Potential bacteria are always present where we exercise, but we don't want to pay too close attention.

As an avid yoga lover, I feel I need to pay attention to what it takes to exercise in public. If you've ever taken a yoga class or taken a class in a sauna, you'll find yourself sweating a lot within an hour.

As exciting as the classes themselves are, these workouts are rewarding. But our yoga mat is disgusting. They house more than 50% of the bacteria that cause infection, and they are a breeding ground for viruses and many different diseases and infections, such as the common cold, strep, pneumonia, sepsis, skin diseases, and more.

Yoga mats are a very easy source of infection, mainly because people sweat on them and they are rarely washed. But is there no solution? Fortunately, we can avoid the impact of these problems by the following methods.

1. Only use your own yoga mat
It is recommended to use your own yoga mat when exercising in a public place. Yoga mats are made of open-cell or closed-cell material that repels or absorbs moisture. Both types of materials have pros and cons, but both are still susceptible to large numbers of bacteria. Whether you have a natural rubber yoga mat like mine that is open-celled and absorbs all your sweat (hard to clean, but great for hot yoga), or a PVC yoga mat that is closed-celled and easy to clean but often slippery.

This way, you can not only control how clean the mat is, but also know if the mat is dirty, at least the best way to avoid other people's germs.

2. Regular cleaning
By using our own yoga mat, we can clean it regularly to reduce bacterial infection. Buying high-quality, non-toxic pad wipes or sprays can keep bacteria from living on your pads for too long. Disinfecting your mat after each use will not only keep you away from germs, but it will also keep your mat healthy.

3. Use a yoga towel
Using a yoga towel is an effective preventive way to keep your yoga mat sterile. That way, most of your perspiration gets absorbed into the easy-to-clean towel instead of the hard-to-clean pad.

Using a mat towel also helps prolong the life of the mat as it acts as a protective layer for all activities.

4. Change the pads annually
Even the best yoga mats need updating, even with yoga towels, or if you clean your mats regularly. As a yogi, it is best to change your yoga mat once a year to keep your practice clean and healthy.

The above is a small guide to health that I have collected, I hope it will help you.