How Gyms are Hot Spots for Germs
In any public building used by a lot of different people, you can expect to find a few health risks. After all, people naturally carry a range of germs with them. However, gyms are often particularly bad due to the nature of a gym and the way it's used.
To help you understand the importance of having your gym thoroughly and professionally cleaned, here are some of the ways which gyms can be such health hazards.
Sweaty Exercise Equipment
The exercise equipment, from free weights to workout machines, is the reason people visit your gym. Just think about the number of people who put their hands on your gym equipment every day.
Weights can be a particular problem due to sweat and warmth combining to create an excellent environment for germs to breed. You have to worry about more than just the items people hold for long periods, though — buttons and controls on equipment like treadmills can harbour bacteria after just a brief touch.
The hands aren't the only part of the body that can transmit germs or help them to spread. Even weight benches and other surfaces where people sit and lie as they work up a sweat can be a problem.
Although many gyms provide wipes for people to give the equipment a quick clean after using it, the wipes do little to control bacteria. And unfortunately, plenty of gym users don't even bother to clean their equipment after they’re done using it. Regular, expert cleaning is the only way to be sure your gym equipment is clean.
Showers, Locker Rooms and Steam Rooms
Germs breed best in damp, humid conditions, and the gym often fits this bill with a lot of people exercising in a closed room. The steamy locker rooms, with constantly running showers and high temperatures, can also be heaven for bacteria and viruses. And if you have a steam room, the build-up of bacteria is even worse.
Once the showers are off and the room is cool and dry, a professional can properly clean the showers and steam rooms to make them sanitary again.
Dirty Floors
Gyms often have a combination of people walking around in training shoes and with bare feet, creating a mix of dirt picked up outside with various bacterial and fungal infections found on the feet, most notably athlete's foot.
Athlete’s foot can be a particular problem in yoga studios, where most people will be barefoot. The floors can hold onto various germs for quite some time, and even if people are only barefoot in one part of your gym, the infections are sure to be walked elsewhere — particularly locker rooms and shower areas. Just because floors look clean, doesn't mean that they're not hiding dangerous infections.
Other Amenities
Several other hazards exist in gyms, particularly where plumbing is concerned. With people coming in and out all day, the toilets often get a lot of use, causing wet floors which people sometimes walk on with bare feet.
And water fountains are a nice way to make sure your gym's customers stay hydrated, but some research suggests they're actually less hygienic than toilets, so keeping them sanitised is extremely important.
Think of all of the things which people touch while they use your gym — lockers, door handles or even just the walls. With sweaty hands everywhere, it's no surprise gyms can be a major source of sickness. If you'd like to find out about getting your gym cleaned to the highest standards, contact us at
Comclean Australia to discuss your needs.
