Gyms are one of the top business types that require the most cleaning and sanitization as the exercise machines and equipment are high-touch objects. They can easily carry bacteria and microorganisms that can cause adverse health reactions in people with high sensitivity to pathogens or weak immune systems. As such, regular cleaning and sanitization in fitness centers are a must.
Here are a few pointers to note about contamination and transmission risks in fitness centers:
- Visually clean high-touch surfaces are often contaminated with germs, bacteria, and viruses.
- Viruses can live for up to 72 hours on plastic and steel surfaces.
- Germs can survive up to three hours on unwashed hands.
- Millions of bacteria reside on our elbows and fingertips.
- People can transmit germs and bacteria through touch.
- Damp hands transmit a thousand more germs than dry hands.
As more clients use the different exercise equipment, the higher the need for thorough cleaning and sanitization on all surfaces and equipment. To help ensure your gym members’ well-being and to protect your employees from potential health risks, we’ve prepared a comprehensive fitness center cleaning checklist for you.
Gym Cleaning Checklist: Areas to Clean
A hasty sweep and wipe-down of the exercise area are not enough to achieve the highest standard of cleanliness in a fitness gym. All workout equipment can cause widespread contact transmission on top of airborne transmission. As such, there must be a greater focus on disinfecting areas most frequented and touched by gym members.
Here are the main areas to clean and disinfect:
- Entrance hall
- Lobby and waiting area
- Reception desk
- Changing room
- Free weights area
- Showers
- Bathrooms
- Administrative offices
- Water dispenser
We should also emphasize that particular attention must be devoted to sanitizing certain things in the gym that are likely to be the most used and handled both by your staff and clients. Here are some examples:
- Free weights
- Benches
- Gym mats
- Barbells, kettlebells, and dumbbells
- Touchscreens and number pads on exercise machines
- Resistance bands
- Medicine balls
- Handlebars on exercise machines
- Jump ropes
Now that we’ve identified the crucial locations and objects to clean, let’s go over the ideal routine gym cleaning checklist.
Daily Fitness Center Cleaning Checklist
We recommend performing the following tasks before opening for the day:
- Sweep and vacuum the floor.
- Vacuum carpeted areas.
- Wipe down all benches and chairs in the lobby and exercise area using a clean cloth and warm water mixed with an EPA-approved sanitizing product.
- Disinfect the receptionist’s counter and tidy the workspace behind the desk.
- Mop and disinfect the large rubber mats in the weights area.
- Disinfect all handlebars on exercise equipment using a clean cloth.
- Use a different cloth to disinfect all yoga mats.
- Spray disinfectant on the free weights and workout machines, then wipe down to cover every inch.
- Turn on the air freshener and deodorizer.
- Wipe down all mirrors and windows using glass cleaner.
- Wipe down the sinks in the bathrooms.
- Clean and disinfect bathroom and shower stalls.
- Mop bathroom floors with bathroom disinfectant.
- Mop the entryway floor.
- Take out the trash.
- Dust the television screens and speakers.
- Spot-clean the walls.
- Sweep the floor and tidy up the admin office.
Depending on how busy the gym is near closing time, your staff can do some of these items at the end of the day.
However, one important task must be performed throughout the day: cleaning and disinfecting all equipment and exercise machines after every use. Consider hiring a qualified team who will take responsibility for this crucial task. Even if you have just over 20 people in your gym at any given time, it becomes difficult to clean and maintain gym equipment effectively on your own.
Weekly or Monthly Gym Cleaning Checklist
This checklist is for tasks that can be done less frequently. The volume of usage, rate of wear and tear, and recommended maintenance schedule all affect how often you need to do these tasks:
- Remove cobwebs on the corners of the ceiling.
- Call for tile and grout cleaning in the showers and bathrooms.
- Send out the carpets for professional cleaning.
- Seal rubber mats.
- Re-coat the wooden floors.
- Check and replace the filters in the air conditioning units.
- Call for professional deep cleaning and disinfection services throughout the facility.
Maintain a Clean and Sanitized Gym
These checklists can be your starting point for maintaining a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene in your gym. Of course, you may add or modify some items to better suit your needs. Anytime you require a professional cleaning team to perform a deep cleaning and sanitization, JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting is just a phone call away.
JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting offers one-time and regular cleaning and disinfection services for commercial establishments. Our proprietary disinfection systems provide medical-grade protection and are used in hospitals and healthcare facilities. If you want to create a safe and welcoming environment for your gym members, get in touch with JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting.