Okay, yes there are a lot of natural mat cleaners on the market and yes it’s very convenient to just purchase one item instead of several, however in the long run it works out cheaper and is more sustainable to make your own. You can also create your own signature scent by combining your favourite essential oils not to mention that undeniable sense of pride you will get from making it yourself, you can even design your own label if you are so inclined.
You will need;
A dark glass bottle (blue or amber) this is necessary for maintaining the essential properties of your precious essential oils. Apple cider vinegar- this stuff is absolutely magic Distilled water A selection of essential oils. I recommend as a must have ingredient either tea tree for its antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic and antiviral properties or lavender for its anifungal, antiseptic properties or lemon for its detoxifying, antiseptic properties.
I recommend not mixing more than three essential oils for your recipe. I mostly use only two. Check out this page for some excellent tips on blending http://www.growingupherbal.com/blending-essential-oils-for-beginners/
Method
1 1/2 cups water or enough to fill (I use a 500ml bottle, but whatever you have handy is fine) 5 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar more if you wish, less if you prefer. 5 drops of tea tree 3 drops of lavendar
Mix all your ingredients into your spray bottle, simple as.
Here are some suggestions of blends that I have tried that I believe go really well together.
Lemon (detoxifying and antiseptic) and Lemon grass (antimicrobial, antipyretic, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, antifungal) This combination is uplifting, refreshing and soothing at the same time.
Tea tree (powerful antiseptic) breath deep when your mat smells this fresh and peppermint (antiseptic and decongestant)
Lavendar (antiseptic, antibacterial and antimicrobial)and Ylang Ylang (antiseptic, sedative substance) For a relaxing blend, I like to use this in the evenings when I have finished my evening practice and getting ready to wind down for the night.
Please note: I have my beloved manduka eko yoga mat and prior to this I used less well known more economical brand name mats. This mat spray has served me well on all of these mats however you should check out the mat care guides for each specific brand as each is made differently. Jade mats for example recommend not using any oils for the cleaning of their mats.
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