Wash a cotton yoga mat in cold water with a small amount of mild natural detergent, then dry it flat in the shade. Plant-dyed rugs such as our chakra rugs and the Indico should be hand washed, on their own for the first few washes; the 7 mm Diamond mats can go in a machine on a delicate 30 °C cycle inside a laundry bag. Skip bleach, fabric softener, the tumble dryer and direct sun, and the colour will last for years.
Why cold water and shade matter
Our cotton mats are dyed with plants: indigo on the Indico, alkanet root on the Diamond Clay, and more than twenty herbs across the seven bands of the Prana Shakti and Prithvi. Plant colour is not fixed the way a synthetic dye is, and heat, harsh detergent and strong sun all pull it out faster than they need to. Cold water and shade are the whole method. A little colour in the first rinse is normal; we explain what to expect in Colour in the first wash.
How to hand wash a cotton yoga mat
You need a bucket or tub, cold water, a little mild natural detergent, two old towels and a flat, shaded place to dry.
- Shake it out. Shake off dust, hair and grit, and brush the underside with your hand.
- Fill with cold water to cover the mat folded loosely, and stir in the detergent.
- Lay the mat in and press with flat hands. Do not scrub, twist or wring; the weave and the tassels do not like it.
- Leave it a few minutes, not hours. A short soak loosens sweat and dust; a long one only gives the dye time to move.
- Rinse in clean cold water until it runs more or less clear. A new plant-dyed rug may need one extra rinse.
- Press out the water. Lay the mat on a towel, roll towel and mat together and press. Never wring.
- Dry flat in the shade on a rack or across two chair backs, latex side up for the first hour, turning it once or twice. In damp weather, see how to dry a mat in the monsoon.
Roll it only when it is dry right through, including the thick part near the tassels.
Machine washing: only the Diamond mats
The Diamond Clay and Diamond Orange are woven thickly enough for a machine: delicate cycle, 30 °C, inside a laundry bag, a little mild detergent, then dry flat away from the sun. Hand washing works just as well. We do not machine wash the chakra rugs or the Indico, because machine washing can fade plant dyes and tangle the tassels. The mat-by-mat answer is in Can you machine wash a yoga mat?
Care by mat
| Mat | Wash | Dry |
|---|---|---|
| Prana Shakti, Prithvi (chakra rugs) | Hand wash cold, separately for the first washes | Flat, in shade |
| Indico | Hand wash cold, separately for the first washes | Flat, in shade |
| Diamond Clay, Diamond Orange | Machine, delicate 30 °C in a laundry bag, or hand wash | Flat, away from sun |
All of them: cold water only, no bleach, no fabric softener, no tumble dryer.
What not to do
- No hot or warm water. It loosens plant colour.
- No bleach, fabric softener or stain remover. Softener coats the cotton and dulls the grip.
- No tumble dryer, no direct sun.
- No wringing. Press between towels instead.
- Do not wash with other clothes for the first few washes.
- Do not hang a soaking-wet rug from one edge; its weight pulls the weave out of shape.
- Do not roll or store it damp. That is how a mat starts to smell.
Wash less often than you might think: air the mat over a chair for an hour after practice and it stays fresh for many sessions. Wash it when it feels stiff with sweat or smells.
A note on the underside
Every cotton mat we weave has a thin layer of natural tree latex brushed by hand onto the underside, which holds it on tile, marble and wood. Gentle washing does not remove it, but after many washes it can soften; a thin fresh coat of natural latex restores it, as we show in how to restore the latex grip. If you are allergic to natural latex, choose with care and write to us first.
Frequently asked questions
Can I machine wash a cotton yoga mat?
It depends on the mat. Our 7 mm Diamond mats can be machine washed on a delicate 30 °C cycle inside a laundry bag with a little mild detergent, then dried flat away from the sun. The chakra rugs (Prana Shakti and Prithvi) and the Indico should be hand washed in cold water, because machine washing can fade their plant dyes and tangle the tassels.
Will the colour run when I wash it?
A little colour in the first rinse is normal for plant-dyed cotton and is not a defect. Wash the mat separately in cold water for the first few washes and rinse until the water runs more or less clear; after that the colour settles. Over years the dyes soften gently, which is the nature of plant colour rather than a fault.
How long does a cotton yoga mat take to dry?
Laid flat in the shade with some air moving, a 5 mm cotton rug usually dries in about a day in dry weather; the 7 mm Diamond, or any mat in the monsoon, takes longer. Turn it once or twice and check the thickest part near the tassels before you roll it. Do not speed it up with a tumble dryer or direct sun.
Can I use a yoga mat cleaning spray on cotton?
A light spray of water with a little white vinegar can freshen a cotton mat between washes, but test it first on a corner of the underside, because plant dyes can react differently from synthetic ones. Avoid harsh cleaning sprays, bleach and anything with a strong solvent; they take colour out and leave residue in the weave.
Next step
If your mat is new, give it its first wash on its own and lay it flat in the shade; everything after that is easier. The full care notes for each of our mats are on the Mat care page.
