Effective Strategies on How to Clean Gym Flooring (Intro)

High-quality gym flooring can have an excellent aesthetic effect while providing a feeling of comfort. However, gym activities and time take their toll on the flooring, leaving it dirty. When your gym floor gets dirty, you must clean it to restore its beauty and make the place welcoming to its users. Whether you plan to clean a commercial or home gym, the floor is paramount. You can prevent the accumulation of dirt and bacteria. So, how to clean gym flooring?  

Clean gym flooring by using a microfiber dust mop, then mop with a sponge mop soaked in a cleaning solution. Air-dry the gym floor, or use a towel. Use Auto Scrubber for deep cleaning.

The good news is that most gyms use rubber flooring that is not only low-maintenance but also super durable; therefore, it’s not a hard nut to crack if you want to clean it up by yourself. As it doesn’t allow mould, stains, and mildew to accumulate, consider that most of your work has already been done. Now, you can easily maintain your gym by using simple yet effective cleaning supplies. Continue reading the article if you want to enlighten yourself about the best ways to clean gym flooring without any hassle.

Method 1: Spot-cleaning

If you want to remove dirt or dust, vacuum or sweep your floor daily. If you prefer to sweep, use a brush that has small yet soft bristles. Likewise, when vacuuming, first replace the beater brush of the machine with a less harsh fitting so that your floor won’t get damaged. Vacuum the whole floor to clean up the debris before you apply any other cleaning method.

• Use a plastic scraper

If you want to get rid of stuck-on dust on your gym floor, try a plastic scraper. If anything hard is stuck on the floor, like gum, then use this method to remove it. You need to put the edge of the scraper below the sticky material and push it up slowly to remove it. If it’s still there, apply the adhesive remover and leave it for the suggested time, and then use the scraper gain.

• Try glass cleaner

Use glass cleaner if you want to remove stains. If there are stains because of sweat or water, wet the area using class cleaner till it becomes damp. If there is any excess cleaner, then clean it up by using an absorbent towel, and afterwards allow it to dry. Then clean the floor with a dry cloth.

• Apply a neutral disinfectant

Use a neutral disinfectant to sanitize your floor. You need to read the instructions first to know about the quantity of the material that needs to be mixed. After that, mix the disinfectant with warm water, adding the correct quantity after reading the instructions. Apply the disinfectant with a clean cloth or sponge mop over the flooring and leave it for 10 minutes. Clean it up using a dry cloth. In case the floor is dirty, use a hand brush that has a soft bristle to gradually apply the disinfecting solution to the flooring.

Method 2: Mopping

Mix the cleaning solution with a neutral pH cleaner. Then fill the mop bucket with 4 litres of water and 50ml – 100ml  of a neutral PH cleaner. Allow the mixture to blend. Additionally, you can also add a little quantity of mild liquid dish detergent to make your floor clean. But before you do this, check the ingredients of the dish detergent to make sure it doesn’t have any additives or moisturizers. Don’t use harsh cleaners like vinegar or bleach as they can eat away the rubber flooring with time.

• Use a sponge mop

Soak the mop in the cleaning solution and then squeeze out the excess liquid. Then mop the whole gym with this solution. Start in the far corner of the room so that you don’t have to go back over the already-cleaned floor. Apply the cleaning solution in a way that the floor becomes damp but not wet. Excess water could be absorbed by the rubber, causing damage. Also, make sure you don’t use abrasive or textured mop scrubbers since they can damage the floor.

• Leave the solution on the floor for a few minutes

Leave the solution on the gym floor for 10 minutes. Instead of cleaning it right away, allow the solution to do its work. This allows it to kill bacteria and other germs on the surface. When it is almost dry, rinse it off. Allowing the cleaner to dry fully can damage your flooring.

• Wipe the cleaner

Wipe the cleaner off by using a damp mop. Fill the bucket with clean, warm water and squeeze the mop so it doesn’t have excess liquid. Starting from the corner of your gym, mop back and forth to the end so that the whole floor becomes clean. 

• Let the solution dry

Before you walk on the floor, let it dry first. If you walk on a damp floor it will leave marks, dust and bacteria. Switch on the fan to dry it. In case you are in hurry, dry your floor with towels.

• Clean the floor daily

You need to clean your floor daily. To maintain hygiene, the bare minimum should be once a week. If you train daily, or your gym is full and busy with fitness enthusiasts, then you must mop it daily to get rid of sweat and germs.

Method 3: Deep-cleaning using an auto-scrubber

You can also use an auto-scrubber with soft bristles. It’s a machine with a revolving scrubbing pad that uses liquid cleaning solution or water. A hard-bristle scrubber will inevitably leave scratches and marks on your flooring, so ensure you use a soft-bristle head. A home gym scrubber is less expensive, around 85 €/US$, whereas a commercial-grade unit can cost over 1,000 €/US$. . They are also widely available to hire if you don’t want to buy one. 

• Add water and cleaner to the scrubber machine

Add warm water and neutral PH cleaner to the scrubber. Pour the water along with 4–6 fluid ounces (100–150 ml) of your neutral pH cleaner to kill bacteria and remove germs. Since every auto-scrubber is different, make sure you read the instructions first before using it.

• Clean the floor

Now, clean the entire floor with the auto scrubber. Move the machine starting from the back of the room to the entrance so that every point is covered. Go back and forth so that the scrubber cleans the dirt altogether. Since the machine has a vacuum, mops up the water as it goes. So it’s safe to walk on the floor right after cleaning it. However, make sure that your shoes are not dirty.

• Apply this method weekly

Use an auto scrubber at least once a week to maintain a clean floor. And mop your floor daily to avoid dirt and accumulation of bacteria. In a commercial gym, use an auto-scrubber regularly to prevent the floor from getting dirty.

If you don’t know how to use an auto-scrubber, you will find guidance in its manual. When you know how to operate the machine and have acquired the appropriate cleaning solution, take the following steps.

• Attach the cleaning pad to the auto-scrubber. Cleaning pads for rubber gym floors shouldn’t be abrasive but soft.
• Put the cleaning solution and water into the machine’s tank
• Switch on the auto-scrubber and move the machine along the gym floor. As it moves, it cleans the floor. 

How Frequently Should I Clean My Gym Floor? 

Proper care for the gym floor will boost its durability and aesthetics, and cleaning is one of the best ways. You should sweep or vacuum your gym floor every day. This is because gym users bring in dirt and dust daily, and you can’t allow them to accumulate. Then you can mop the gym floor once a week for easy maintenance. 

Summary

All in all, cleaning your gym is vital to maintain hygiene standards. Now that you know some methods for cleaning gym flooring, apply them to get rid of dirt and sweat. You will see some notable results. But before you do that, make sure to always read the instructions clearly to get the desired results and save yourself from landing in troubled waters. 

Your gym flooring should always be clean to give its users the best experience. A clean gym floor will boost the appearance of the gym and safeguard the health of its users. To clean your gym floor, ensure to use the appropriate materials suitable to your floor type. Sweep, vacuum, mop, and dry your gym floor to create a conducive training environment.

To comment on the article, please proceed to the Telegram post. We encourage you to read our comprehensive article “How To Choose Gym Flooring“.

Disclaimer: The opinions and positions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and collaborators and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the professional fitness community.