There’s nothing worse than using a Bench in a gym that’s got the previous person’s sweat stains on. Or using a Barbell with the knurling filled with chalk after someone’s deadlift session. Cleanliness is rule number one in the gym, regardless of whether it’s a commercial or home gym.

Why Is It Important to Clean Your Home Gym?

You might not be sharing the gym with thousands of other people, but it’s still important to keep your home gym clean. Sweat and dirt can build up on equipment, especially free weights with knurling and cause bacteria to grow. It’s important to keep on top of cleaning to stop the spread of unwanted bacteria and germs.

Another reason for keeping your home gym clean is to protect the equipment. Gym equipment isn’t cheap and chances are you probably want it to last as long as possible. So, a little upkeep is in order. Regularly cleaning equipment and ensuring that it stays dry will prevent rust building up on metal equipment. This is especially important if you take equipment outdoors or train in a damp environment such as a garage. 

What Should You Clean In A Home Gym?

Like any other room in the house, maintaining your home gym is important. As well as the equipment, the flooring, windows and all other aspects of the room should be cleaned on a regular basis to maintain good hygiene. The best thing you can do is keep on top of it by wiping down equipment immediately after use, especially if you’re sharing the space with other people.

How to Clean Your Home Gym Equipment

Wipe Down After Use

When it comes to your free weights (barbell, dumbbell and kettlebell), it’s important to wipe them down after use to remove any moisture. You can do so by cleaning with an antibacterial wipe or disinfectant followed by a microfibre towel.

Remove Chalk

If you use chalk during your session, remember to wipe it down and remove it from any equipment after training. If the chalk is in the knurling of a barbell or dumbbell, you can use a stiff bristled nylon brush to remove it from the cracks.

Use a Silicone Based Lubricant

Every few weeks, you should be more thorough with your cleaning and give your gym a bit of a deep clean. This should include wiping down the equipment with a silicone-based lubricant. Not only will it freshen the place up but it also protects it from moisture.

Oil Up Your Cables

To keep cable pulleys in a good condition, you should lubricate them with a 4 in 1 oil every few weeks. This keeps the equipment smooth and in working order.

How to Clean Gym Flooring

Gym flooring can be tricky to clean, especially if you get chalk all over it. The best way to clean gym flooring is by using warm soapy water. You can use a sponge or a mop to clean the floor, make sure that the gym will be left empty for a while afterwards to let it dry. If you do have stains such as chalk on the floor, you may need to scrub areas with a brush to remove stubborn stains.

When cleaning the floor, make sure that no equipment is left out that could cause a trip hazard. 

How Often Should You Clean Your Home Gym?

You don’t need to do a full deep clean after every session, but a little spruce up should do the trick. After training you should -

• Wipe down any equipment you’ve used.

• Put all of your equipment back.

• Remove chalk from free weights.

Every few weeks to a month, this is where you can get into the nitty gritty. Wiping down your machines, lubricating cables and cleaning the gym floor. Keeping up with this on a regular basis will help maintain your kit and keep everything looking good. 

It’s also important that you stay safe when cleaning your gym. If you have heavy equipment that needs moving so that you can clean, call other people in to help you do the job. Also, make sure that any weights are removed from plate loaded machines where the weight could potentially fall if moved.

Written by guest author Eryn Barber.

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Tags: Misc > Gym Planning