You’ve freed up some of your workload by installing a Gym Management Software. (Go you!) And now you have time to shift your focus to other things like interacting with your gym members more- or cleaning your gym mats. Yes, your gym mats!
Admittedly, it might not be the most exciting or glamorous aspect of being a gym owner, but someone has to do it. In this post, you will learnhow to clean gym mats,and other floorings, and why you want to.
Why clean the floors?
If you’re a new gym owner, clean flooring might not feel particularly high on your to-do list. Especially, if everything is brand new, anyway. But trust us, it won’t stay that way forever. Soon, you’re going to have a lot of traffic parading in and out of there. Remember, in addition to your normal flow of members, you’re also planning to host several gym events.
New and old gym owners alike: Protect your investment! Gym flooring is essential. It provides many functions in your place of business. Like, proper protection and utmost comfort for your members and athletes during their workouts. Also, it boosts the attractiveness of your inside space.
Dirty floors can become a potential health or safety hazard. They harbor bacteria and become slippery when they are built-up with gunk. You don’t need that kind of avoidable stress in your life. Plus, they could smell.
Clean the mats already!
How to clean gym mats:
Turn it up
Your first order of business is to have a little fun with it and turn on your Pandora or Spotify. It’s proven that people are able to go farther and longer during workouts when they’re listening to their favorite jams. The same is true for chores. So, crank it up and get to sweeping!
Determine the type
Before diving into the next cleaning tips, it’s important to take note of which type of material you’re working with. Do you have tile, rubber flooring or something else?
Tile
All you need for tile flooring is a mop, some hot water, and your choice of disinfectant. You can choose from ammonia, bleach (but never the two together!), or a specialty floor cleaner.
If you want to go a more natural route with fewer fumes, you can buy a bulk of good old fashioned distilled white vinegar. It works great because not only does it tackle different bacteria like e.coli and salmonella, it’s also tough on residue and it dries fast. You only need about a half a cup per every gallon of water for it to clean and disinfect properly. Then, let the area air dry.
If you’re worried about your whole gym reeking like a giant bag of salt and vinegar crisps- don’t be. The smell disappears when the floor is dry, and what’s more is, it will absorb other unpleasant scents with it.
Laminate
There aren’t as many cleaning options for laminate flooring as there are with tile. They also can’t handle a lot of the harsher chemicals, have excess water on them or even stay just a little wet for even a short period of time. With that said though, they are cheaper to install and require less maintenance than some of the other floors on this list. Even if it doesn’t sound like it.
Your best bet with laminate is to look for a specialty floor cleaner or use a damp rag with hot water and white vinegar. Afterward, you want to wipe over it again with a dry rag.
Yoga Mats
Yoga mats have all sorts of fun stuff lurking on them- sweat, tears, dead skin and so much more. They get a lot of up close and personal action. Fortunately, they are a bit easier to clean and maintain. All you have to do is set out some paper towels and a homemade blend of water, detergent and essential oils. After each class, have every guest lay their mats on a flat surface and wipe them clean. You can use more paper towels to dry them, or conserve your supply by letting them air dry.
Rubber Mats
Like laminate, rubber flooring has some do’s and don’ts also. You can use a variety of cleaners. But, there are different types of rubber. Don’t use anything acidic to clean them, like vinegar. It will eat through the mat and cause it to degrade faster. Also be sure to find a rubber that won’t mold after exposure to excess water and to use a mop made out of nylon. Cotton mops tend to leave bits and pieces behind.
Now that you know how to clean and disinfect your floor, sit back and enjoy your work. Ahhh, clean flooring. Your members and athletes will appreciate you! One last thing- you should aim to clean the mats at least once a week.
If you found these cleaning tips helpful, come back and visit our blog often for more fitness industry related information.
Awesome cleaning tips for gym mats. Be courteous by wiping the equipment after you use it, ALWAYS bring a towel.
Am I missing something, like where it reads how to clean gym rubber floor mats? It only reads how not to clean them.
Good question! We do give a lot more “don’ts” in that paragraph to prevent some of the bigger mistakes. To clarify, you’ll want to use a synthetic-fiber mop or rag with a non-acidic (so not anything citrus or vinegar-based) cleaner on rubber gym mats. The manufacturer, if you know it, may also have recommendations via their website or customer service line.
Thank you for explaining that you should consider what kind of material you’re working with before figuring out how to clean it. My husband and I have been wondering how to best clean some of our gymnastic mats. We’ll keep your advice in mind so that we can keep everything as sanitary as possible.