Basic Gym Hygiene and Sanitization Tips
If you’re like most people, you go to the gym to get in shape and stay fit. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a place packed with sweaty dudes isn’t the most hygienic place to be inside.
Due to the environment inside a gym, it can be very easy for contagious infections and diseases to spread. If you weren’t too particular about sanitization before, we’re sure the COVID-19 pandemic situation would act as the tipping point.
Choose Your Gym Wisely
Our biggest advice would be not to cut corners when it comes to selecting a gym. Apart from the overall ambiance and cleanliness of the gym, evaluate the condition of the equipment and how they are maintained.
Check the tidiness of the bathroom floors, sinks, and toilets. Make sure the gym’s total infrastructure is continuously cleaned and sanitized, and there is cleaning personnel always on duty.
Wash Your Hands
One thing most of us have learned from the coronavirus crisis is that most of the infections enter our bodies through our hands. You need to make sure you wash your hands before and after a workout.
If you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based sanitizer. Pick one that has at least 60% alcohol. You should also make it a habit to sanitize your hands between exercises as you touch many surfaces during an exercise.
Carry a Hand Towel
This is one of the most important tips. You should not step inside a gym without a hand towel, especially if you’re someone who sweats a lot. Wiping your face with your t-shirt or your hand is a big no.
We’re sure you know someone who doesn’t clean off the sweat from their face and lets it drip on the floor. Not only is this disgusting, but it can also put all the people inside the gym at risk of catching an infection.
Clean the Equipment
No matter which gym you train at, there will always be that one guy before you who will cover the equipment in sweat. The worst thing is that these people don’t acknowledge their mess and walk away after their set.
Bring disinfectant wipes or spray with you and wipe down all the places your bare skin touches. Many people make the mistake of using their hand towels to clean the equipment. After you’re done using the equipment, pay it forward by wiping down the equipment for the next person.
Shower ASAP
A shower should be your top priority after a workout. The longer you stay in sweaty clothes, the more opportunity bacteria have to multiply. Bacteria love to breed in your sweaty clothes. Shower thoroughly and dry off with a clean towel.
Wash and dry your workout clothes each time you wear them. This includes swimsuits and socks. Be sure to pay special attention to your feet by washing and drying them thoroughly with a clean, dry towel.
Do you carry a hand towel to the gym? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
