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So, you have finally given up travelling all the way to the gym to get some exercise and set up your own home gym. Good job! Unfortunately, your work is far from over. In fact, it’s only just begun. Besides your regular workout sessions, you will have the responsibilities of taking care of the equipment and maintaining the gym clean and safe. Neglecting these duties can cause machines to wear down sooner or become a safety hazard and the very environment can become unhealthy. Don’t worry, though, this is not nearly as hard as it sounds. Here is a short guide that will help you keep everything in check.
Table of Contents
Dust Regularly
Dusting is something you do anyway around the house, so extend that practice to the gym too. Pay special attention to gym machines, since the grime and dirt can accumulate inside them and eventually affect their performance. Be very thorough when wiping them, reach the less visible places and use a clean towel and organic detergent.
Mop the Floor
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You can dust the equipment every day, but if you don’t clean the floor it will all be worthless. The dust that has fallen on the floor will rise again at the very first sign of draft or during a jumping jacks session. How you will clean it will depend on the type of the floor you have in your home gym. Maple and laminate floors, for instance, should be dry mopped with a microfiber on a regular basis.
Keep the Air Fresh
Gyms are full of moist air, and yours isn’t going to be any different. Such amount of humidity can cause indoor mold which can emit toxins you are bound to inhale, which can be more dangerous for your body than the toxins you eat. Proper ventilation (frequent opening of the windows and installing an exhaust fan) can be of immense help, but if you’re already dealing with this annoying problem find the best air purifier for mold and you will get rid of it soon. Add an air-purifying indoor plant, and you’ll get a design punch along the way.
Clean the Mat
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Gym mat is something many forget to devote attention to when cleaning, but it’s the thing that ends up closest to your skin and nose, so take some time to clean it up. Clean the mat by first sweeping the dirt. After that, use a neutral pH cleaner and a disinfectant before and after each use. Don’t forget to clean underneath the mat too and to store them flat or rolled up.
Maintain the Equipment
Besides dusting, maintaining fitness machines require several different steps:
- Oiling the machines keep the moving parts running with no problem. Depending on the type of the machine this step can be different. Majority of cardio machines (e.g. treadmill) are self-lubricating, which means they have an oil reservoir that should be filled from time to time. Resistance machines must be oiled on a monthly basis with silicon spray and clean rag.
- Maintaining adjustable barbells means that you should clean dead skin, dirt and lifting chalk that collect in barbell’s knurling with a wire brush.
- Checking the equipment for wear regularly can make a difference between a safe gym and a safety hazard. Be thorough and check machine and bench pads, fixed barbells and dumbbells, and cardio-equipment cables. If you notice anything out of the ordinary immediately fix or replace those machines.
- As a side note, for your gym gear and clothes, try steam cleaning to make sure all of the sweat and bacteria as a result of the sweat is cleaned and ready for your next usage at the gym.
Responsible Use of Fitness Equipment
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Working out at home without the supervision of a trained instructor might motivate you to experiment with alternative exercises. Don’t. That can be dangerous for you and potentially break the machine too. So use the fitness equipment as it is intended to be used. Thinking outside of the box isn’t welcomed when your health and safety are in the line.
The fact that you have set up a home gym means that you are concerned about your health and wellbeing. Maintaining it clean and safe is just a natural extension of that concern. Besides, proper maintenance will ensure the longevity of the equipment so consider it another investment.
