The 5 Dirtiest Places in Your Gym
A gym provides an ideal space for people to exercise and improve their health. However, gyms carry health hazards if they are not regularly cleaned. Here are five places in a gym that need particularly careful cleaning to protect the health of its users.
1. Cardio Equipment
Cardio equipment, such as treadmills and exercise bikes, is great for helping people work up a sweat. Unfortunately, that sweat contains all kinds of germs. From staph to ringworm, gym users can pick up all kinds of infections from sweaty cardio machines.
Providing disposable wipes and putting up signs can encourage people to wipe down the equipment after they use it. There will still always be a those who walk away from the treadmill without making any attempt to clear up after themselves; to limit the impact of people who don’t clean up after themselves, it is important for staff to regularly clean equipment or to hire a professional cleaning service.
2. Yoga Mats
As yoga and pilates mats are typically put away when gym users go home, it is easy to overlook them when it comes to cleaning. In fact, germs can breed in these mats, leading them to become health hazards over time.
Hiring professional cleaners will ensure that proper attention is paid to details like mat cleaning, which is easy to overlook. Make sure your staff and hired cleaners are taking the time to wipe down mats to control the growth of bacteria.
3. Water Fountains
Water fountains are a particularly dangerous area to collect germs and bacteria in your gym. Many gym-goers lean over the water fountain to drink, allowing liquid to spill out of their mouth and back onto the spout that supplies the water. This allows bacteria and viruses to spread from user to user, causing people to catch colds and flu.
It is vitally important to clean water fountains every day. Pay particular attention to the water spout to reduce the growth of bacteria and other germs. You can also reduce contamination of the water fountains by providing disposable drinking cups and encouraging users to bring their own water bottles. Consider replacing spout-style water fountains with taps that can only be used to fill a bottle or cup, not to drink from.
4. Locker Room Floors
Locker room floors present a high risk of contracting athlete's foot. Floor cleaning should occur at least once a day to remove the fungus that causes this disease and therefore reduce the risk of it spreading. Every so often, have the floor deep cleaned to eliminate the growth of mould, which thrives in humid environments such as a locker room.
5. Towels
If you provide towels for your gym users, be aware that these can be an additional vector for germ transmission. Multiple people using the same towel can transmit a wide range of fungal skin infections.
Provide bins for users to place used towels in and ensure that fresh towels are replenished regularly so no one ever has to use a towel that has been used by someone else. Wash towels at a high temperature, using antibacterial laundry liquid, to keep your gym's towels hygienically clean.
Keeping your gym clean might seem like a full-time job, but the good news is that you can get help to make the job a little easier. Comclean Australia specialises in providing thorough cleaning services. Our experienced cleaning teams know all the places where germs like to hang out and can efficiently clean and eliminate them. Give us a call today to arrange cleaning for your gym to keep all your users safe.
