How often do you need to clean your yoga mat? [Video]

Carefully cleaning exercise equipment was the norm when the COVID-19 pandemic was raging. But today, you might be less attentive to pathogens, even in crowded spaces such as fitness centers.Related video above: How often should we be washing our towels?That neglect could be a problem, experts say, because gyms are rife with potentially harmful germs.Nearly 75% of swab samples taken from fitness equipment such as dumbbells, treadmills and exercise mats tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus, according to a 2018 study in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health. Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacteria and can cause infections.While Staphylococcus aureus is found on many gym surfaces, exercise mats are particularly germy. That’s partly because everyone carries a microbial cloud, said Jason Tetro, host of the popular Canadian podcast “Super Awesome Science Show.”“Trillions of microbes are shed from us like dead skin cells. They can be shed in the range …