How to Sanitize Gym Equipment

Sanitizing gym equipment is a concern. No longer an afterthought, it's taken on new proportions. Millions of Americans are noticing more and more how clean their surroundings are. The urge to cleanse your hands immediately after you have touched a piece a gym equipment is greater than ever. That's why all workout places are now under pressure to always have hand sanitizers and disinfectant spray bottles accessible for their clientele's use.

Things You'll Need

• Hand sanitizers
• Professional grade disinfectants
• Paper towels
• Wipes

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Instructions

How to Sanitize Gym Equipment

• 1

  Most gyms will have bottles of industrial-strength sprays. Members are encouraged to use them on the workout benches, pieces of equipment and cardio machines. These sprays contain what's known in the sanitation industry as "quat"-based sanitizers, quaternary ammonium chlorides. These sanitizers are odorless, non-staining, non-corrosive to metals and relatively non-toxic when diluted properly.

• 2

  Use these sprays before and after you touch a piece of equipment. The sprays are hospital-grade disinfectants that aren't acid-based and are proven effective in killing a broad range of bacteria and viruses. Spray directly onto the surface you wish to disinfect, then wipe down with paper towel or wipes provided by the gym.

• 3

  Laying a towel down on benches also prevents gym users from picking up germs. Never put your face directly onto a bench, unless you have placed a clean towel there first. A towel can act as a barrier between your skin and clothes, preventing them from coming in direct contact with the equipment.

• 4

  Use the waterless hand sanitizers that are scattered around the gym, whenever you feel the urge to disinfect your hands. This provides extra protection.

• 5

  Take 10 seconds to wash your hands properly when you leave the gym. Use warm, soapy water. Many public health units agree this will go a long way toward killing any bacteria you may have picked up while working out.

• 6

  Wash your clothes when you get home. Do not throw the worn items back into your drawers or closets unless you have washed them first.