When I was getting ready to start offering open yoga classes, I realized that I would have to clean the mats after every class to keep them sanitary. Which in turn meant I needed a reliable and inexpensive mat cleaner. Yet, I am conscious of the chemicals used in cleaners and did not want to use that on the mats, or anywhere for that matter, that would influence my fellow yogis.

Over the past few years I have fallen into the interest of aromatherapy and DIY projects, finding that both offer a vast amount of knowledge and can be fun to get into. There always seems to be  more to learn, about the subject and about yourself, as you find you can do things you never thought of before.

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A Bit on Aromatherapy

I got introduced to aromatherapy over the course of the past five years. It snuck into my life without my realizing, and then one day it all came together.

At first I was just boiling cinnamon and orange peels in my college apartment to get an inviting and invigorating smell throughout my home.

As time continued and my studies deepened, so did my Mothers. When diagnosed with breast cancer, she delved into holistic studies and healing and we found the amazing benefits of aromatherapy (along with many other holistic ideas that will undoubtedly be discussed in later posts).

I currently use doTerra oils, which have been wonderful and have filled all my needs so far as my aromatherapy knowledge has taken me to this point. They are definitely in the top of the oil businesses. That being said, if you are looking for the purest of oils, I would lean towards Young Living Essential Oils. Young Living is basically the organic brand of oils, with a seed to seal promise, allowing you to know that you are getting only the purest of oils. So if you plan to have oils for ingesting or applying directly to the skin, you would want ones that have not been adulterated and that you can trust.

The oils that I use in this post are through doTerra, as you can see in the pictures. But you, of course, can use what ever oils work for you, creating your own blends to match your own needs. The blends that I make in this post are Boundaries Blend and Clarity Cleanse.

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What You Will Need

There are plenty of wonderful blogs out there that already tell you how to create a Mat Cleanser, like this one. The difference here is that I’m telling you how to create these specific blends and the purpose they serve. Here are the things you will need for this project:

Essential Oils: You can use any essential oils that suit your use here, but you want to include some that have antibacterial properties. Eucalyptus and peppermint are just two that do, and are very popular, soothing smells. For the Boundaries Blend, use Clove or Clove Bud, Wild Orange and Melaleuca oils. For the Clarity Cleanse, use Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang and Lemongrass. I will go over why I chose these specific oils shortly.

Spray Bottle(s): There are a lot of different choices you could make here. These are the bottles I ordered and they have worked wonderfully. For sustainability reasons, I always try to avoid plastic and these beautiful blue glass bottles made it an easy choice for me. Depending on your preference and amount of use, you may want larger or smaller bottles (so you do not have to re-make the solution as often). Also think about the spray nozzle, what do you need here? These bottles have a fine sprayer, which works great for me. But once again, preference.

Water: You will need water to dilute the solution. Another choose-your-own-adventure ingredient! Bottled, tap, filtered, etc. What works best for you?! I personally use filtered because I want the purest ingredients I can in my solutions, insuring the best for my mats and my fellow yogis.

Cleaning Agent: I used witch hazel here. It is a great thing to have around the house, period. It can be used as an astringent, for anti-inflammatory, restore PH balance, etc. However, if you do not want to go out and purchase this, white vinegar also works well here.

Optional: if you want to label these, as I did, a cute and easy way was chalk labels. Inexpensive and easy to use, they look really cute on the bottles and make it easy to differentiate between them. You can also wipe the label clean and write the new name on them, basically recycling the bottle, when you put in a new solution. Easy and sustainable!

Of course, you will also need a mat and a cleaning towel to wipe the mat with after you spray it with your cleanser.

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Clarity Cleanse vs Boundaries Blend

I came up with these blends when I was dwelling on making the mat cleaner. Yes, I wanted to clean the mats for sanitary reasons, but I felt there was a simple solution to do more. And then it presented itself…

In todays society there are a lot of struggles, and some that I find more than most are our clarity and our boundaries. We really seem to struggle with these. We let people walk all over our boundaries and do not really set them strong enough for ourselves. But we need them, and we need to know our own.

And then there is clarity. My oh my, is it hard to find that nowadays. When you can escape out to nature it is a bit easier to find. You are able to connect with mother earth and let go of all of the things that do not truly matter, that society has shoved down our throats, into our eyes, ears and minds saying they are the only things that matter. But we know better, and that is why we struggle so much. With stress (over nothing), anxiety, depression… the list goes on and on. Unfortunately we do not all have the time in our current lives to escape to nature every day, but even taking a few moments to escape to your mat and refocus the mind and breath can make a HUGE difference. How do you think I got started? We all have to start somewhere, why not today? Why not now?

And how does this come back to a mat cleanser… well, when you are practicing on your mat, you are absorbing the smells and the touch of that mat, therefore absorbing the cleanser as well as it sets into the mat that you are practicing on. With these aromatherapy blends, they will help therapeutically without you having to focus on it. Intention can make all the difference. Oh, so sneaky aromatherapy!

So what goes into each blend again?

Please note that these definitions were found in the book,

 Emotions & Essential Oils, A Modern Resource for Healing. 3rd Edition, Fall 2014.

 

The Boundaries Blend contains the following:

• Clove or Clove Bud

The Oil of Boundaries

“Clove supports individuals in standing up for themselves, being proactive and feeling capable of making their own choices, regardless of others’ opinions or responses. Clove assists individuals in letting go of patterns of self-betrayal and codependency by reconnecting them with their personal integrity. It builds up appropriate boundaries and defenses.

Clove gives the pushover the courage to say “no.” It reignites the inner soul-fire and can assist anytime there has been damage to the Self, related to childhood pain, trauma or abuse… Clove insists that individuals live true to themselves and the Divine by establishing clear boundaries.” (Pg 31)

• Wild Orange

The Oil of Abundance

“Wild Orange addresses a wide variety of emotional issues. It inspires abundance, fosters creativity, supports a positive mood, restores physical energy and aids in transitions. Wild Orange also reconnects individuals with their inner child and brings spontaneity, fun, joy and play into one’s life.

At its core, Wild Orange teaches the true meaning of abundance. It encourages individuals to let go of scarcity mindsets with all of their manifestations, including: fear, nervousness, inflexibility, workaholism, lack of humor and the belief that there is not enough… Wild Orange reminds the soul of the limitless supply found in nature…Wild Orange invites the individual to completely let go as a child does and to live from their authentic Self. In our authenticity, we are abundance.” (Pg 62)

• Melaleuca 

The Oil of Energetic Boundaries

“Disinfectant by nature, Melaleuca, also known as tea tree oil, clears negative energetic baggage. It specifically releases codependent and parasitic relationships. These toxic relationships may be with people, microorganisms in the physical body, or spiritual beings. The individual may feel drained of life force and energy, but they may not be consciously aware of the source of this energy leakage. Melaleuca helps break the negative ties in these kinds of relationships so that new, healthy connections may be formed that honor one’s personal space and boundaries… Melaleuca encourages an individual to connect to people and beings in ways that honor and respect others’ agency. It helps the individual to recognize the parts of themselves that invited and allowed these kinds of relationships to exist in the first place.

Through these empowering processes, Melaleuca encourages an individual to relinquish all forms of self-betrayal, including: allowing others to take advantage of one’s time, energy or talents; letting others feed on one’s energy; not standing up for oneself; or feeling responsible for the problems of others.” (Pg 48)

The Clarity Cleanse contains the following:

• Clary Sage

The Oil of Clarity & Vision

“Clary Sage assists individuals in changing their perceptions. It gives courage to “see” the truth. One of the finest oils for the brow chakra, Clary Sage dispels darkness and illusion, helping a person to see their limiting belief systems… Clary Sage encourages individuals to remain open to new ideas and new perspectives. It can assist during a healing crisis when a drastic change or perspective is required. Clary Sage opens the soul to new possibilities and experiences.

Clary Sage assists in opening creative channels and clearing creative blocks…

Clary Sage teaches the spirit how to use its divinely given gifts and is especially helpful in clarifying spiritual vision. It assists in developing the gift of discernment.” (Pg 30)

• Ylang Ylang

The Oil of the Inner Child

“Ylang Ylang is a powerful remedy for the heart. Modern day society honors and reveres the mind over the heart. Yet the heart, with its intuitive ways of reviewing information is an essential part of the soul. It assists in accessing intuition or “heart knowing.” Ylang Ylang is also a powerful remedy for releasing emotional trauma from the past. .. Ylang Ylang assists individuals in releasing bottled up emotions such as anger and sadness. This oil allows emotional healing to flow naturally, nurturing the heart through the process. It reminds the individual that joy can be felt and experienced more fully by allowing the heart its full range of emotions.” (Pg 64)

• Lemongrass

The Oil of Cleansing

“Lemongrass is a powerful cleanser of energy. It dispels feelings of despondency, despair and lethargy. Lemongrass assists individuals in entering a healing mode or cleansing state. In this state, one easily lets go of old, limiting beliefs, toxic energies and negativity. Lemongrass teaches individuals to move forward without hesitation. It asks them to commit to a healing path where change is a regular occurrence.

Lemongrass also clears negative energy from the brow chakra or spiritual eyes. As individuals lets go of past issues and stagnant energy, they have an increased ability to see situations with greater clarity. It supports individuals’ energy in flowing freely and smoothly. Lemongrass has a powerful mission to assist in cleansing physically, emotionally and spiritually.” (Pg 45)

 

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You have all the stuff, you have selected your blend, now lets put it all together! 

Step 1:  Fill the spray bottle 3/4 full of water.

Step 2:  Add your cleaning agent to top off the bottle, leaving just enough room for your oils.

1. Making your blend. Here’s when you decide which oils to use. If you chose the Boundaries Blend, add 1-3 drops of each oil (Clove or Clove Bud, Wild Orange and Melaleuca). The amount of drops you use depends on a few things.

• how strong you want it.
• the ideal scent for you.
• the size of the bottle.

If you are making the Clarity Cleanse add 1-3 drops of Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang and Lemongrass.

You are more than welcome to experiment here and make your own blends! Finding what is right for you. Essential oils are very strong, so 1-3 drops is generally a good rule to start out with. If you find it is still too strong, a good note is to drain some of it out and add more water to dilute it down. Once you have your ideal scent, place the top on the bottle, shake it up a bit and ta-da! You’ve made your own mat cleanser!

Optional Step 4: Make sure your bottle is dry on the outside. Select which label you want to use, and place the label on the bottle. Use the chalk markers to write your label on your solution.

  

How to clean: 

• Lay the mat out.
• Spray the mat with your new DIY spray.
• With a small towel or rag, wipe down the mat on both sides. You may need to spray more as you go.
• Let the mat dry and you are done!

Now go enjoy your practice on a clean mat, bacterially and energetically.

 

And a big thanks to Ocoee for always supporting me during my projects! If she’s not leaning against the door, she’s cuddling me. <3

And a further shoutout to the help and resources. DoTerra (thank you Mom for helping me find Aromatherapy), Young Living (thank you Annie and Vickie for introducing me into these), Free Peoples Blog, Amazon, Emotions & Essential Oils 3rd Edition, Pinterest, Jade (I love your Yoga Mats!),  and everyone who’s helped me along this journey so far!

*Love & Light*