How to Wash Hot Yoga Towels – Methods, Tips & Tricks

Hot yoga is unique in that it’s performed under hot (and often humid) conditions. Take Bikram yoga, for instance, it involves doing various stretches for 90 minutes in a heated room (typically it’ll be set to 105 F). Due to the heat, your heart rate will go up as you exercise and stretch.

As you can imagine, hot yoga practice is not for everyone. For example, it’s not a good idea if you have heart disease or a history of heat-released illnesses. Even if you have no health concerns, it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during and after the session.

Hot Yoga Equipment

For hot yoga, you’ll need a set of comfortable clothes – ones that won’t restrict your movement – as well as a yoga towel and yoga mat.

The former will increase your grip by absorbing your sweat so that you won’t be sliding around on your mat, which can lead to injuries.

Certain exercises may also require other equipment such as yoga blocks.

Keeping Your Yoga Towel Clean

Your towel’s going to be dirty by the time you’re done your hot yoga session. Given that, we highly recommend washing it once you get home. The last thing you want to do is to leave your hot yoga towel in the car; that will only cause it to smell.

Fortunately, yoga towels are not that difficult to clean.

Popular Yoga Gear Brands

There are many brands that make yoga towels. Here are some of the most common ones:

Manduka

Manduka has been around for over two decades. Aside from clothing, they also sell towels, bags, straps, and mats, all of which are eco-friendly. For instance, many of them are made from plant-based materials and organic cotton.

prAna

PrAna is another brand that specializes in environmentally friendly activewear. For one thing, all of their clothes are made from organic cotton, recycled wool, or recycled polyester. Their catalog also includes bags, totes, towels, mats, straps, and more.

Athleta

Athleta is another brand that emphases on eco-friendliness and sustainability. Their clothes, for example, are made from organic and recycled fabrics. They also sell an assortment of yoga gear including blankets, mats, water bottles, and more.

Alo

Alo sells everything that you need for your yoga class. Besides clothing, they also offer mats, bags, shoes, water bottles, towels, and more.

How to Wash Yoga Towels

Yoga towels are typically made from synthetic materials such as polyester, which allows them to dry faster. Not only that but they’re also lightweight, durable, and absorbent. Depending on what you get, some also come with silicone dots that provide extra grip.

As far as washing goes, you can pretty much treat them like regular activewear (as opposed to cotton towels). If you want, you can even wash them with your yoga clothes. Just make sure you’re not mixing different colors together because yes, the dyes can bleed.

Putting Your Yoga Towels in the Washing Machine

Hot Yoga towels can be put in the washing machine. First things first, sort them with your other clothes (assuming that you’re washing them together). For example, light-colored towels should be washed with light-colored garments.

Once you’ve done that, load them into the washer. Generally speaking, there’s no need to use laundry bags as they tend to hold up well in the machine. However, it might be a good idea to bag items that might otherwise tangle with your towels.

Measure a scoop of ACTIVE Detergent and add it to the drum (dispenser drawer if you have a front loader). Do not add any fabric softener to the washing machine. It will leave a coating that will retain odor.

Set your washing machine on a gentle setting and press start. For the best results, use a hot water setting (as opposed to cold water).

Let the cycle run fully before taking out your yoga towel. Don’t let it sit around as it’ll only get smelly.

Line or air dry your towel on a clothesline or drying rack. If necessary, you can use a clean regular towel to help absorb moisture.

Avoid putting it in the dryer as the heat can cause the materials to shrink.

How to Wash Yoga Towels By Hand

First things first, fill a sink with warm water and pour in a scoop of ACTIVE laundry detergent. Using your hands, agitate the water until the powder is completely dissolved; you should see soap bubbles.

Place your yoga towel in the sink, gently patting it down so that it’s completely in the water. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes, longer if your towels are excessively stinky – that will give the ACTIVE detergent time to dissolve and break down the sweat and dirt.

After soaking the hot yoga towel, rinse it with water. Make sure there is no soap left on the towel before transferring it to a countertop.

Gently squeeze out the extra water and let it air dry. If necessary, you can use another towel to remove the excess moisture. Avoid using the dryer, if you can. If you must use the dryer, make sure to use a low heat setting.

Deodorizing Your Yoga Towels

Washing the towel with detergent will do the trick most of the time. Sometimes, however, you’ll need some extra deodorizing power.

Wash With Hot Water and White Vinegar

Put your yoga towel in the washing machine and add one cup of white vinegar to the drum. There’s no need to add any detergent, the vinegar will do the job.

Select a hot water cycle and press start. Your towels will be fresh again once you take it out!

Note: For extra smelly towels, we recommend soaking them in a vinegar-water solution first (at least 20 minutes) before washing.

Wash With Hot Water and Baking Soda

Baking soda is a fantastic deodorizing agent. Similar to vinegar, you can add it to your load to get rid of any unwanted odors.

Measure 1/2 cup and pour it into the drum (you can add it with your detergent if you want). Not only will it make your towels smell fresh but they’ll also look brighter and whiter. For the best results, run a hot water cycle.

If necessary, you can also soak your towels in baking soda beforehand. Simply create a solution by dissolving it in a container of hot water.

Best Detergent For Yoga Towels

Yoga towels are typically made of synthetic materials such as polyester, which is why ACTIVE Detergent is the best product to use.

Unlike regular detergents, it is specifically made for polyester and other synthetic materials. For one thing, it contains three kinds of plant-based enzymes that are capable of breaking down sweat and dirt that are trapped within the fibers.

The end result? Fresh-smelling garments. If you want, you can even use it to clean yoga mats as well as other equipment used in your hot yoga class.

What’s more, is that the the formula is all-natural and hypoallergenic. This makes it an ideal choice for those with sensitivities.