How to Care for Your Ayurvastra Yoga Rug and Props
Healing Textiles · [Month Year] · 2 min read
How to Care for Your Ayurvastra Yoga Rug and Props
Caring for Ayurvastra products is simple: hand wash separately in cold water with a mild natural cleanser such as soapnut, dry flat in the shade, and store in a cloth bag or wooden box rather than plastic. Most of the time they need no washing at all — just airing in fresh air, out of direct sun.
A well-made textile, cared for with love, lasts years — and what you are looking after is not just the cloth.
How to Wash Your Ayurvastra Products
Wash only when genuinely needed. Most of the time, airing in fresh air out of direct sunlight is all they need — natural cotton breathes, and the herbal dyes give the cloth naturally antibacterial properties, so it stays fresh far longer than a synthetic mat. Frequent washing slowly diminishes those herbal properties, so when in doubt, air rather than wash.
When you do wash, hand wash in cold water with soapnut or a mild, fragrance-free natural soap. Wash separately, especially the first few times, as natural plant dyes can release a little colour at first. Avoid conventional detergents — even "gentle" ones contain chemicals that strip the herbal preparation over time. Hand washing is best, but if you use a machine, choose the gentlest cycle, cold water, a natural cleanser, and never tumble dry. The latex backing on the rug washes fine this way too; only the buckwheat husk fillings in cushions and pillows should never be washed — wash their covers separately instead.
How to Store Your Ayurvastra Products
Store in a natural cloth bag or wooden box — never in plastic. Plastic traps moisture and invites mildew and odour, and it works against a textile made to be free of synthetics. A cloth bag or wooden box lets the cloth breathe and stay fresh between uses. Make sure everything is completely dry before storing, and roll the rug rather than folding it where you can — it's kinder to the weave over time.
Why Care Matters for Ayurvastra
With a synthetic mat, care is about hygiene. With an Ayurvastra textile, it is also about preserving something less tangible. The colour and the medicinal herbs come entirely from plants, with no synthetic stabilisers to protect them — which is why heat, harsh detergents and direct sun all do real damage, and why shade and natural cleansers matter. Treat the cloth gently and you keep the herbal preparation alive for as long as the textile lasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I wash my Ayurvastra yoga rug?
Less often than you might think. Airing it in fresh air, out of direct sun, is usually enough. Wash only when genuinely needed — frequent washing gradually diminishes the herbal properties.
How do I wash a natural yoga rug?
Hand wash in cold water with a mild natural cleanser such as soapnut, separately from other items. Avoid conventional detergents, dry flat in the shade and do not tumble dry.
Can I machine wash my Ayurvastra rug?
Hand washing is best, but if you use a machine, choose the gentlest cycle, cold water and a natural cleanser, then dry flat in the shade. Never tumble dry. Buckwheat husk fillings should never go in the machine — only their covers.
How should I store my yoga rug?
In a cloth bag or wooden box, never plastic. Make sure it is completely dry first, and roll rather than fold to protect the weave.
Explore the Healing Textiles Collection
Hand-dyed with Ayurvedic plants. Woven on traditional looms. Nothing synthetic.