People have been spending most of their time at home for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, many have picked up new hobbies, rekindled forgotten talents, and even developed physically fit lifestyles through exercise.
But, as people engage in a more active lifestyle, germs and dirt also start to build up in public gyms. Fitrated.com inspected 27 gym equipment and found that each piece contains 1 million germs per square inch. 90 to 95% of which are harmful to humans. Yikes!
But, would the same conditions be found in our home gyms? Prolly not as much, but still, a considerable amount of sweat and microorganisms linger on our home gym equipment and surfaces. In fact, notorious bacteria like staphylococcus aureus can survive and grow on gym surfaces for three days. Hence, it’s still best to clean and sanitise our home gyms.
Cleaning supplies and equipment you’ll need for home gym cleaning
Unlike other house surfaces, furniture, and items, gym equipment and other fitness items are sensitive to the chemicals you introduce. Hence, it’s best to use cleaning products specially made for gym stuff. Your DIY cleaning materials would probably cause irreversible damage.
The items you may use are gentle detergents, carpet and upholstery shampoo, mat wash sprays, and kitchen wipes. Preferred options include the likes of Lysol, Clorox, and Tide.
Suppose you’re still unsure about your cleaning agent. In that case, you may also consult house cleaning companies, like Cleanrific, since we always make sure that our cleaning products are eco-friendly and gentle enough to effectively clean your home without damaging anything.
You may also visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s website to check effective cleaning agents against SARS-CoV-2.
Home gym cleaning
Once you’ve decided what cleaning products to use, it’s time for our home gym cleaning.
Gym Equipment
Our home gym cleaning routine starts with the equipment and other fitness items. Since each piece of equipment has its own cleaning needs and material sensitivity, detailed below are the specific ways to clean them.
1. Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are latex, polycarbonate, or synthetic rubber materials used for strength training and physical rehabilitation. Hence, these have frequent contact with body sweat and dirt and require regular cleaning.
Since resistance bands are stretchy and made of materials with low chemical resistance to alcohol-based cleaning solutions, they’re more challenging to clean.
Instead of using harsh cleaning agents, wipe resistance bands with disinfectant wipes after every use. For its deep cleaning, submerge your bands in a warm soapy bath. Then, scrub and swish them around for 30 seconds. Finally, rinse and air-dry the bands.
2. Free weights
Free weights are made of grippy and textured materials that germs and dirt love to cling onto. To sanitize these, use a cleaning wipe paired with disinfectant sprays, like Lysol. Allow the weights to completely dry first before using them again to ensure the termination of harmful microorganisms.
If you notice dirt build-up around the ridges, scrubbing the material using a brush with a soapy solution should do the trick.
3. Gym machines
In cleaning gym machines, like treadmills, make sure to unplug them first. Then, it’s pretty much easier from hereon since gym machines often have smooth surfaces. All you have to do is wipe down the machine surfaces with a disinfectant. Do this after every workout.
Gym Surfaces Cleaning
1. Floors
Apart from the gym equipment, it’s also vital to keep your floors clean and well-maintained. After all, you get down there to do some exercises.
The type of flooring material matters when it comes to cleaning. Some floors hate moisture, like wood and vinyl. For these types of floor, dusting and the use of a mild floor cleaner would suffice.
2. Benches
After a workout, we usually settle on our benches to rest. Consequently, some sweat and microbes we might have carried are also transferred on the bench surface. Since benches are usually smooth, just wipe down the surface with a disinfectant.
Cleaning Frequency
Generally, home gym cleaning must be a daily commitment, especially when you’re using it pretty often. Specifically, make sure to at least disinfect shared and high-touch surfaces (e.g. mats and dumbbells) with wipes after every use.
As for deep cleaning, do it at least once a month. But, if your home gym has poor air circulation or is prone to accumulating sweat and dirt, schedule deep cleaning more often.
Final Thoughts
It’s good that people are now heading towards a more healthy lifestyle with the help of a home gym. But, we shouldn’t forget that it’s also our responsibility to keep the gym clean to protect our families from diseases and preserve the excellent condition of our fitness equipment.
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