Running a hotel or health club with a swimming pool is great. Having a sauna and steam room nearby is even better. Many guests and potential clients will appreciate having different ways to relax and take care of their bodies.
But to ensure that users keep coming back, these facilities must be properly maintained and kept safe. In this article, we will look at how to approach pool cleaning and maintenance of poolside areas, steam rooms, and saunas to keep them appealing and safe.
Cleaning and maintaining swimming pools
Swimming pool water is kept at warm temperatures of 26-28°C, offering a perfect balance for relaxing or exercising. Unfortunately, these temperatures are favourable for harmful bacteria such as waterborne pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Legionella.
Often chlorine or bromine is used in the water for effective pool maintenance and safety. Yet, whilst the choice of either chemical will keep your pool sanitised, there are other factors to consider when choosing this method.
- Irritants: the use of chemicals can cause irritant dermatitis or exacerbate existing dermatitis conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.
- Timeline: appropriate time window for application needs to be set, whilst considering maximum period of effectiveness.
- Monitoring: chemical application and pH levels must be regularly monitored and adjusted depending on pool use and efficacy.
Chemical application is not the only method for pool cleaning. UV disinfection treatment is becoming an increasingly popular method that is eco-friendly and works alongside chemical application.
UV treatment offers cost effective pool maintenance that helps eliminate residual by-products in the water, reduce the use of chemicals and risk of excess application; offering a safe and clean pool for swimmers. (Ref: https://www.darouv.co.uk/sectors/swimming-pool-and-display-water/)
Steam room and sauna cleaning
Steam rooms and saunas are great for unwinding after a busy day or a workout, and can bring more people to your hotel or health club. But being warm and humid, they can harbour mildew, which makes them tricky to clean.
If left untreated, excessive mould can create an unpleasant smell, and may cause users to experience allergic reactions and respiratory complications.
For commercial steam rooms it's essential to:
- Clean daily
- Scrub ALL surfaces and touchpoints
- Avoid ammonia-based products
- Use mild detergents and natural products
- Maintain good ventilation
Saunas are typically drier than steam rooms, so you might think they don't need as much attention. However, saunas have unique cleaning demands.
For commercial saunas it's essential to:
- Cleaned daily
- Regular treatment of ALL wooden elements
- Remove dirt with a soft brush or cloth
- Use specialised detergent
- Maintain good ventilation
Maintaining poolside areas
Pool cleaning is important, but maintaining poolside areas is essential to provide a positive experience for your guests and also to help prevent slips and falls.
Regular cleaning and maintenance provided by a professional cleaning company like Green FM involves frequent mopping with eco-friendly antibacterial solutions with the use of anti-slip treatments to ensure your poolside areas remain safe.
Implementing poolside rules and a strategic cleaning regime will help maintain a safe, healthy, and hygienic environment.
Steam room, sauna, and swimming pool maintenance rules may include:
- Shower before entering
- Suitable attire to be worn
- No outdoor footwear to be worn
- Hair should be tied up or covered
- Belongings to be stored away securely
- No food or drink permitted
- No oils, cosmetics, or flammable materials
- No running, jumping, or diving
(Ref: https://www.virginactive.co.uk/the-legal-stuff/club-rules)
Keeping on top of changing room cleanliness
Changing rooms are challenging at the best of times. Even more so within a health club, their cleanliness and presentation is paramount.
Poorly maintained changing rooms make conditions like athlete’s foot and other fungal infections spread easily. And the presence of other guests' used plasters, hair, and other items can be disconcerting and leave your guests feeling uncomfortable.
To improve your guest experience, regular cleaning and sanitation of changing room floors and surfaces is vital. To assist in further restriction in the growth of fungi and bacteria, and reduce slips, trips or falls; investing in slip resistant plastic changing mats can help.
Choose the right partner to keep your swimming pool and changing areas clean and safe
For hotel and health club owners, delivering the wholesome, relaxing experience of a pool, sauna, and steam room can be very rewarding. But, the design elements, temperature conditions, and other related factors can make sanitising difficult.
Choosing Green FM as your professional cleaning company enables you to work with us to protect your health club's cleanliness, ambiance, and safety. Green FM has over 20 years of experience providing gym and health club cleaning services to businesses throughout London.
We’re proficient in using eco-friendly cleaning products and methods, with a collaborative approach tailored to meet the specific needs of gyms, health clubs, and hotels. Being ISO certified, and offering a free cleaning assessment, with competitive pricing and flexible contracts, you’ll be able to find the perfect cleaning package.
Get in contact today to see how Green FM can assist you with pool maintenance.