13 Best Yoga Mat Cleaners: Buyer's Guide (UK)

Yoga mat cleaner may not seem like the most important thing you should be taking with you to class, but it is definitely up there as an essential item! Thankfully, OriGym has curated a list of 13 cleaners to ensure your mat stays clean and fresh.

Before you read on, have you thought about qualifying as a yoga teacher? Have a look at OriGym’s industry leading Level 3 yoga diploma or download our free course prospectus for all the information.

What is yoga mat cleaner?

Making sure your gym and workout equipment is clean is essential, not only for hygiene but also for health and safety reasons. That’s where the yoga mat cleaner comes in; a specifically designed cleaning product, either in the form of a spray or yoga mat wipes, these will sanitise your yoga mat and kill any lingering bacteria. 

Knowing your yoga mat is clean (and delicately scented!) will only add to your relaxation, and deepen your experience.

#1 - Asutra Yoga Mat Detox Cleaner

Price: £45.63

Stephanie Morimoto created Asutra because of her passion for self-care; she wanted to spread the message that self-care isn’t selfish. Asutra is a women-owned and women-led business and, as such, is able to create amazing products that are specifically designed to help women. Asutra is loved by women all over the world. In fact, famous tennis player, Venus Williams, believes so strongly in Asutra’s products that she became a part owner and Chief Brand Officer for the company. 

This Asutra yoga mat spray cleaner is made from all-natural ingredients. It is free from a lot of the chemicals that you often find in yoga mat sprays, such as parabens, phthalates and petroleum. What’s more, Asutra believes strongly in caring for the environment and everything in it, which is why none of their products are tested on animals.

This yoga mat cleaner ingredients list is incredibly simple, with as few products as possible. It is made up of organic plants, minerals, and essential oils, such as:

• Organic grapefruit essential oil
• Organic lime essential oil
• Organic orange essential oil
• Organic lemon essential oil
• Organic jojoba oil
• Organic hemp seed oil
• Organic tea tree essential oil

In terms of scents, this essential oil yoga mat cleaner has a wide variety of options for you to choose from. They include: 

• Lavender
• Eucalyptus
• Citrus
• Lemongrass
• Peppermint
• Rose

Alternatively, if you prefer to steer clear of fragrance, you can opt for their unscented yoga mat spray.

The packaging of these Asutra yoga mat spray bottles is really fun and cute. The basic design is just a plain colour with the Austra logo in the corner, but the colourway changes depending on the scent, which is a really nice touch.

#2 - Free People Way of the Will Yoga Mat Spray

Price: £12.00

Free People is a company that was established way back in the 1970s by a man named Dick Hayne. Dick opened up a small clothing store in West Philadelphia that was designed to provide people with freedom in how they dressed. Over time, this store grew and expanded from just Free People to Urban Outfitters as well and is now one of the most recognisable brand names in the world. Now, Free People no longer just sells clothes, but produces a wide range of products including skincare, aromatherapy and items like this yoga mat spray. 

This Free People Way of the Will yoga mat cleaning spray uses a natural formula so it can thoroughly clean your yoga mat without damaging it or drying it out. It is made using tea tree essential oil, which has amazing antibacterial and antifungal properties. Another ingredient is lavender essential oil, which is a great antiseptic, bactericidal, and insecticidal oil.

Unfortunately, this antibacterial yoga mat spray only comes in one scent: Tea Tree and Lavender. Whilst more variety is desirable, this scent is really relaxing and leaves your yoga mat smelling fresh and clean.

In terms of the design of the packaging for this tea tree oil yoga mat cleaner, it is simple, but not boring. The packaging has a natural, minimalist style in keeping with Free People’s earthy aesthetic, with just a black bottle and an off-white label.

Another handy addition to your yoga kit is the humble yoga strap: check out our article to find the best yoga straps for your yoga practice!

#3 - Gaiam Yoga Mat Wash

Price: £16.99

Gaiam is named after the Ancient Greek Mother Earth goddess and roughly means ‘I am the Earth’. Its name captures what is at the heart of Gaiam, which is the philosophy that the way to enrich your own life is by nurturing and protecting the Earth and everything in it. Gaiam believes in embracing the imperfections of everyday life, including the way you practice yoga. That is why they create products that are suitable for every type of yogi out there, from complete beginners to those at a more advanced level.

This Gaiam yoga mat cleaning spray is made from organic essential oils, which have proven antiseptic, antibacterial and moisturising qualities. This means that it will kill any germs and odour on your yoga mat without damaging its fibres or drying it out.

You won’t find any harsh chemicals in the Gaiam yoga mat disinfectant spray either, as it is made from all-natural ingredients. These ingredients include:

• Purified water
• Organic coconut oil
• Organic olive oil
• Lemongrass oil
• Rosemary extract
• Tea tree oil
• Organic aloe vera

These all-natural ingredients mean that this spray is gentle, both to your yoga mat and to your skin. If you want an extra added barrier between your yoga mat, yoga mat cleaner, and your skin, then invest in some of the best yoga socks available.

Unlike a lot of other yoga mat wipes and sprays, this Gaiam organic yoga mat cleaner has no distinct scent, but is packed full of essential oils to give an overall calming, aromatic smell. This makes it perfect for anyone who wants their mat to have a clean, but not overly fragranced, scent.

In terms of packaging, the design of the bottle is very plain. It is an all-white with green details on the label. While not instantly appealing in terms of packaging, what the product lacks in aesthetic appeal, it makes up for in functionality.

It is important to note that, whilst this yoga mat cleaner is ideal for use on PVC, NBR, and vinyl yoga mats, the formula is not compatible with natural rubber mats.

#4 - Giant Lion Tidy Mat Yoga Cleaner Wipes

Price: £15.99

In terms of sustainability, yoga mat cleaning wipes aren’t as good for the environment as the likes of a spray or a wash. However, they are really handy to travel with as, unlike with a spray where you need a cloth to wipe it off, they are an all-in-one cleaning product.

These Giant Lion Tidy Mat yoga mat cleaner wipes are designed to get rid of sweat and dirt from all types of yoga mats. Whether you are using a vinyl yoga mat or one that is made with natural rubber, these wipes are perfectly safe to use.

Moreover, these yoga mat wipes are made using 100% natural ingredients, meaning they are safe to be kept around children. They are also free from tea tree oil, which is an ingredient commonly found in a lot of yoga mat cleaners; tea tree oil has a lot of benefits, but it can actually be poisonous to dogs and cats. Therefore, these yoga mat wipes are a great, safe option if you do have pets, as you won’t have to worry about leaving them lying around, because there is nothing in them that is harmful.

Furthermore, as they are made with natural, non-toxic ingredients, they are also guaranteed not to leave any sticky residue on your yoga mat after cleaning, which is the case with some more chemical-filled yoga mat cleaners.

As mentioned, wipes are often seen as an unsustainable choice of yoga mat cleaner due to their disposable nature. However, these Giant Lion yoga mat wipes have been designed to be completely biodegradable, so you don’t have to worry about them being harmful to the environment when you throw them away.

One downside to these yoga mat wipes is that they only come in one scent: White Lavender. It would be ideal to have a wider variety of scents to choose from; however, this White Lavender scent is delightful. This scent will also leave your yoga mat smelling fresh and clean for a long time after use, as it is extremely long-lasting.

In terms of the packaging for these Giant Lion wipes, the overall look of the bottle is fairly plain. However, the purple colour of the label, in correlation with its lavender scent, does an eye-catching pop of colour.

#5 - Herban Essentials Essential Oil Towelettes 

Price: $7.00 (international shipping)

Herban Essentials is a boutique, woman-owned business in Santa Barbara that was founded back in 1997. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years as a way to aid physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual health. Herban Essentials believes in the healing power of essential oils and their goal has always been to make high quality essential oils portable and accessible.

These Herbal Essential yoga mat towelettes are made from the highest quality, 100% pure, therapeutic grade, steam distilled or cold pressed essential oils. Moreover, Herban Essentials are passionate about creating locally made, cruelty-free products. This is why all of their products are made in the USA and they strive to source their organic, wild-grown oils from American farmers wherever possible. In addition to this, none of their products are ever tested on animals. 

The ingredients in these Herban Essentials yoga mat wipes are really simple and minimalistic. Their ingredients include:

• Water
• Peppermint oil
• Lavender oil
• Lemon oil
• Orange oil
• Eucalyptus oil

These yoga mat wipes come in a wide range of scents for you to choose from, as well as an unscented option if you prefer to avoid fragrance. The scents include:

• Lavender
• Lemon
• Orange
• Eucalyptus
• Peppermint
• Plain yoga towelette

In terms of their design, these Herban Essentials yoga mat cleaner wipes come in very stylish, minimalistic packaging. Each bag has a white background with a colour graphic according to whatever scent you have chosen.

#6 - Luna Yoga Mat Cleaner Spray

Price: £9.79

Luna’s core belief is that you should strive for health, not only in yourself, but in the world around you. This is why they create high quality, natural products, that also provide their customers with the opportunity to help make the world a better place.

All of Luna’s products, including this natural yoga mat cleaner, are free from any toxins, so they are kind to your skin, your yoga mat, and the environment. Another benefit of this yoga mat spray cleaner is that it is made with an alcohol-free formula. Alcohol is an ingredient that is found in a lot of cleaning sprays and, whilst it is a good disinfectant, it can also be extremely drying. Using a spray with alcohol in it on your yoga mat can cause it to dry out and eventually start to break down over time. 

Furthermore, in keeping with Luna’s belief that we should all care for the world around us, they have pledged to donate 10% of all profits to philanthropic efforts. This means that, every time you purchase one of their products, you are helping to support charities and organisations that are helping to make the world a better place.

This Luna yoga mat cleaning spray is made with 100% natural ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about putting harmful chemicals on your mat or your skin. The ingredients include:

• Coconut oil,
• Olive oil,
• Jojoba oil,
• Geranium essential oil,
• Bergamot essential oil, and
• Rosemary essential oil.

In terms of scent, this essential oil yoga mat cleaner comes with 2 choices:

• Peaceful Lavender
• Spring Meadows

These scents are ideal if you want a smell that will leave your yoga mat feeling clean, but not overly fragranced.

The look of the packaging is very simple but cute. Depending on which scent you choose, you have a choice of 2 colourways: 

• The pink colourway for the Peaceful Lavender scent 
• The blue colourway for the Spring Meadows scent.

#7 - Manduka Mat Wash Spray 

Price: £12.72

Sustainability has always been at the heart of Manduka’s products. As such, they really focus on creating as little waste as possible by sourcing the most sustainable materials possible to create their products. Manduka made sure their mat wash spray was sustainable by making sure the bottles are fully recyclable. 

The formula of this Manduka yoga mat cleaner is free from alcohol, so it won’t dry out either your yoga mat or your skin. What’s more, it is made from natural, organic materials and is free from any phosphates.

This natural yoga mat spray has a simple list of ingredients with as few products in it as possible. It is made with organic essential oils, water and a vegetable oil-based surfactant, which allows for a deeper clean. This formula is also completely biodegradable and is guaranteed not to leave any residue on your mat after cleaning.

In terms of scents, this Manduka yoga mat cleaning spray comes with a choice of 2 options:

• Lavender
• Gingergrass

Regarding the packaging, the design of the bottle is pretty plain, as it is just a white bottle with a white label. However, the colour of the Manduka brand name does change depending on what scent you get which adds a welcome dose of colour.

#8 - Mind Over Lather Yoga Mat Cleaner

Price: currently unavailable

Mind Over Lather is a brand that is passionate about helping you to find peace of mind in your daily routine. They sell a range of products, including: vegan soap, clothing, body lotion and, of course, yoga mat cleaners. All of these products contain a unique combination of essential oils that will help you to reach a state of peace and relaxation.

A great thing about this Mind Over Lather yoga mat disinfectant spray is that it is completely alcohol-free. Alcohol can often damage your yoga mat, so you can be sure your yoga mat is in safe hands with this Mind Over Lather spray. Furthermore, in order to ensure that your yoga mat is thoroughly cleaned, this natural yoga mat cleaner contains witch hazel, which is an amazing disinfectant.

In terms of practicality, the spray nozzle on this yoga mat cleaner comes with a built-in lock, to prevent it leaking in your bag. This is a really handy feature if you want to keep the spray in your bag as you go about your day, or as you travel to and from yoga practice.

Moreover, Mind Over Lather makes a point of not using coconut oil, unlike a lot of other brands, due to its slippery consistency. Too much coconut oil in a product can cause your hands and feet to slip on the mat, which is very disrupting to your yoga practice.

The ingredients in this Mind Over Lather make it the best yoga mat cleaner for simplicity, typically containing just distilled water, witch hazel and a few essential oils. These essential oils vary depending on which scent you choose. Mind Over Lather have a vast range of scents available, including:

• Eucalyptus & tea tree 
• Fresh bamboo 
• Lavender mint yoga 
• Lemon rosemary yoga 
• Lemongrass 
• Papaya coconut 
• Pink grapefruit 
• Summer rain yoga 
• Yuzu yoga 

Overall, the design of this Mind Over Lather yoga mat spray bottle is very simple and rustic. It projects a natural, earthy vibe that is in keeping with the brand’s philosophy on using all-natural ingredients in their products.

#9 - Muse Bath Apothecary Yoga Mat Cleaner

Price: £11.55

Muse Bath Apothecary is a botanical wellness studio that draws its inspiration from the healing power of nature. Due to the respect that Muse Bath Apothecary has for nature, it places a lot of focus on making their products eco-friendly. This is why each Muse collection is made from sustainably sourced botanicals, whole essential oils, and high quality of minerals.

This Muse Bath Apothecary yoga mat cleaning spray is made from completely organic, natural ingredients and is free from any chemicals. What’s more, Muse Bath Apothecary is passionate about making their products in the most ethical way possible, which is why their organic yoga mat cleaner is vegan and cruelty free.

Moreover, each of these Muse yoga mat cleaners is made with a personal touch as they are all hand-fragranced and hand-poured.

As Muse Bath Apothecary is centred around the healing power found in nature, their organic yoga mat cleaner is made with minimal, natural ingredients, such as water and essential oils.

One downside to this Muse Bath Apothecary organic yoga mat cleaner is that it only comes in one scent: Eucalyptus mint. Whilst more options would be ideal, this eucalyptus mint scent is extremely relaxing and leaves your yoga mat smelling fresh and clean.

The packaging of the essential oul yoga mat cleaner has a very simple design. The black bottle is offset by the white label with typewriter style font and, overall, creates a really classic look.

#11 - Saucha Natural Yoga Mat Cleaner and Microfibre Cloth

Price: £7.70

Saucha is a style of yoga that is centred around purity and cleanliness. This style of yoga refers to the cleanliness of the mind, body and spirit as well as your surroundings. However, this Saucha natural yoga mat cleaner focuses more directly on creating cleanliness in the environment that you are practising yoga in. 

This Saucha yoga mat spray uses a gentle formula that kills bacteria and dissolves sweat and dirt, whilst not being harsh on the skin. What’s more, it is really quick drying so you won’t be left with a wet, slippery mat that could potentially cause an accident. A common problem found with many yoga mat cleaners is that they leave an oily residue on the yoga mat, which can be unhygienic. This Saucha spray, however, is guaranteed not to leave any oiliness on your yoga mat which could transfer to your clothing or skin. 

Another key item that can help with hygiene is the yoga towel, which will help keep sweat off of both you and your yoga mat.

Moreover, this yoga mat disinfectant spray is plant-based and free from any toxins. It is, instead, made with natural ingredients that will be kind to both your yoga mat and your skin.

Another great feature of the Saucha natural yoga mat cleaner is that it comes with its own microfibre cloth. This is really handy for wiping off any excess spray when you are finished cleaning your yoga mat. 

Unfortunately, this is another yoga mat spray cleaner that only comes in one scent: Lavender Bliss. However, whilst more variety would be preferred, this scent is really pleasant and leaves your mat smelling fresh and clean.

The packaging of this Saucha yoga mat spray has a simplistic but feminine feel. The transparent bottle is covered in a pretty purple label which matches the Lavender Bliss scent.

#12 - Treeborn Yoga Mat Cleaner

Price: £17.35

Treeborn is a small company with a big focus on protecting the environment. This is why this yoga mat cleaner is made in small batches, with simple ingredients to reduce the amount of waste being created. Most yoga mat sprays come in single-use plastic bottles, which are bad for the environment because of how much waste they create. Treeborn decided that this had to change, which is why their natural yoga mat spray comes in a reusable glass bottle. What’s more, the Treeborn bottle is also 4 times the size of most yoga mat sprays, so you won’t have to repurchase it as often.

This Treeborn yoga mat cleaner is non-sticky, non-slippery and non-toxic and is completely alcohol free. Alcohol can be very stripping on your yoga mat, drying it out and really damaging it over time. This is why Treeborn’s yoga mat spray cleaner is completely alcohol-free.

Treeborn is not only passionate about the environment, but also the things that live in it. For this reason, their spray is cruelty free as it does not test on animals.

The Treeborn yoga mat cleaner is made with 100% natural ingredients that are designed to be gentle, even to the most sensitive skin. Their ingredients include:

• Distilled water,
• Alcohol-free witch hazel,
• French lavender oil, and
• Melaleuca oil.

As Treeborn is a very small brand, they only offer one scent: French Lavender. This scent is calming and sweet and will leave your yoga mat smelling really clean. 

The design of Treeborn’s packaging is very much in keeping with the eco-friendly tone of the brand. The dark glass bottle goes well with the slightly off-white label to create a very natural, earthy look.

#13 - Wipex Natural Gym & Fitness Equipment Wipes

Price: £7.70

Wipex is a really recognisable brand name and is a leading manufacturer in wet wipes. Wipex’s products are so popular because they are able to effectively clean even the dirtiest surfaces without using any harsh chemicals or leaving behind any residue. Wipex’s philosophy is built around effective, natural, gentle cleaning.

These Wipex Natural Gym & Fitness Equipment wipes can be used for a wide range of purposes. As well as using these yoga mat cleaning wipes to wipe down your yoga mat, you can also use them to clean your indoor cycling bike and your home gym equipment. 

As Wipex believes in effective, natural, gentle cleaning, these yoga mat cleaning wipes are free from all toxic fumes. They are also free from bleach, ammonia and quat, which is an extremely strong disinfectant that can cause irritation in your lungs and on your skin.

Instead of using these harsh chemicals in their ingredients, Wipex yoga mat cleaning wipes are made using natural ingredients, such as water, vinegar and lavender essential oil.

In terms of scents, these Wipex yoga mat cleaning wipes come in a choice of 3 options:

• Lavender and Vinegar 
• Watermelon
• Lemongrass

The overall design of the packaging for these yoga mat cleaning wipes is brightly coloured and fun. It comes in either lime green, purple or turquoise, depending on which scent you choose.

Bonus: Matsana Yoga Mat Cleaner Machine

Understandably, the constant spraying and wiping of your yoga mat can get tedious, and you might want a quicker solution. There aren’t many yoga mat cleaner machines on the market but we’ve found one: the Matsana. 

The Matsana works by feeding your yoga mat through the machine which sanitises by using high intensity UV-C light which kills germs and bacteria, all within a matter of seconds. Not only is the UV-C light safe for yoga mats (it won’t damage the long term integrity or flexibility of the mat) but it is also safe for humans.

Whilst these brilliant features may have you convinced, there is a big caveat with the Matsana Yoga Mat Cleaner Machine: it’s primarily designed for use in yoga studios or gyms, as it’s constructed with a built in card reader and is quite bulky in size. The price for this sort of machine will therefore probably be very high. 

FAQs

Where to buy yoga mat cleaner (UK)?

Luckily, most of the products on this list are readily available on Amazon UK or on the individual brand websites, and we’d recommend shopping online as the easiest way to buy yoga mat cleaner. It is slightly more of a niche market, so finding the best yoga mat cleaner in store is a bit more tricky. 

Decathlon is a shop that sells yoga mat cleaner here in the UK, but they have a limited range so it may not be sold in every shop.

How to use yoga mat cleaner

Most yoga mat cleaning sprays work exactly like other disinfectant sprays; use 2 to 3 sprays on the mat, then wipe over with a cloth or tissue, making sure not to leave any residue or wet patches. Yoga mat wipes are pretty much the same just without the spraying at the beginning, and you should only need 1 (use both sides) or 2 wipes at most to clean your mat. 

We recommend cleaning your yoga mat after every use as this will make sure there isn’t any build up of bacteria or dirt, and your mat will be clean for your next yoga practice. You can also clean before and after every use if you want that little extra reassurance of hygiene. 

Just be careful not to inhale, ingest, or get the yoga mat cleaner on your skin or in your eyes - even though most are made of natural ingredients they may still cause irritation or damage. Take extra care around pets and children as well as some aren’t safe for animals, for example tea tree oil yoga mat spray which can be poisonous to dogs and cats.

Why use a yoga mat cleaner?

The benefits of yoga mat cleaner are numerous! Like any other gym equipment, your yoga mat is regularly in contact with your skin, which means sweat, dirt, and germ transfers and will build up if not cleaned regularly. While some yoga mats might be machine washable, a lot of them aren’t, and regularly using a washing machine to clean your yoga mat can damage the long term integrity.

What is the best yoga mat cleaner?

There are so many different yoga mat cleaning sprays and wipes that it would be difficult to determine which is actually the best. Besides, with so many variations in scents and formulas, everyone will have their own personal preference that someone else may think is terrible! 

That being said, the best yoga mat cleaner will have a few key properties, such as no overpowering scent, no residue left behind, great cleaning power, and a pleasing and long-lasting freshness.

Before you go!

Sure, cleaning can be tedious and time consuming, but when your yoga mat cleaner smells amazing and works efficiently, it can actually be quite satisfying! Ultimately, ensuring that your workout equipment is clean and hygienic is essential to safe practice, so no matter how you clean your yoga mat just make sure you do.

Have you ever thought about turning your passion for fitness into a career? Why not? Have a look at our level 3 personal trainer course or download our free course prospectus to find out more!