A new Yoga Mat can revitalize your practice with excitement. But along with excitation and adventure, it offers an unpleasant smell that has been a major concern for all the yogis. To resolve this problem yogis are finding ways of How to Remove Rubber Smell from Yoga Mats with minimum possible efforts and supplies needed. Sometimes it seems less appealing and even borderline toxic.
Whether you buy a mat of rubber, jute, or PVC, it is going to have a distinctive smell.
You must get rid of this smell, as it can ruin your relaxing yoga experience. The problem is simply washing the expensive mat in a machine would not be sufficient.
Yoga mats are made up of rugged materials, but when you wash the yoga mat, it deteriorates quickly.
Your everyday detergent is bad for the longevity of your yoga mat. If you want to keep your yoga mat fresh and long-lasting, you need to wash it with a quality product.
The manufacturers of some yoga mat companies mention cleaning directions along with their mats. Suppose you bought a mat that came with those instructions, lucky for you, as you can easily follow those directions. But if your mat did not come with the instructions, do not worry, I have got you covered. I will teach you how to remove rubber smell from yoga mats.
Let us start with the basics. To get rid of that nasty smell, you must go to the bottom of the problem. You must learn why does yoga mat smells and what can we do to get rid of it.
Why Does a Yoga Mat Smell?
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The two main reasons behind the smell of yoga mats are:
- Volatile organic compounds – VOCs
- Sweat – when you are using a mat regularly, it absorbs all the sweat, oil, and grime and produces a smell.
All the products such as paints, scents, rubbers, air-fresheners, and perfumes have volatile organic compounds that can cause dizziness and headache to you from their assaulting smell.
You can get rid of both these smells by washing a yoga mat. Expose your mats to the air; by this practice the rubber smell will fade out.
Methods to Remove Rubber Smell from Yoga Mats
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There are a lot of methods to get rid of the rubber smell. First, I have mentioned some steps that apply to almost all brands and types of mats. If you do not know the material or composition of your yoga mat, you can safely follow these general steps as they are 100 percent safe. Followed by these general steps are some specific methods that do not cover all mats, and you need to be careful before applying them.
General Methods
The smell of one brand of yoga mat might be different from the other, but they all have almost similar manufacturing products.
So, the methods to remove this smell are the same for each type.
Step1: When you purchase a new yoga mat, Air it out in a ventilated area. You can use the air of a fan and open the windows of that place where you have placed the yoga mat.
Step2: Remember it, do not expose the yoga mat directly to the sunlight. The yoga mats are sensitive to the radiations of sunlight.
Step3: When you are not using the yoga mat, keep it unrolled. The air passing through it will reduce the smell of a new mat. If you keep it rolled, there will be a permanent smell produced in it.
Step4: Purchase a deodorant that is specifically designed for a yoga mat. A couple of sprays and deodorants are available in the market that keeps the yoga mat fresh.
Step5: You can use the vapor fresh cleaning spray to reduce the rubber smell. The deodorizing sprays are specially made to reduce the smell of sweat.
Other Ways to get rid of the rubber smell:
Whenever you are going to apply any method to remove the smell, determine the material of your yoga mat. If it is made from rubber, do not expose it to direct sunlight, due to heavy UV rays its colour becomes fade.
If you have tried the above-described methods and your mat still produce a smell, then clean it with water and soap gently. The following are some ways to remove the smell of rubber from a newly purchased yoga mat:
1. Use of Neutral pH cleaner:
To neutralize the odor of rubber, you can use a cleaner of neutral pH. If you have purchased a new mat, wash it immediately with a cleaner it will reduce the odor of rubber. If there is a stalk of mats wash them separately.
Clean both sides of the mats thoroughly and then put them in the air. You can wash the mats in an open place, do not rush into a confined place. Now allow your mat to dry.
2. Vinegar Cleaning Solution:
Before using vinegar, make sure to check the material of your Yoga mat. The vinegar contains acid in its composition that can degrade the texture of the mat.
The most used and preferable vinegar is Apple Cider vinegar. It has strong power to remove stains and disinfect the matter. The high-quality cleaning of vinegar can remove the smell of rubber.
Mix the vinegar in a spray bottle and spread over the whole mat. To remove the tough stains of sweat mix an equal quantity of water and vinegar in the bottle. Use a scrub to get rid of grimes on the mat. Then take hot water in another bowl to clean the mat.
Dip a piece of cloth in hot water, and rub over the mat to clean it.
3. DIY Yoga Mat Cleaning Spray:
You have to clean your mat regularly because every time you use the mat, your sweat, dirt, and other particles get absorbed in it. So, a quick wipe is essential.
For this purpose, make a homemade spray and sprinkle it over your mat. The cleanser we buy from the market contains some harmful ingredients that can deteriorate the mat.
Take 1 cup of water, add ¼ cup of hazel, 10 drops of tea tree oil, and 5 drops of any oil, mix them well. Fill the liquid in a spray bottle. Apply it on your yoga mat and let it dry in the air. The tea tree oil removes the smell of rubber and hazel sanitizes the Yoga mat.
4. Soap and Water Cleanser:
It is one of the most recommended and best ways to wash a yoga mat. The combination of soap and water is just perfect. The soap contains disgracing quality that can remove dirt and the smell of sweat.
Add a few drops of dishwashing bar in the hot water bowl, and a few drops of oil. The oil drops are used to lower down the smell of rubber. After applying soap and cleanser wash it with hot water. Dry your yoga mat in the air and enjoy its freshness.
Can You Wash Your Yoga Mat in the Washing Machine?
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It is a hot debate topic, and the answer to this question depends upon the material of your Yoga mat. If it is made up of rubber, you cannot put it into the washing machine.
Sometimes you mistakenly put your mat into the washing machine with a local detergent, it degrades the texture of the yoga mat. Before washing the mat in the washing machine, read the instructions for cleaning the mat.
Some yoga mats are manufactured with a material that can be hand-washed only. If you toss that type of mat in the machine, it will deteriorate. Whenever you wash the yoga mat in the washing machine, use a gentle detergent.
I will not recommend you to clean your Yoga Mat in the Washing Machine as you can face unexpected damage and loss of both the washing machine and the yoga mat.
More Tips To Remove Smell of Yoga Mat
Here are some tips that can reduce the smell of your Yoga Mat:
- Store your mat in a well-ventilated place.
- Do not use harsh detergents to clean the yoga mat. If you have a rubber mat, keep it with full care and do not use a cleaning product that contains oils.
- After washing, allow it to dry completely. Do not roll it if it is not dried up.
- Before using the mat, do not apply body lotions and creams. They get absorbed in the mat and make it dirty.
How long does it take for the rubber smell to go away?
The answer to this question may vary from material to material of a yoga mat.
The rubber yoga mat usually takes up to 3 4 weeks or 25 to 30 days. In this time, it also counts how often you use a yoga mat and let it get aerated by the flowing wind and sun.
The more you use it and let it open for the wind to pass on the lesser time it will take to become smell-free. With this common method, you can still use certain cleaners and home washes to wash your yoga mat.
Can smelling rubber be harmful?
Well is you consider the buying guide of any yoga mat, they will certainly be sure of their nonchemical odorless, and less harmful products.
In some cases, there are actual assaulting smells coming out of your yoga mats. These are actually harmful volatile organic compounds.
So anything that smells that disturbing will surely have some bad effect on your health. So try to choose from eco-friendly products to be on the safer side.
Can I use Clorox wipes on my yoga mat?
The answer to this is not a confident yes. The first and foremost option that should be considered by any of you is the simple solution of equal water and alcohol proportions.
This can clean your yoga mat without even harming the surface of your yoga mat and is less harmful.
As far as Clorox wipes are concerned, these should be avoided as they contain a certain harsh chemical that could remain on your yoga mat for a longer time.
How often should you replace your yoga mat?
Every six to 12 months. All you need to see are the warming signs that your yoga mat will eventually start giving after rigorous sweat breakouts and dirt.
As every person’s practice routine is different than others, everyone can see for their own yoga mat’s signs which is the frequent showing of tearing off and rough surface appearance.
So everyone can change or replace a yoga mat accordingly with their use.
Conclusion:
If you want to keep your yoga mat fresh and odor-free, disinfect it regularly. Use all the above-described tips and ways to get rid of the unpleasant smell. Hopefully, this article has cleared all your queries related to How to Remove Rubber Smell from Yoga Mats. If you are still confused about something, then do not hesitate to ask in the comment section below. Also, do let me know what method do you use to clean your yoga mat?