What would a gym be without gym equipment? Nothing.
That’s why we need to take proper care of our gym equipment, which can make-or-break a gym. If your equipment isn’t clean and working at all times, your members will notice.
To maximize your gym equipment’s lifespan and value to your members, you should follow these tips:
Keep Gym Wipes Readily Accessible for Members
Germs are inevitable in gyms, and your members are aware of that. By installing gym wipe dispensers throughout the gym, you can provide your members with the option to clean equipment before or after they use it. This increases your members’ comfort level and makes them feel more confident in the cleanliness of the gym in general.
Not only will this provide your members with a more enjoyable experience, your gym equipment will also remain cleaner. The longer body oils and debris remain on gym equipment, the longer they have to deteriorate the surfaces and make everything feel grimey. So by making it easier for members to clean equipment before or after use, your equipment will remain in better condition.
This is why the best gyms have gym wipes readily available. However not all gym wipes are created equally. All other gym wipe brands will actually do more harm than good for your gym equipment, since they use harsh ammonias and phenols that are actually very corrosive. Vapor Fresh® Gym Wipes uses safer citric acid, which is much less corrosive on your gym equipment than all other brands, and it also disinfects twice as fast!
Have Staff Thoroughly Clean Equipment
Although having disinfecting wipes readily available will help keep your gym equipment stay in great condition, they are just the first line of defense. A more thorough cleaning is still necessary.
This is why you also need to have a dedicated cleaning crew come through and clean every inch of your gym. This cleaning crew can either be in-house or outsources, but it needs to be done. You obviously can’t expect your members to wipe down every inch of the gym equipment or sweep the floors. Not only will your members notice the cleanliness of your gym -- or lack thereof -- with a regular thorough cleaning schedule, but thorough cleanings will help maintain your gym equipment.
Routine Walkthroughs And Maintenance Schedules
Now that we’ve got the cleanliness of the equipment covered, it’s time to make sure your equipment functions properly throughout its expected life-- and hopefully beyond.
First you’ll want to do a regular walkthrough to confirm that all joints are intact and equipment is properly functioning. Not only is this important to extend the life of the gym equipment, which saves money, it’s also necessary from a liability standpoint to make sure members are safe. You should be able to catch any early signs of stress or broken items in this walkthrough to reduce further damage and fix the problem faster.
You’re also going to want to follow each specific piece of equipment’s guidelines and instructions for more thorough inspections and cleaning of interior and mechanical parts. If necessary, hire a professional to conduct these routine maintenance checks, as they are very important.
Test Your Gym For Ideal Relative Humidity and Temperature
Humidity and temperature are important aspects that are often overlooked. If they are too far off the extremes, they can accelerate gym wear-and-tear. Plus your members will be very uncomfortable.
The recommended temperature and relative humidity for weight-training and cardio rooms is around 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 40-60% RH. Not only do these standards provide gym members, owners, and managers with greater comfort, but the equipment will also last longer in the perfect temperature and humidity range.
Test your temperature and relative humidity with a very cheap hygrometer from Amazon.
Use The Same Standards For Maintaining Home Gym Equipment
These same procedures can be used to extend the life of home gym equipment. So whether you're looking to properly maintain your Peloton or you're looking to make sure you keep your Tonal in tip-top shape, these tips will apply to these pieces of equipment too.
Conclusions
Keeping your gym equipment safe and clean is important for your members as well as your bottom line. Following these steps, you’re sure to keep your gym equipment operating safely and efficiently for a long time to come. And your members will thank you!
Train hard. Finish fresh.
