Most people go to the gym to get fit, improve their physique, and join a community of like-minded health buffs, but one thing too many of them assume is that their gym is hygienic and incapable of harming their health. In fact, gym equipment can harbor over one million germs per square inch, with harmful bacteria like staph and MRSA being common. In particular, free weights have almost 400 times more bacteria than toilet seats.
The Effect of Gym Germs on Human Health
Just a few common infections people can catch at the gym include fungal infections, rhinovirus, and skin infections. It’s easy, for instance, to catch a ringworm infection (commonly known as athlete’s foot and jock itch) from fungi, which thrive in warm, humid environments like gym showers and lockers. Rhinovirus, meanwhile, causes the common cold. It can thrive on gym surfaces like barbels, strength machines, and seats for days. In addition to ringworm infections, gym goers can catch numerous skin infections such as folliculitis, which appears as itchy red bumps that are often caused by staph bacteria.
This same bacteria can also lead to tender sores that can potentially become life-threatening if untreated. HPV is yet another bacteria found on gym equipment. It can cause plantar warts, usually on the balls and heels of the feet.
Recommended Gym Cleaning Practices
Before signing up at a gym, ensure it follows strict recommendations for gym and health club sanitation. Some tasks should be carried out daily. These include sweeping and vacuuming floors, wiping down all benches and chars with an EPA-approved sanitizing product, disinfecting all handlebars on exercise equipment, using different cloths to disinfect yoga mats, spraying disinfectant on (and wiping) free weights and workout machines, disinfecting the receptionist’s counter, dusting screens and speakers, and more. Other tasks can be carried out less frequently, such as removing cobwebs on ceilings, cleaning tiles, checking filters in HVAC units, and having a professional deep cleaning company clean the entire facility.
Your Responsibility to Your and Others’ Health and Well-Being
Gym goers can also do plenty to preserve their health and those of other people using their gym. For instance, before and after using equipment, they can wipe the equipment down with sanitary wipes. They can also keep their bags in lockers, placing the bag over oven paper or another type of material they can discard.
Doing so will ensure their bag does not pick up germs left in lockers by others. They can also give lockers a wipe-down. Those doing yoga should do their best to bring their own yoga mat. Finally, they should wash their gym bag frequently, as these bags can pick up a plethora of germs if they are left on floors and benches.
Gyms can harbor millions of germs, many of which can cause serious diseases. To protect your health, only attend gyms with transparent cleaning schedules. Do your best to lower bacteria and virus levels at your gym by cleaning equipment before and after use and by avoiding warm, humid zones of the gym if possible.