If there is one place where germs can be found by the bucket load, it’s in the gym! People visit the gym to sweat it out, along with that they are exposed to germs already left from others sweating on the equipment.
It is essential for gym managers/authorities to hire professional gym cleaning services. This will ensure that professional cleaning products are used, using regular disinfectants, sanitizers and germ killers will not do the job effectively.
If your gym equipment has a surface that isn’t sensitive to liquid, wiping it down with a little disinfectant cleaner after each sweat-session is a good idea. If swabbing down with every use seems tedious, try to disinfect your machine(s) at least once a week. Make sure that the start button is unplugged before you start wiping.
Treadmills need a little more special treatment. The space under treadmills should be vacuumed to prevent dirt and other particulates from getting caught in the belt —use a dry cloth to swipe under any places you can’t reach with the vacuum. Clean the treadmill belt itself with a clean, dry cloth.
Weights, dumbbells, Medicine balls and kettle bells all can and should be wiped down as many times as you can bring yourself to do so using antimicrobial sprays or wipes. Focus on the areas where you grip the equipment since this is the place where the most build-up from body oils, lotions, dust and sweat occurs.
Not only your gym equipment, make sure your fitness mats are also. Between standing, supine and prone exercises, we move our bodies and feet all over the length of the mats, along with our sweat. Leaving the sweat behind from just a single workout is enough to give bacteria an opportunity to grow. Some yoga mats are machine washable while others should simply be wiped down with an organic, non-irritant mat.
Regular cleaning of gym equipment not only helps you maintain good hygiene, but also prolongs the life of your equipment. Many types of fitness equipment will start to deteriorate and wear out more quickly if they aren’t cleaned often/properly.
Using cleaners containing mild chemicals is better than using harsh chemicals that can cause rashes when coming in contact with bare skin. Similarly using drying chemicals or bleach on your equipment can cause premature wear and cracks on parts made of vinyl and plastic.
You should have all your equipment cleaned professionally at least once a month to ensure it doesn’t hold residual bacteria!