How To Clean Gym Mats At Home (Step By Step Guide)

What Can I Use to Clean Gym Mats?

Disinfectant Wipes

To clean gym mats, you can use disinfectant wipes. Clorox and Lysol are two brands that make great disinfectant wipes that can be used at the gym to wipe down equipment and gym mats. You can also purchase specific fitness equipment wipes for your equipment. Make sure that you do not use these wipes on your hands or on your body (they are not meant to be used on skin, only sweat and dirt on the mat!).

Peroxide Or Rubbing Alcohol

Another option is to use a peroxide or rubbing alcohol spray. Many gyms create their own spray by mixing a solution in a spray bottle. Then gym users can spray the solution on the equipment and mats while using a clean towel to wipe them down. We recommend mixing a ½ and ½ solution of either peroxide or rubbing alcohol and water.

High Filtration Vacuums And Floor Scrubbers

Another option for cleaning gym mats is using a high filtration vacuum. Vacuuming can pick up a lot of the dirt that you might find tracked in from shoes. A floor scrubber tends to be more powerful than a traditional vacuum cleaner (and most homeowners won’t need this level of intensity), but floor scrubbers will smooth and polish the floor. Vacuuming before floor scrubbing or wiping down the gym mat is our recommendation.

Carpet Shampoo

If your gym mat is a cloth gym mat, then we recommend using carpet shampoo approximately once every six months. The reason for this is that sweat, dirt, and even skin cells get trapped in most mats. Start by spreading the carpet shampoo over the mat and massaging it into the mat with a clean towel. After letting it sit for approximately ten to twenty minutes (check the manufacturer instructions on the shampoo), you can vacuum the carpet and voilà! All clean.

How Do You Clean Your Gym Mats?

Follow this simple process for cleaning your rubber gym mats at home. Make sure that you have a vacuum or broom, a cleaning spray solution or sanitizing wipes, and two clean towels.

Cleaning Gym Mats Based on Size

Cleaning your gym mat may differ depending not only on the type of gym mat, but also on the size of your gym mat.

Cleaning a small or single folding mat

If you are cleaning a small or single folding gym mat (approximately 60” long and 20-30” wide), then you want to start with vacuuming any loose dirt up from the gym. Then you want to use a sanitizing product (spray or wipe) to disinfect the gym mat. From here, we recommend using a clean towel to go over the area (so no excess liquid is left behind). After this step, we recommend letting the mat air dry.

Cleaning a large-Scale Mat

A large-scale gym mat can be cleaned similarly to a small gym mat. The biggest difference here is that we recommend adding in a floor scrubber.

Large-scale gym mats are often locked together in pieces and take up the entirety of the room (your whole floor). These gym mats should also be vacuumed, sanitized, and allowed to air dry.

However, we recommend using a floor scrubber after sanitizing and before allowing the gym mat to air dry. Why? The floor scrubber will apply pressure to the floor and remove any particularly difficult stains.

Other Tips For Maintaining Your Home Gym/Yoga Mats

Chemical Disinfectants

A chemical disinfectant is a great way to maintain your home treadmill mat or gym mat. Chemical disinfectants can destroy viruses, bacteria, mold, and fungi living on your gym mat.

Clean Front & Back

We recommend cleaning the front and the back of your gym and yoga mats. It is easy for dirt to get swept underneath the mat. The sweat and skin cells can also attach to the other side of the mat.

Air Them Out Regularly

If you have a home gym with several mats, we recommend airing them out regularly. This may not help remove bacteria, but it will help to remove the stench associated with home gyms.

Proper Storage

If you store your gym mats, make sure that you store them properly. Keep your mats in a room at normal room temperature (outdoor cold environments can create foam damage). Make sure that the mat is rolled loosely so that scents are not sealed in.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

How often should you clean your gym mats?

If you operate a small or medium-sized gym, we recommend cleaning your gym mat once per week. If you are a homeowner, we recommend cleaning your gym mat once per month.

Can I use vinegar to clean my yoga mat?

Yes, you can use vinegar to clean your yoga mat. We recommend mixing one part vinegar  (either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar) to one part water in a spray bottle. Then you can easily spray down your mat while wiping off the remaining liquid with a clean towel.

Can you steam clean rubber floors?

You can steam clean rubber floors. The best way to steam clean rubber floors depends on the type of rubber flooring you have in your home. We recommend following the manufacturer’s instructions.

How often should you clean your yoga mat?

You should clean your yoga mat once per week if it is used by multiple people. If you are the only person who uses your yoga mat, you can get away with cleaning it every month. However, we recommend cleaning weekly if you participate in Bikram yoga or other forms of hot yoga where you sweat every session.

How do you get the plastic smell out of a yoga mat?

The best way to get the plastic smell out of a yoga mat is to use a natural substance called Witch Hazel. You can buy Thayer’s Witch Hazel at a local convenience store or online. Then, using a clean towel, blot a little bit of the witch hazel onto the towel. Now you can use the towel to blot it onto the mat. Let it air dry. This will eliminate that unpleasant plastic smell.

Conclusion

Regularly cleaning your home gym mat is the best way to maintain them so that you can continue to work out with them well into the future. Remember, your gym mat picks up fungi, bacteria, and viruses as you workout, so cleaning it is important.