Lite, and Adapt yoga mats are made from open-cell PU (polyurethane) and rubber materials. They are designed to absorb moisture and provide excellent grip even when wet. Therefore, they require the most careful handling during cleaning.

Mat Wash Refresh

Naturally Cleanse and Refresh Your Mat

・Naturally cleanses and refreshes your mat
・Formulated for daily use
・Uses natural essential oils
・Suitable for all yoga mat materials

Manduka's Yoga Mat Refresh is formulated with 100% natural ingredients to remove dirt and stains from the surface of your yoga mat and maintain a fresh scent. Using it after every practice helps keep your mat clean and prevents odors.

To maintain a fresh scent without compromising your yoga mat's performance, it contains a fragrance with double the efficacy. The innovative high-output spray delivers greater cleaning power with less effort.

・100% Natural
・Non-irritating
・Pet-friendly
・Subtle scent

Click here for Mat Wash Refresh ＞＞＞

Mat Wash Restore

Condition and Restore Natural Rubber Yoga Mats

・Maintains and improves mat performance and longevity
・Contains natural essential oils
・Suitable for all natural rubber mats

Manduka's "Natural Rubber Yoga Mat Restore" is made from 100% natural ingredients and preserves the performance of natural rubber yoga mats, including the eKO series.

It is designed to minimize fading and discoloration due to the natural oxidation of natural rubber, restoring the mat's original beautiful luster. Regular use (approximately once a month) will help you use your mat comfortably for longer.

・100% Natural Ingredients
・Non-irritating
・Pet-safe formula
・Strongly supports mat longevity

Click here for Mat Wash Restore ＞＞＞

■Please also refer to this blog post.
How to Clean Your Yoga Mat ＞＞＞

FAQ

Q: How does Manduka's "Mat Wash & Refresh" compare to homemade cleaners?
A: In a word, it's the difference in "ingredients" and "manufacturing process."

Indeed, Manduka's products also use water and essential oils, which at first glance may seem similar to homemade cleaners. However, as you know, water and oil do not naturally mix. That's why, in addition to organic, cosmetic-grade essential oils, we incorporate a plant-derived solubilizer that uniformly disperses and stabilizes them in purified water. This prevents the oil from separating and floating to the surface.

Furthermore, these three simple ingredients are thoroughly blended using an industrial mixer that rotates at 1700 RPM, approximately six times faster than a household mixer. This ensures that the water and essential oils are always delivered in an optimal balance to the mat every time you spray from the bottle.

Like yoga mats, yoga blocks are often touched by hands and feet, raising hygiene concerns. Accumulating dirt can also lead to a decrease in grip.

Q: Why is it important to use purified water?
A: For safety and quality.

If you've ever looked at the bottled water aisle in a grocery store, you know there are many different types of water, from natural spring water to reverse osmosis water. Many cleaning product manufacturers use "deionized water" to remove minerals. While this is a relatively inexpensive and quick method, it doesn't actually remove microscopic organic molecules.

As a result, many such manufacturers must add "biocides" to their formulations to maintain product quality and shelf life.

Because our products touch your mat, we choose a safer, cleaner approach. We employ a more advanced water purification process that removes not only minerals but also microscopic organic matter, which means we don't need to use chemical additives like biocides. While this process costs more, it ensures a quality product you can use with confidence.

Q: How often should I clean my yoga mat?
A: It varies depending on usage frequency and environment, but a basic cleaning routine is important.

Every time you use your yoga mat, skin oils and sweat adhere to its surface. Over time, these can lead to bacterial growth and cause odors.

Using Manduka's "Mat Wash & Refresh" after every practice can help prevent the buildup of dirt and odors.
We recommend refreshing your mat at least once a week according to the instructions.

Deep cleaning (thorough washing) should only be done if your mat feels unsanitary or has visible dirt. If you practice at home and no one in your family is feeling unwell, frequent deep cleaning is not necessary.

On the other hand, if you are using the mat in a shared space like a studio, we recommend thoroughly cleaning both sides after each practice.

Q: Why are disinfectant wipes not suitable for yoga mats?
A: Due to concerns about mat materials and safety, they are not highly recommended.

While disinfectant wipes may seem convenient, there are several issues with using them on yoga mats.

"Wet time" is crucial for effectiveness.
　For disinfectants to be effective, the mat's surface needs to remain visibly wet for 4-5 minutes or more. Wiping lightly with a wet wipe may not meet this condition.
It can shorten the mat's lifespan.
　The active ingredients in disinfectants can degrade yoga mat materials (especially natural rubber and polyurethane), negatively affecting performance and durability.
It can cause skin problems.
　If disinfectant residue is not thoroughly rinsed off the mat, it can come into contact with your skin, potentially causing allergic reactions or irritation.

For these reasons, we recommend using a dedicated cleaner for your yoga mat. Products designed for specific mat materials can help maintain cleanliness while protecting the mat's original performance and safety.