How An Old Yoga Mat Can Make Scrubbing The Floor More Comfortable

Even if you are an absolute cleaning fanatic, there's at least one chore most of us dread doing, and that's getting down and dirty to scrub the floors and grout lines. And we aren't just talking about an occasional sweep or mop. We're talking about getting down on hands and knees with a scrub brush and a bucket of soapy water. Why do we hate this chore in particular? Because many folks experience severe discomfort when they have to squat or kneel for a significant period of time, even able-bodied folks, and that's inevitable when it comes to scrubbing the floors.  

To make this process a bit easier on your knees, take your old yoga mat out of the closet and put it to use. Consider it a foldable, moldable knee pad that you can move easily as you clean the floors. Fold it into multiple layers as needed for additional support, and you should notice significantly less pain in your back, knees, and hips while cleaning. 

To transform your yoga mat into a kneepad, there are several methods you can follow. If you're in a rush and don't want to get the craft supplies out, simply fold your yoga mat in half, then quarters, then kneel down on it to keep it in place. This is a good choice if you want to keep the mat intact, but it can easily come undone as you move it throughout the cleaning process. You can try another method that involves folding the yoga mat and use hot glue to hold the layers in place. With a pair of scissors or an X-Acto knife, you can even carve a small hole to create a handle, allowing you to easily pick the knee pad up as you move around. 

You can also cut knee-board-sized rectangles out of your existing yoga mat by creating a 10 by 24-inch template. This is a great option if you want multiple boards that you can stack and unstack as needed, or you can glue them together. Plus, this is a useful method if you have multiple yoga mats in need of repurposing. 

If you are someone who practices yoga daily and makes good use of your mat, you're maybe wondering if you can just use your everyday one. The answer is yes, but you have to be extremely diligent about cleaning your yoga mat to do so. Because if you're using your yoga mat to help during cleaning, it's also being exposed to various germs and usually wet conditions, which can lead to bacterial growth. That's not exactly what you want to be laying on during corpse pose. So if you're using a mat that you also use for yoga, you need to clean and disinfect it thoroughly after each cleaning session, and to be fair, this is good advice for yoga mats also used mainly as a cleaning tool. 

To clean your yoga mat, just use some classic dish soap and warm water. Scrub the mat down with the soapy solution and then give it a thorough rinse. White vinegar is also a solid disinfecting choice due to its antibacterial elements. Just mix it with some water in a spray bottle, spritz down the yoga mat, and wipe away the residue.