5 Tips for Keeping Your Gym Equipment Good as New

Sure, you can get a great workout by doing bodyweight exercises. But most people go to the gym to use all the equipment for their fitness goals and desires.

When that gym equipment isn’t working, not only do members lose their main reason for joining in the first place but staff can get demoralized, expenses can increase and liability issues can arise.

Running a successful gym is all about having the right equipment and supplies. From treadmills to yoga mats, you can’t get by without the basics. Here are some helpful tips for keeping your equipment in working order:

Test Your Gym’s Relative Humidity And Temperature

Most gym equipment manuals will list the ideal range of temperature and humidity they should be stored at. If these aren’t met, your equipment is going to break down a lot quicker than usual.

The International Fitness Association used suggestions from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American College of Sports Medicine to create the suggested ranges of temperature and relative humidity in a gym:

The most popular exercise areas in a gym are the aerobic, cardio, weight training, and Pilates areas. These areas should be between 65 to 68 degrees F.

The yoga areas should be warmer at no higher than 80 degrees F. The pool area should be from 70 to 80F with higher humidity.

When you’re approaching your target range, make sure to consult both the device’s manual and the IFA. Oftentimes, a temporary deviation from those guidelines is possible but it mustn’t go too far outside the range where it’ll cause permanent damage.

Keep Cleaning Sprays Away From Cardio Equipment

Keeping a gym clean can keep members happy, which is not only better for business but it also lowers the risk of MRSA outbreaks. Many gyms use quality gym wipes and supplies. However, some gyms opt to save money and buy cheaper products like sprays.

The biggest downside of using gym wipes instead of a cleaning spray is that people end up spraying equipment with them. And while that may be ok for surfaces like benches and reformers, it’s not ok for more delicate electronics.

This is why we encourage providing your members with gym wipes instead of cleaning spray to keep your treadmills clean and functioning properly.

Athletes or gym-goers know that there is a certain level of cleanliness that must be maintained to avoid coming into contact with bacteria, viruses, and other harmful germs.
One way to keep the gym as clean as possible is by using disinfectant sprays in place of gym wipes that are laden with sweat and other grime. Disposable cleaning materials can also be helpful.

Keep Gym Wipes Available

Rather than investing in cleaning sprays for your gym, use wipes. Not only are they easy to grab and use, but they also won’t leave any residue on the equipment.

It’s a little unfair that many people can wipe their equipment and clean simultaneously but they can’t use a spray bottle at the same time.

Cleaning the gym after and before use will be easier with these new wipes. Membership will see a cleaner gym and everyone will be happier.

People will also see others cleaning equipment, giving them peace of course that the gym is clean and sanitary.

If you’re spraying disinfectant on equipment most people, not to mention members, will think the gym’s unsanitary. We believe member satisfaction is of course a priority and as such we never want members to think the gym is dirty.

We recommend Vapor Fresh Gym Wipe Refill Rolls as they are a good value, will fit in all dispensers, and can save your gym a lot of money.

If you need small wipes and don’t want to use a large dispenser, be sure to check out our canister of disinfecting gym wipes. We avoid harsh ammonia and therefore are safer, greener, and more effective!

Related: What Are Good Maintenance Tips For Your Commercial Fitness Equipment?

Examine Gym Equipment In Regularly Scheduled Walk-Throughs

Have a staff member or an expert do walk-throughs of the entire gym regularly to make sure everything is working properly and check for any broken parts etc. Make sure to keep an eye out for anything that may be off or broken.

These gym walk-throughs are the first line of defense against broken gym equipment. This should give you enough time to order a maintenance engineer if there’s anything wrong with the equipment before it becomes too expensive to fix.

Follow Recommended Maintenance Schedule Of Your Gym Equipment

All gym equipment is going to have maintenance recommendations from the manufacturer. This will typically be every so often – but it might also depend on how you use your equipment.

Manufacturers provide these recommendations because they know what’s best. Not only can you avoid warranties and risk lawsuits if you don’t follow these instructions, but your members won’t get the best workouts. Equipment that’s not well-maintained doesn’t give them the safest or most efficient workouts possible.

Hiring someone to help with your routine maintenance procedures is a smart way to save time and energy. Imagine the benefits you will get from hiring a professional:

Schedule A Cleaning Crew At Least Once Per Day

It’s a good idea to have a cleaning crew that comes in and cleans your gym top to bottom, including machines, floors & more. That way you don’t have to depend on members & they can offer a consistent customer experience.

Keeping your gym equipment clean will make it last longer. This extends the time between re-upholstering or re-finishing parts, meaning they’ll last longer and you won’t need to replace them as often.

Related: How To Maintain Home Gym Equipment

More From Fitness Expo

How To Make Exercise More Fun: 10 Ways To Do It

10 Of The Best Folding Treadmills For Small Spaces

Fitness Expo caters to all your exercise needs from treadmills to fitness accessories.

First opened in 1980 by the Rice family, the store continues to offer the top brands and largest selection of exercise equipment for the home or commercial facility making it one of the oldest and most reputable fitness retailers in the country.

We have 4 convenient locations in Louisiana to serve you, Baton Rouge, Kenner, Metairie, Shreveport, and 1 in Jackson, MS.

Get in touch with us to learn more about our products and services. Contact us today!