A New Year brings new resolutions and more people setting health and exercise goals. Germs around the gym spread fast. And if you have a large facility, consider all of the germs that can make their way into the gym and how fast they can spread. Wiping down equipment after use isn’t enough to eliminate germs. As a result, it’s essential to know how to get rid of germs and keep your facility’s gym clean and pristine. Keep reading to learn how to deep clean your gym.
Cleaning Gym Equipment
Electronic treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, stair machines, and rowing machines need to be unplugged before you deep clean them. It’s also helpful to check to see if the equipment specifies what cleaning products are safe to use.
Follow these steps to clean and disinfect your exercise machines:
- Use dish soap and water to wipe handles, foot cradles, and other non-electric parts first.
- Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe off the soapy residue.
- Again use your damp, soapy cloth to wipe down screens and other electronic components and then wipe off the residue.
- Disinfect the gym equipment with sanitizer but be careful not to get the electronics too wet.
Your gym likely has other equipment that needs wiping down as well. For example, clean and disinfect exercise bands, jump ropes, etc.
Cleaning Yoga Mats and Floor Mats
As you can imagine, gym floors and yoga mats see plenty of dirt, perspiration, and germs. Sweaty family members rub bacteria and grime into yoga mats. So it’s important to deep clean yoga mats–even if they get wiped down after every use.
You can even create your own gym cleaning solution for mats that uses equal parts distilled water and distilled white vinegar and then add a few drops of tea tree oil. Fun fact–100 percent tea tree oil is a natural antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. And distilled white vinegar is a natural cleaner, disinfectant, and deodorizer. You use distilled water because the minerals and deposits from tap water can break down the foam and rubber in yoga and floor mats.
It’s good to deep clean yoga mats once a month. To clean the floors, vacuum or sweep and then clean the floors at least weekly. Here’s how to clean gym mats and yoga mats to keep them healthy and in good shape:
- For really dirty mats, use some dish soap and water to clean them before you disinfect them.
- After each use, request your family to spray the tea tree oil and vinegar cleaning solution on yoga mats.
- Allow the disinfectant to sit for about a minute to get rid of all the germs.
- Then use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the mats down.
- Hang the mats and let them air dry before you put them back.
Cleaning Dumbbells and Weights
Like other exercise equipment, dumbbells, weights, and weight machines get exposed to perspiration, germs, and dirt. Regularly cleaning gets rid of the bacteria and ensures you have a healthy environment.
Follow these steps to clean and disinfect your dumbbells and weight machines:
- You can create your own cleaning solution by mixing two drops of dish soap with two quarts of water.
- Use a microfiber cloth to wash the weights or bars with the soapy water.
- Wipe away the soap residue with a clean damp cloth.
- Don’t forget to dry the iron weights to prevent rust.
It’s important to note that you should avoid alcohol-based cleaners or window cleaners if your weights and dumbbells have enamel paint or a rubber coating. It can damage the protective cover.
Before and after each use, sanitize weight benches, bars, and weights by wiping them down with a disinfectant wipe. You can either use a commercial disinfectant or create your own disinfecting solution. Generally, most sanitizers won’t hurt the finish on workout equipment because they evaporate so quickly.
Keep a clean microfiber towel and a bottle of disinfectant in your gym so family members can sanitize everything after each workout. It’s also a good idea to encourage everyone to wash your hands before and after working out to minimize the spread of bacteria.
