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Originally Posted On: https://advantagecleaningllc.net/commercial-cleaning-checklists/fitness-center-cleaning-checklist/
Fitness center cleaning is essential for a fitness center to be successful. A poorly maintained fitness center leads to a wide variety of illnesses and health issues, from the relatively mild case of athlete’s foot, MRSA to outbreaks of flu. Of course, don’t forget about staph infections or those athlete’s foot cases. The fungus causing that, called dermatophyte, causes a wide variety of fungal infections, and transfers from person to person easily, through any contact with bodily fluid.
What does a fitness center cleaning checklist include?
- Cleaning
- Disinfecting
- Sanitizing
- Training your staff
- Communicating procedures to your fitness members
Cleaning
Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. Cleaning works by using soap (or detergent) and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
Disinfecting
Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
Sanitizing
Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.
Training your staff
Your staff should follow each procedure of the fitness center cleaning checklist for every fitness center cleaning. We’ve made a 5 step process to make it easy.
- Wash hands. (20 seconds)
- Where Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- When using wipes, clean in the same direction
- Leave surfaces wet for the recommended amount of time
- When finished, dispose of PPE, materials and re-wash hands.
Communicate procedures to your fitness members
Once your staff is trained, they should be training your fitness members as often as necessary to follow cleaning procedures.
- Post signage about hand washing, disinfectant wiping, equipment cleaning, etc
- Make sanitation stations readily available
- Locker rooms, bathrooms, water fountains, towel stations, equipment areas and sanitation stations should have instructional signage about the cleaning rules of your fitness center.
Shower & Locker Room Cleaning
As fitness center members are entering the locker room from parking lots and workout areas, they’ll be tracking germs and dirt in from the outside as well as from the exercise and pool areas. Combined in the locker room with their sweat, the humidity, and moisture, this is a perfect breeding ground for mold, bacteria, pathogens and smells to develop.
The element of water brings wet towels, gym clothes, and wet floors create situations for these types of contaminants to form. In turn, the locker room becomes the perfect situation to spread contaminants like athlete’s foot, staph infections, and other pathogens like fungi and bacteria. There’s also the risk of slipping and falling.
Remember that your members are also responsible for fitness center cleaning, especially in the locker room areas. Keep signs posted and remind them to follow procedures whenever necessary to train good habits that help everyone have a great experience.
Daily Cleaning and Disinfection
- Sinks
- Showers
- All faucets
- Benches
- Door and lockers, handles
- Light switches
Fitness Center Cleaning Schedule
- Hourly Cleaning – inspect to keep tidy and look for potential hazards
- Daily Cleaning – Sweeping & mopping floors, cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces
- Weekly Cleaning – deep cleaning all surfaces, machine cleaning floors
Gym Equipment Cleaning
Gym equipment is a magnet for bacteria and grime as one person after another uses it. Add in the fact that gyms tend to be warm environments and it is easy to see why germs are omnipresent. A consistent sanitizing of equipment will reduce the number of harmful bacteria, including viruses like SARS-CoV-2, that members may come in contact with. Use disinfectant gym equipment cleaning wipes to sanitize facility equipment several times per day. These gym cleaner wipes will help eliminate germs, grime, and sweat left on the machines from facility users.
Wet wipes for disinfecting are only half the battle when it comes to gym cleanliness. Have your cleaning staff make use of gym disinfectant sprays or electrostatic or atomizing sprayers with disinfectant solutions to boot. Make sure to follow the directions on the disinfectant solution label, and apply it to machines on a regular basis. Leave spray bottles by popular machines along with disinfectant wet wipes, paper towels, and hand sanitizer.
Daily Cleaning and Disinfection
- Unplug machine (if applicable)
- Prepare cleaning solution
- Spray solution onto microfiber cloth
- Wipe down entire equipment
- Allow to dry
Fitness Center Cleaning Schedule
- After each use – Gym machines should be wiped down with disinfectant after every use by a staff member.
- Daily Cleaning – Gym machines should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected at least once per day.
Exercise Mat Cleaning
The exercise mat is a piece of equipment that gets very personal and up close use. It’s also a soft vinyl material that can absorb sweat, stains, grime and bacteria. Mats will become very dirty very quickly and your facility will lose that professional, clean, “like new” appearance.
It’s crucial that the sponges, cloths and mops used for wrestling and other fitness mat cleaning are used for this purpose only. Using them for other general janitorial tasks could result in the spread of infectious disease or skin conditions to areas outside of the fitness center.
Daily Cleaning and Disinfection
- Sweep or vacuum any dirt or debris off the mat
- Use a damp cloth to wipe off any tough or stuck-on spots
- Use warm water and an approved sanitizing product, create a mixture to disinfect the mat.
- Use damp cloth or microfiber mop to wipe the mat down
- Allow the mat to air-dry completely before next use
Here’s a great cleaning product for cleaning rubber mats >>
Fitness Center Cleaning Schedule
- Clean and disinfect after each use
- Seal Bi-weekly or monthly (depending on volume of usage)
- Quarterly – Mats should be cleaned with a bleach solution
Rubber Floor Cleaning
For rubber fitness center floors commonly associated with workout spaces that include heavy equipment, the cleaning process is a bit different.
Daily Cleaning and Disinfection
- Sweep the Floor
- Spot Clean Rubber Flooring
- Mop the Floor
- Allow the Floor to Dry
- Disinfect
Fitness Center Cleaning Schedule
- Clean Daily
- Disinfect Daily
- Seal Bi-weekly or monthly (depending on volume of usage)
Wooden Floor Cleaning
Floors are key to a great impression. Fitness center wood floors are naturally porous and will absorb moisture so when the humidity in your facility rises, your wood floor will absorb that moisture, causing it to expand. When the humidity falls, your wood floor will release moisture, causing it to shrink.
Many wood floor installations include expansion voids around the perimeter and floor inserts, in addition to expansion joints built into the floor surface. These features allow natural, normal expansion and contraction without damage to the floor. If there’s too much moisture, abnormal expansion will occur, which leads to cupping or buckling of your floor. In abnormally dry conditions the wood will contract, leaving separations between flooring strips.
Daily Cleaning and Disinfection
- Sweep the Floor
- Spot Cleaning Rubber Flooring
- Mop the Floor
- Allow the Floor to Dry
- Disinfect
Fitness Center Cleaning Schedule
- Clean Daily
- Disinfect Daily
- Periodic burnishing
- Yearly recoating
