How to Spring Clean Your Yoga and Fitness Gear
Anyone who has practiced a sweaty session of HIIT or Vinyasa knows that your mat doesn’t stay fresh-smelling for long. It’s essential to keep your yoga mat clean to prevent breakouts; keep it from harboring dirt, bacteria, and fungi; and make your practice more enjoyable. With a new season approaching, many take to spring cleaning and give things a deeper clean than the usual around-the-year maintenance. As you snap on your rubber gloves and banish those dust bunnies, don’t overlook your yoga and fitness gear.
How to Clean Your Yoga Blocks
Yoga blocks can get dirty and sweaty just like any other equipment. If you’re using a foam block like our Uplifting Yoga Block, clean it with a damp microfiber towel and a drop of dishwashing liquid to remove stains and smells.
How to Clean Your Workout Clothing
Washing your workout clothes is one thing — another is deep cleaning them. First, assess your wardrobe and get rid of any clothing that you no longer wear. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t worn it within the last six months to a year, donate it, or toss it if it’s not in wearable condition.
Next, you’ll want to wash all of your workout clothing to get rid of built-up smells. To do so, soak your clothing in one part white distilled vinegar to four parts cold water for at least 15 minutes. Then rinse your clothing and put them on a gentle cycle using cold water to avoid damaging their synthetic fibers. Use your regular detergent if you don’t have any made specifically for activewear and sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda (around ½ cup) on top to get rid of extra odors. Avoid using fabric softener, as it will just end up coating the fabric, and air dry to avoid stretching out the fibers.
How to Clean Your Bolster
Most bolsters will come with a removable machine-washable cover. Make sure to wash it on a cold cycle and hang dry it so it doesn’t shrink. If yours doesn’t have a removable cover, spot clean it with a damp microfiber towel.
How to Clean Your Yoga Strap
To clean your yoga strap, you’ll want to soak it first in a sink of cold, soapy water. Then, pop it into the washing machine with detergent and baking soda on a cold cycle and air dry to avoid any shrinkage.
How to Clean Your Hair Ties
One item that’s often overlooked but important to clean are your hair ties to avoid build-up of sweat and hair products. You can either hand-wash them in the sink, or you can gather them up in a cotton mesh bag that zips and pop them into the washing machine. Lay them flat on a dry towel to air dry.
How to Clean Your Yoga Mat
Your yoga mat can easily harbor all sorts of dirt and bacteria, so you’ll want to make sure you clean it after each use. Depending on the material of your mat, you’ll want to be mindful of which products you use to clean it. Always test a small area before continuing to ensure it doesn’t leave a mark. The moisture-wicking, anti-odor Alo Warrior Yoga Mat, made of 100% polyurethane leather on top and 100% rubber on the bottom, should be wiped down with a microfiber towel after each use. We recommend a 1:20 solution of oil-free soap or vinegar and warm water to keep it clean between uses. For other mats, try mixing up our DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner recipe below and spraying it on the mat after each practice.
DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner Recipe
¾ c. Distilled Water
¼ c. Distilled White Vinegar
5 drops of Tea Tree essential oil
5 drops of Lemon essential oil
5 drops of Lime essential oil
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a glass spray bottle and shake to combine. You may need to add more or less essential oil drops depending on your preference of how heavily scented you’d like it to be.
Keep the spring vibes going strong with our playlist, Spring Awakening. Try it out with a free 14-day trial to Alo Moves.
