Whether you’re just starting your yoga journey or are an avid practitioner, a new yoga mat can fill you with happiness and motivation for your yoga sessions. The only problem is that a rubbery, new mat smell often accompanies a new mat that many find unpleasant.
Luckily, getting rid of the smell from your yoga mat is as simple as spritzing it with a homemade cleaning solution or just waiting until it goes away by itself.
Continue reading to learn more about ways to get rid of this obnoxious smell and tricks for minimizing any odors in the future.
Does the Smell of Rubber Go Away?
Yes, the rubber smell from manufacturing and packaging will typically go away over time. How long it takes for the rubber smell to go away can depend on a couple of things, like:
- How often do you use the yoga mat
- How you store your yoga mat
- How regularly do you clean your yoga mat
Like many other rubber or rubber-like products, the smell will go away, but it can take a long time. If the smell bothers you during yoga, you can take steps to remove the smell, like hanging your yoga mat to air out or cleaning it with your favorite essential oil smells.
How Do You Clean a Yoga Mat?
Cleaning a yoga mat couldn’t be simpler, especially routine cleaning that should be done after every yoga session. Simply use a cleaning solution in a spray bottle to dampen the surface of the yoga mat and then wipe it down with a clean cloth.
The cleaning solution can be homemade, which is likely better for your yoga mat than the harsh chemicals in many commercially available cleaners. Most people use a 1:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar and water or a 1:4 ratio of white vinegar to the water.
Once you have wiped down your yoga mat, you should still allow it to finish air-drying by hanging it up somewhere with plenty of ventilation but out of direct sunlight (the UV rays can damage your mat depending on what it is made of).
How to Neutralize the Smell?
If you are anxious to start using your new yoga mat without waiting for the rubber smell to dissipate, you can try deep cleaning it before your first use.
While some yoga mats can be washed using a front-loading washing machine, we recommend you always wash your mat by hand.
For example, you can submerge the whole mat in a sink or bathtub filled with warm water and dish soap, like Dawn for open-cell yoga mats.
After some light scrubbing and 5 minutes of soaking, you can rinse your yoga mat and shake off excess water. You will want to air dry it for as long as it takes to be completely dry.
Unfortunately, closed-cell yoga mats cannot use this method. Instead, you will just have to hand wash the mat with warm, soapy water without submerging it.
What Makes it Smell Less?
Vinegar and witch hazel solutions are tried and true home remedies to make new yoga mats smell less. Use one of these solutions after each yoga session for the best results.
If you want your mat to smell like something else instead of simply neutralizing the rubber smell, you can add some of your favorite essential oils to your cleaning solution.
Just remember that a few drops go a long way and that any strong smell can be just as distracting as rubber smells during a yoga session. If you can air out your yoga mat outside without it getting a lot of suns, that can also help your mat smell less.
Can You Use Febreze on a Yoga Mat?
You can certainly use Febreze to mask or eliminate the rubber smell of a new yoga mat, but it may not be the best idea. The chemical makeup of Febreze can react poorly with the material of your yoga mat, damaging it whenever you spray it with the odor eliminator.
We recommend using a vinegar solution since it is cheap and easy to make. Not only will it neutralize the rubber smell on your yoga mat, but it also acts as an antimicrobial cleaner that won’t damage your mat when mixed correctly.
Final Thoughts on How To Get Rid Of Rubber Smell On Yoga Mat
New yoga mats can have an overpowering rubber smell when you first buy them. Thankfully, getting rid of the smell is as easy as having some patience or using a simple vinegar solution to clean the mat.
Other smells in your mat can come from sweat or the accumulation of dirt and grime after an intense yoga session.
The same vinegar solution can help prevent these smells and keep your mat sanitary with routine cleaning. You will still want to deep clean your yoga mat about once a month.