Cleaning a Yoga Mat in a Healthcare Environment

Yoga is prevalent throughout healthcare: there are yoga classes offered at hospitals; yoga therapy is more available in integrative clinics; occupational, physical and speech therapists are using yoga practices in their sessions. Yoga mats are not just used for yoga anymore. They are great for a variety of situations, like athletic activities or home therapy visits. (See my blog: 4 Ways to Use a Yoga Mat Without Doing Yoga ! ). It is not uncommon to see a yoga mat at your local healthcare facility. Given the current Covid-19 world we live in, the approaches to cleaning a yoga mat have changed.

Yoga Mat vs Exercise Mat

The exercise mats you see in a work-out facility or a therapy clinic are usually thicker, allowing the end-user to keep their shoes on and not encounter chemicals left on the mat. The material in these exercise mats lend themselves to be cleaned more aggressively. Using harsh chemicals, like the ones healthcare facilities use, do not affect the integrity of these exercise mat materials as easily as they would on a yoga mat surface. Yoga mats are made from multiple materials. Some yoga mats, like cork, are naturally anti-bacterial. Others, like rubber may withstand harsh chemicals. Because of cost, many healthcare organizations opt to purchase yoga mats that are made of plastics (PVCs). For the purposes of this discussion, we will be focusing on the yoga mats made from plastic.

Sanitize, Disinfect, Sterilize

For language purposes, we should differentiate the levels of cleaning healthcare environments needs. Sanitizing is the method or process of making a surface clean. Sanitizing may include eliminating germs but may not eliminate the totality of them, as disinfecting would. Disinfecting is the common word used to describe eliminating 100% of germs or, as the bottles say, 99.9% because nothing is 100%! Sterilization describes the level of disinfecting needed in a hospital or clinical setting. Therefore, disinfecting a yoga mat in a healthcare environment should follow the rules established by the EPA and CDC. There are low-level and intermediate-level disinfectants that serve the purpose of cleaning according to the CDC. Healthcare organizations, at a minimum, use the intermediate-level disinfectant. Intermediate-level disinfectants include 70% isopropyl alcohol, Lysol® and Clorox® brand products and bleach. To be safe and achieve a level of intermediate-level disinfection, each of these chemicals requires a recommended amount of time for the liquid to stay on the applied surface (wet) to be effective. These times may vary, but to disinfect properly some chemicals may require up to 10 minutes of being on a surface before rinsing with water.

How Most Yoga Mats are Cleaned

Yoga mat manufacturers suggest different levels of cleaning their mats. You should always check with the manufacturer to see specific instructions. Many companies suggest using warm water, mild soap or non-abrasive and non-toxic cleaning solutions. If dermal or oil buildup happens, acidic based cleaners like lemon juice are suggested. Some recommend using white vinegar, water and tea tree oil. Placing the yoga mat in the sun for an extended period can add a disinfectant value, however extended exposure to heat can make a mat brittle. There are specific yoga mat cleaners available on the market (just look on Amazon). Most suggest not using strong cleaning solvents or machine-washing their mat. The above examples may sanitize, but none achieve the intermediate-level disinfection required by a healthcare organization.

Disinfecting in a Healthcare Environment

So, what happens when an intermediate-level disinfectant is applied to a yoga mat? There are health risks to the person applying these chemicals and to the end-user if these chemicals are left on the mat. The chemicals can leave a residual smell from multiple applications. Plus, there are environmental risks, which no one wants. But what about the yoga mat material? There are many industrial grade chemicals used in a healthcare environment. We did an un-scientific experiment using yoga mat material (PVC) and two methods of intermediate-level disinfecting: a bleach solution recommended by Clorox® (¼ cup to a ½ gallon) and Lysol® disinfectant spray with a 10 minutes wet time. With the Lysol® application, we rinsed the yoga mat with water after the allotted time frame. The results were as follows: After 100 applications of the Lysol® disinfectant spray, there was no change to the yoga mat material. We let the yoga mat sit in a Clorox® solution for 14 days. On day 12, there was a noticeable color reduction (see photos) in the printing on the mat, however the integrity of the mat material stayed intact. Both applications created a residual chemical smell, less so in the Lysol® application. We did go overboard with using the bleach by soaking it for 14 days. It is possible wiping in-between applications might lessen the bleach smell. It is unclear how often the use of these harsher chemicals would erode the structural integrity of the yoga mat material. The bottom-line, healthcare organizations are probably going to replace yoga mats more often.

Conclusions

The best suggestion for cleaning a yoga mat is to follow the standards established by the EPA and CDC for intermediate-level disinfecting in a healthcare environment. It is extremely critical to keep yourself safe by using gloves and a mask when applying these chemicals. It is strongly suggested to wipe the yoga mat surface clean with water once the chemical has reached it recommend wet time, along with letting the mat dry completely before using again or rolling up to place in storage. Don't forget the implication for the end-user from exposure to these chemicals. There are many downsides to using intermediate-level disinfectant chemicals on a yoga mat in a healthcare environment, however these are necessary evils. The upside is these practices will hopefully protect more people while they use this invaluable tool.

Paul Mross The author and Happ:y Wellness are not recommending any specific applications or are responsible for any results. This article is for informational purposes only. Always follow the guidelines established by the yoga mat manufacturer, your state and local rules, your healthcare organization’s rules, the guidelines set by the manufacturer of the chemical applications and keep yourself and your patients safe by using protective gear.