How To Clean & Disinfect Dumbbells, Kettlebells and Barbells

Free weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells have 362 times more germs on them than a toilet seat, and 70% of those germs are potentially harmful to humans, according to a study on gym cleanliness.

It’s vitally important to keep your free weights clean no matter how often they’re used in order to keep them looking, feeling and smelling new for as long as possible, as well as to keep everyone safe.

Every piece of fitness equipment has slightly different materials and therefore slightly different cleaning guidelines. You should always refer back to the manufacturer’s recommendations, but here are some general guidelines to follow:

Dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells are all typically made from very resilient materials like metal or rubber. Therefore there is no “wrong way” to clean them, unlike cleaning a treadmill or cleaning an elliptical which have electrical and mechanical components you’ll want to be careful around. The two biggest decisions you’ll have to make are what cleaning product you’ll be using and how often you’ll be cleaning them.

It may seem easy to grab any household or commercial cleaner you already have available to clean your free weights, but that is probably not a good idea. First and foremost, traditional cleaning products typically contain harsh chemicals you don’t want to be exposed to regularly. But whatever you use to clean your dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells will eventually come in direct and repeated contact with your body.

Whatever cleaning product you decide to use on your free weights, it’s important to clean them as soon as possible after use to avoid rusting and biofilms, both of which will make your cleaning much more difficult. Your sweat contains salt and salt will quickly and thoroughly cause problems with most gym equipment!

Whether you use a cleaning wipe or a cleaning spray to clean your free weights comes down to personal preference. There’s no real pro or con of either one. That’s why Vapor Fresh has both! If you prefer the ease of using a pre-moistened disinfectant gym wipe to clean your fitness equipment, Vapor Fresh has two options:

Vapor Fresh Jumbo Roll Disinfecting Wipes are perfect for all commercial gym settings and will fit in all wipe dispensers. They utilize our plant based disinfecting chemistry and can be found in some of the most premier gyms, community centers, college rec centers and military bases nationwide.

Vapor Fresh Home Gym Disinfecting Wipe Canisters use our famous plant based chemistry that’s trusted by top gyms, but it’s available in small canisters perfect for home gyms and small studios that have no need for massive jumbo rolls and dispensers.

If you prefer using a spray to clean your free weights, check out Vapor Fresh Natural Sports Cleaning Spray. It’s made with 100% natural active ingredients. Just like our gym wipes, our spray safely, gently and effectively removes sweat and odors from your free weights without nasty chemicals that will irritate your skin or ruin your equipment.

Leading an active and healthy lifestyle means you’re going to encounter a lot of sweat, stains and smells. Don’t negate all the healthy choices you make by using a toxic cleaning product to clean your fitness equipment. Choose Vapor Fresh for all of your natural cleaning needs when it comes to sports and fitness equipment!

We offer free shipping on all of our products, we pride ourselves on continually improving our products to remain the best on the market, and we also make Vapor Fresh available on Amazon as well for your convenience!