Have you ever unrolled your yoga or gym mat for a relaxing practice or an invigorating workout only to find a disgusting smell wafting up from your toes? It sure makes it not so pleasant to workout, especially if you're planning to hang out in child's pose or plank at all! Ugh! Anyone who works out at home or a gym knows that your mats and equipment can get super dirty. Most gyms are pretty good about keeping spray bottles around - but have you ever thought about what is actually in them? Since having a baby and moving into a new house, I've been extra aware of the chemicals in our home and that we expose ourselves to. When I started my local "Moms in Motion" class, I knew I wanted to create a quality mat cleaner for moms to use that was also kid safe.
So, I headed to my oil-lab (AKA kitchen counter), whipped out my trusty vinegar and my favorite essential oils and got to mixing! What resulted was a really easy, effective and affordable mat cleaner! I love that you can use different essential oils to make it work for your needs.
Want to make your own mat cleaner?
Want to make your own mat cleaner?
Here's what you'll need:
A spray bottle (glass ones like this are ideal, but for my kids classes I wanted to use plastic)
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
15 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
10 drops citrus oil (I used lemon for one bottle and wild orange for another)
5 drops cleansing blend
Add all of the ingredients to the spray bottle and close tightly. Shake before use! Spray on your mat or gym equipment and wipe off with a clean towel. Easy Peasy!
A spray bottle (glass ones like this are ideal, but for my kids classes I wanted to use plastic)
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
15 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
10 drops citrus oil (I used lemon for one bottle and wild orange for another)
5 drops cleansing blend
Add all of the ingredients to the spray bottle and close tightly. Shake before use! Spray on your mat or gym equipment and wipe off with a clean towel. Easy Peasy!
Why these oils?
- Melaleuca (tea tree oil) has really strong cleansing abilities and is my top pick for getting things sanitized, a great germ buster.
- Citrus oils like lemon have cleansing properties, are able to purify the air, sanitize surface AND add a wonderful clean scent. They are known to elevate mood and promote energy, so they are perfect for your exercise mat!
- The cleansing blend designed to naturally eliminate odors and contaminates in the air. It's full of oils with sanitizing properties and bonus points - it smells great!
Personalize it! You could easily swap the citrus oils out for something like lavender if you're cleaning a yoga mat and prefer a calming scent. You could also add an additional oil if you have a favorite scent!
When choosing your essential oils there are a lot of choices out there. I choose to use pure, therapeutic grade oils for my family. To learn more about how I use oils in my family and where I've found the most cost-effective brand - email me!
How about you?
What's your worst stinky yoga mat story?
Do you like citrus or calming scents when you workout?
Do you like citrus or calming scents when you workout?
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