Contagious in a Bad Way?

by heathervescent

It's not just the yoga craze that's contagious; you could catch something more mundane in the studio. The New York Times covers the concern that communal yoga mats could house infectious germs due to their inability to be well cleaned.

Gyms have long been hothouses for unwanted viruses, fungi and bacteria, a result of shared equipment, excessive sweat and moisture in locker rooms. Many facilities provide disinfectant so clients can wipe down machinery, but they are often less diligent when it comes to exercise mats.

Daily Mantra editor, Heather Schlegel, shared her experiences with cleaning yoga mats and is included in the article. You can read the full story here.

| 07/27/06 | Yoga

i've seen people with covers for their mats, which i think help eliminate slipping. maybe that helps with hygene as well.

as far as washing mats, can one just throw them in the washer at home? is that the best way to clean them?

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well, I usually just throw them in the washing machine on cold with some woolite, and then lay them over a chair to dry. They get extra sticky and it's really easy!

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Heather ,

Great quote. Made a reference to it on my post today -

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I use Lysol to clean my mat, since it's proven to kill just about anything that lives.

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People should not use the yoga matt at the studio! That's so disgusting. $25 buys you your own matt and it's well worth it!

Washing machines are the best from my experience. I just bought a really sturdy Manduka brand mat and I LOVE IT. It's on the pricey side but SO WORTH it if you are a regular yogi.

Problem is it's too thick to throw in the washing machine. Ever used "Vermont Soap Organics Yoga Mat Wash"? I'm thinking it's not any good though since it's not bleach based?