Home » Exercise Mats » Are Yoga Mats Waterproof and Machine Washable? – Are you tired of sweating all over your yoga mat during hot yoga sessions? Do you dread the thought of having to hand wash your mat after every use? Well, fear not my fellow yogis, because I have some exciting news for you. After extensive research and testing, I have discovered that not only are some yoga mats waterproof, but they are also machine washable! Yes, you read that right. No more soggy mats or tedious hand washing. Now you can downward dog with confidence and throw your mat in the washing machine without a care in the world. Namaste, my friends.
Are yoga mats waterproof and machine washable?
Well, the answer to THE FIRST PART of this question is; are yoga mats waterproof? It would not be a simple one. Getting a waterproof yoga mat can be a pain because such mats are not commonly available.
On the other hand, you would also have to spend some extra bucks, but that’s obvious!
Waterproof yoga mats have surely different kinds of built and bottom textures. They may be an extra layer to block pathways and resist the passage of water into the mat. IT ALL DEPENDS UPON THE MAT’S CONSTRUCTION!
Next up, THE SECOND PART of this question; are yoga mats machine washable?
The answer to this is different for every mat available.
Not all yoga mats are machine washable.
However, a majority of them can be cleaned using a washing machine. You can get accurate information about this question, through the user’s guide you get along when you purchase a yoga mat.
Though many people do not bother opening it, well, it is very important to go through the manual before using your yoga mat. It would clearly be mentioned if you can machine wash this particular yoga mat or not.
Most of the PVC yoga mats cannot be machine washed. Rubber yoga mats are commonly dropped into a washing machine and cleansed this way, but the drying part is sometimes complicated. No worries; I will drop a step-by-step guide regarding how to machine wash your yoga mat. Stay tuned!
How to Know If A Yoga Mat Is Waterproof?
It is very easy to know if a yoga mat is waterproof or not, before purchasing it. Obviously, you can ask the seller about the product. However, the query is real when you have already made a purchase but can not know whether the mat is waterproof or not! For such a case, here are a few tips for you.
Option 1: Read out the user’s guide. There must be mentioned if the mat you purchased is water-resistant or not. This is the most obvious way to know if your mat is waterproof.
Option 2:Â Consult the manufacturer. If your mat is not a local one and belongs to some well-known brand, the manufacturer would definitely respond to your quest. This may or may not take some days, but you would get an accurate answer to your question.
Option 3: Self-check! This is a very simple test to know if your mat is waterproof or not. After a week of yoga exercise, check out whether your mat is storing sweat moisture in it or not. This would be clearly visible if you are trying out Bikram or Hot Yoga exercises.
How To Machine Wash a Yoga Mat?
STEP 1: Before planning to drop your yoga mat into the machine, open up the mat’s package, and find the user guide. Check whether the mat you have purchased is machine washable or not.
If yes, proceed towards the following steps. If not, STOP HERE! You are not permitted by the mat’s manufacturers to machine wash their product.
STEP 2:Â Unroll the mat carefully. Make sure to remove all kinds of stretches so that all of the mats get properly cleaned.
STEP 3: Place the mat evenly inside the washing machine. Make the front of the mat exposed because that’s where a majority of the dirt is. Add up a gentle yoga mat washing detergent. If you do not have any, make up a well-hydrated mixture of yoga mat cleansing powder and add it to the drum of the washing machine.
STEP 4:Â Make sure you have added warm water inside the drum; cold water would not thoroughly clean the mat and may also not remove the pungent odor.
STEP 5:Â After a few cycles, stop the machine and shift the mat. Please place it in different positions every time to make sure every part of the mat is cleaned properly.
STEP 6: Your mat is now machine washed! Now instead of using the automatic dryer machine, try to air-dry your mat. If the weather is harsh and you are not able to air dry it, then the only option left is to either wait for the weather to get better or to machine dry the mat.
Be very careful during machine drying. It is better to keep the temperature below 30 Celsius which is approximately room temperature. These degrees would dry up your mat for a long time but would not spoil the quality and texture of the mat at all!
STEP 7:Â After drying, lay your mat flat in a room for one complete day i.e., 24 hours to promote the circulation of air and prevent pore blockage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you’re looking for a yoga mat that can withstand the elements and your sweaty downward dogs, it’s important to consider whether it’s waterproof and machine washable. After all, nobody wants a soggy, smelly mat ruining their zen. But let’s be real, even if your mat is waterproof and machine washable, it’s still not immune to the occasional spill or stain. So, if you’re like me and tend to be a bit clumsy, maybe invest in a mat that’s also stain-resistant or comes with a built-in cup holder. Hey, anything to make our yoga practice a little more enjoyable, right? Namaste and happy mat shopping!
