Proper hygiene is important to have perfect yoga experience. With so many studios to choose from, you could lose students if their cleanliness standards aren’t met. This article highlights important tips for yoga instructors to keep germs at bay.
Yoga is a therapeutic practice. It clears the mind, relaxes the body, and knocks down negative emotions. But to give your yoga students a perfect experience, you need to commit to making your studio clean and fresh.
Make sure to enforce some yoga class etiquette all the time. This will not only ensure yoga safety but also help maintain a relaxing, clutter-free environment.
Follow these tips for maintaining a perfect studio:
Disinfect yoga mats
Use disinfecting wipes
The easiest and most effective technique for cleaning yoga mats is to use medical grade wipes. Since the mat comes in contact with sweaty skin, it can harbor germs, fungi, and viruses that can cause skin infections, acne, even herpes, staph, and strep. Medical-grade wipes can get rid of 99.9% of these germs quickly. They are also easy to dispose of which means you can control the spread of germs.
Install mat hangers
Rolling the mats up and storing them on the shelf or in one corner is not a good idea as it could trap in moisture - the perfect environment for germs and bacteria. The solution? Install a wall-mounted mat hanger. This way, you can let the mats dry after cleaning.
Make it everyone’s responsibility
Learning how to clean a yoga mat is a basic step in keeping your studio clean and fresh. As much as possible, you want to encourage your students to clean their mats after and even before starting yoga. Ideally, they should bring their own mats.
Tidy up lockers
Besides mats, lockers are another hot spot for germs. Lockers could contain so many stuff, from food to sweaty clothes and towels, dirty shoes, water bottles, gadgets, etc.
Use the right cleaner
If you have metal lockers, use stainless-steel cleaner because water can cause metals to corrode.
Cleaning change rooms is also important
Make sure that your studio has some yoga routine in place. Don’t be afraid to set rules of yoga in-studio practice. For example, ask your students to empty their lockers before leaving or don’t leave used towels sitting on the bench.
Stock on ultrasound wipes
Encourage proper hygiene among your students by placing packs of medical disinfectant wipes in most commonly used areas of your studio, including the change room.
Sanitize the bathroom
Clean all surfaces
Wash the toilet surfaces, sink, faucet, handles, and doorknob with soapy water and rinse thoroughly to remove large dirt particles. Let the surfaces air dry. This is an essential step before disinfecting.
Replenish hand soap, sanitizers and wipes
Handwashing is the best way to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. Keep a stack of wipes, and ensure you have enough supply of hand soap and sanitizers that can be used by your guests whenever they use the bathroom.
Disinfect
You can use a bleach-water solution (¼ cup of bleach in one gallon of water) or some natural disinfectant like water-vinegar mixture (½ cup vinegar and ½ cup water in a spray bottle) to disinfect all surfaces. Alternately, you can use a commercial disinfectant.
Keep it well-ventilated
Germs and viruses thrive in humid environments. Open your bathroom windows after cleaning to let the surfaces dry. Installing an exhaust fan can also help keep the bathroom in your studio well-ventilated all the time.
Don’t forget the walls
If you’re teaching yoga for beginners, let them know that their environment affects their practice. Yes, walls must be clean as well. For new students who are just starting yoga, you can make a great impression by keeping your studio clean, from top to bottom.
Wipe the entire surface clean. Use a liquid cleaner to remove stains and smudges. Start at the top of the wall and work your way down.
Disinfect floors
Use a mop to remove any additional layers of grime. For yoga studios, high level disinfectants are a necessity with so many people walking in and out.
Follow these steps to disinfect the floor:
Clean dust and debris
Use a broom and dustpan or a vacuum to remove dust and other visible dirt particles before mopping.
Mop with warm soapy water
Prepare a bucket of warm water which contains a liquid cleaner. Mop the floors, working from one side to the other towards the dry side. Let the surfaces dry.
Use an appropriate cleaning solution
Check the cleaner’s label to make sure that it is suitable to your floors. If your studio has wood floors, avoid cleaners that contain bleach, ammonia, and abrasive agents that can damage it.
Mind your personal hygiene
Practicing personal hygiene are among the unspoken rules in yoga studios and other health clubs.
Wash hands regularly
And thoroughly. Encourage handwashing among your students. You can put posters on the walls to remind them about the importance of this hygiene practice.
Don’t place used towels (and gym clothes) anywhere
Be a role model to your students. You can also include this in your cleaning/hygiene rules. Inform your yoga students about how bacteria from their sweaty clothes can spread from one surface to another.
Clean your mat after use
Make it a habit to clean your mat after use. Show your students how to properly clean and sanitize a yoga mat. Again, you may post reminders on the walls or nudge your students as you end each session.
Take care of your space
When people go to yoga studios, they anticipate one thing - a relaxing environment. Taking care of your space like it involves some nursing etiquette should help retain its beauty and relaxing ambiance.
Ask everyone to wear the right clothing
Part of a studio etiquette is wearing the right outfit. Encourage your students to wear energy zone yoga pants instead of shorts to reduce skin contact on the mat.
Stay organized
Put back everything in the right places after every use. Enforce this rule among your students and staff.
Remove your shoes
Inform everyone with shoe etiquette. Shoes are not allowed in yoga studios, as yoga is usually practiced bare feet. Place “shoes off in class” posters at the entrance so people are informed right away.
Conclusion
Maintaining the cleanliness of your yoga studio is crucial to avoid the spread of infections. Yoga students appreciate a fresh, clean and sanitized environment. From properly cleaning and disinfecting yoga mats to tidying up lockers, and sanitizing bathrooms, floors, and all other areas, you can keep your students sticking around and potential clients eager to sign up!