Yoga mats can be a breeding ground for bacteria so keep yours clean with this DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner. Made from simple and natural ingredients like witch hazel, essential oils and water, this yoga mat cleaner is a no-brainer for any yogis looking to clean their mats regularly.

The other day as I was rolling out my yoga mat to do an at-home practice, C pointed out how dirty my yoga mat was looking. TBH I don’t clean it at home nearly enough. When I’m in a studio, I almost always feel guilted when I see all the people around me being proactive and cleaning their mats, but at home not so much.
I also think it has to do with the availability of yoga mat cleaners or spray cleaners. In a studio or gym they’re almost always readily available, but at home I end up resorting to my plant-based all-purpose cleaner which does the trick but doesn’t get me particularly excited by cleaning it.
So I set out to make the best yoga mat cleaner using all-natural ingredients. This yoga mat cleaner is safe, effective and yoga teacher approved!
Why Use a Yoga Mat Cleaner
Think of your yoga mat like your exercise bike or your workout clothes… naturally as you workout, they get accumulate dirt, grime and sweat! Some might start to stink, will look grimy or will just be covered in bacteria or germs that you can’t see.
This bacteria can build up in your mat so it’s important to clean it regularly. Don’t just wait for a scent to develop before cleaning it.

My favorite yoga studio in SF (The Pad Studios) has an incredible smelling yoga mat spray that I’m fairly certain they make themselves. It required me to do a little digging (aka I opened a bottle and put my nose in it) to figure out what combination went into their yoga mat spray and in the end I think I put together a similar result, with a Maven twist!
Homemade Yoga Mat Cleaner
Like most cleaning products, it was important to me that the combination be natural and made from plant-based ingredients. Especially since I’m putting my hands, my feet and sometimes my face directly onto it. My yoga mat and I have a pretty intimate relationship so just like my skincare products, I’d like for it to not be full of chemicals.
Making your own DIY yoga mat spray is actually easier than you think and only requires a few simple ingredients, without the harsh chemicals:
Witch Hazel – a special distilled herb that has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties (I like to use this alcohol-free version but it’s totally up to you if you want alcohol-free)
Essential Oils –Peppermint, Lemon, Tea Tree Oil and Lavender essential oils which help with both disinfecting and smell lovely! If you prefer other scents feel free to use them instead (I also like orange, lemongrass and eucalyptus oils)
Water – to dilute the witch hazel and essential oils and make the spray more long lasting
Spray bottle – I like these ones from Amazon. You just mix all your ingredients and shake. Then just spray on your mat as indicated below.
How to Clean Your Yoga Mat
Using a yoga mat spray is so simple! Just spray the mixture directly onto your yoga mat – I like to do a light even coating. You don’t need to thoroughly coat or have puddles of cleaner! Use a clean towel to rub the spray in your yoga mat and wipe any excess away. Let your mat air dry completely before using.

How Long Does Yoga Mat Cleaner Last?
Because this is made with just witch hazel, essential oils and water, this yoga mat spray will last for years! If one batch is lasting you for years though, you’re not using it enough!! Just saying…
PrintDIY Yoga Mat Cleaner
Yoga mats can be a breeding ground for bacteria so keep yours clean with this DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner. Made from simple and natural ingredients like witch hazel, essential oils and water, this yoga mat cleaner is a no-brainer for any yogis looking to clean their mats regularly.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz spray bottle
- 1/4 cup witch hazel
- 10 drops of lavender essential oil
- 10 drops of lemon essential oil
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- 3 drops tea tree essential oil
- Filtered water
Instructions
- Add witch hazel to spray bottle and top with water until almost full.
- Add in essential oils. If you prefer more fragrance, feel free to add more.
- Shake and spray directly onto mat.
- Wipe clean using a towel and leave out to dry completely.
- Use after each yoga mat use or as desired.
Keywords: Yoga Mat Spray, Yoga Mat cleaner

Interested in practicing more yoga? Check out these posts:
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18 Comments
Sarah
April 7, 2023 at 8:37 pmCan I use this as a countertop cleaner spray as well?
★★★★★
Davida Lederle
April 19, 2023 at 12:31 pmI would recommend something a little more intense for countertops. Here’s what I typically use: https://www.thehealthymaven.com/how-to-deep-clean-your-kitchen/
Ann
May 16, 2022 at 12:29 pmI’m wanting to try this for a large exercise mat (2’ squares put together to form a 6’x8’ area) over carpet – should I be concerned that any overspray May damage the carpet? Thank you!
Kate
April 8, 2021 at 12:27 amIs there a reason alcohol-free witch hazel is better? (The only kind I could find in store was not alcohol-free and the one I ordered online had other things in it.)
Davida Lederle
April 8, 2021 at 11:24 amalcohol can potentially damage your mat but if you aren’t using it too frequently you should be fine!
Joyce Low
March 28, 2021 at 5:31 amGot a new mat recently and would like to prepare this for cleaning my mat! However, what would be a good substitute for Witch Hazel? I’m having difficulty finding it where I am..
Davida Lederle
March 28, 2021 at 5:23 pmHonestly – there isn’t a perfect substitute. You could do a heavily diluted apple cider vinegar mixture but it’s definitely not as effective.
Lauren
February 8, 2022 at 9:30 amWitch Hazel can be found in any drug or convenience store. It will be located right next to the large bottles of rubbing alcohol (in a similar looking bottle) in the first aid department. Super easy to find and super cheap.
claire
January 11, 2021 at 11:10 amIf i just wanted to use tea tree oil, and none of the others, how many drops should I use? 28 drops?
Davida Lederle
January 11, 2021 at 12:13 pmtea tree is extremely potent so I wouldn’t use more than 5 drops – however if you find it doesn’t have much smell you can add a few more. You should smell it without it being overpowering.
Lori Wasserman-Rizzo
November 12, 2019 at 7:42 amHow many ounces of witch hazel?
Sophia
September 25, 2020 at 3:24 pm2 Ounces.
Terri Decker
May 2, 2019 at 9:58 amany worry that the mat will eventually get oily??
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
May 2, 2019 at 12:03 pmNo! There’s such a minute amount of essential oils. I’ve never had an issue.
Carissa
February 18, 2019 at 10:37 pmThank you for the recipe and advice! Can’t wait to try it out!
Erica
December 18, 2018 at 6:25 amThank you for sharing! I bet this smells amazing.
Brenda Star
November 23, 2018 at 9:51 amIt seems really interesting to clean the mats with essential oils. As this is really helpful as they are without any chemicals.
Alicia K
August 14, 2018 at 12:57 pmThis sounds amazing!! I never clean my mat enough. I just found my stash of essential oils, so this sounds like a fun project for me to do.