Gym & Fitness Facility Cleaning Guide

Gym Entrance Cleaning

The entrance is the first part of your gym that customers will experience. While the gym entrance isn’t likely to be the most hazardous environment in regards to germs and bacteria, it’s still important that it’s cleaned regularly and effectively. Floors, surfaces and all areas that are likely to come into contact by a large number of people must be cleaned efficiently. 

• Floors – mop, sweep and vacuum your gym’s entrance floor
• Tables and chairs – wipe down all tables and chairs with a disinfectant cleaner 
• Disinfect all surfaces – such as door handles, window sills, vending machines, desks, computers and phones
• Bins – empty rubbish out of all bins 

Gym Floor Cleaning

In general, floors are among the dirtiest areas in any public place due to the large amount of footfall from the variety of people they experience. This is also the case in gyms, where even more germs and bacteria are likely to be present due to the type of activities that take place on these floors. From pre-workout stretches to exercise involving mats on the ground, there are a plethora of ways in which the gym floor can become unclean. 

To best protect people from germs on the floor, you must:

• Mop all hard floors 
• Vacuum all gym carpets 
• Wipe down all exercise mats 
• Wipe down and disinfect any equipment that is on the floor

Gym Equipment Cleaning

Gym equipment is one of the most prominent breeding grounds for bacteria and germs. This is mainly down to the fact that equipment is handled and used by a variety of people, and germs from people’s hands can be transferred directly onto weights and other types of equipment. 

• Make sure weights and equipment are wiped down between every use
• Disinfect weights, bars, benches and other types of equipment numerous times during the day
• At the end of the day, wipe down every piece of equipment using disinfectant

Changing Rooms Cleaning

Communal changing rooms can be vulnerable to germs and bacteria, and it’s important that you carry out regular cleaning to ensure they’re safe for all of your customers to use. Toilets, floors and lockers must all be frequently cleaned using disinfectant cleaners to ensure any bacteria or germs are eradicated.

• Lockers – throw away abandoned rubbish and wipe down the handles and insides of lockers with disinfectant 
• Floors – sweep and mop floors
• Benches – wipe down benches with disinfectant
• Lost property – if you notice items left unattended for a few days, move them to lost property to avoid any trip hazards or theft
• Towel bins – empty at least once a day  
• Clean and disinfect any toilets on a daily basis 
• Disinfect door handles each day

Toilets and Showers Cleaning

Gym toilets and showers have people coming in and out all of the time, washing and using the facilities. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that germs and bacteria can be quick to spread in these areas. Just like with all areas in your gym, it’s important that toilets and showers are not neglected and you should be carrying out daily cleaning, including disinfecting key areas.     

• Toilets – disinfect the inside of toilet bowls of urinals as well as the outside and base of the toilet 
• Stall doors – wipe down and disinfect the inside and outside of stall doors 
• Showers – clean and disinfect showers every day
• Floors – mop and sweep bathroom floors every day
• Sinks – wipe down and clean all sinks 
• Bins – empty any rubbish and sanitary bins 
• Signage – include signage that encourages good hand hygiene throughout your bathrooms

Mirrors and Glass Cleaning

Glass and mirrors are common in gyms. From people practising their form to the various doors and windows throughout the building, these elements can pick up bacteria and germs and help it to spread.  

• Glass doors – clean the inside and outside of all doors, including the glass
• Blinds – clean any blinds you have on your windows 
• Mirrors – wipe down and clean all gym mirrors at least once a day
• Vending machines – clean and wipe down all vending machines daily – including the buttons
• Television – clean and wipe down any TVs using a disinfectant wipe or spray

Water Fountain Cleaning

Shared water fountains can be especially risky, particularly if a large number of people are drinking from them directly. Even if people are just using them to fill up water bottles, that’s still a lot of hands coming into contact with them and a lot of opportunities for bacteria to spread.  

With this in mind, it’s important to regularly clean and wipe down water fountains to make sure that the spread of bacteria is minimal. 

• Clean and disinfect all water fountains at the end of the day
• Wipe down the walls close to and around the fountain

Office and Reception Cleaning

The office and reception areas of your gym are likely to see plenty of coming and going. From people checking in to those leaving after a strenuous workout, the potential for the spread of germs is significant. 

One of the property’s main communal areas, it’s vital that all surfaces and furniture are properly cleaned and people remain safe in this part of the premises.   

• Furniture – dust all tables, chairs and desks and wipe down with disinfectant
• Surfaces – wipe down all surfaces and window sills with disinfectant cleaner
• High touch surfaces – computers, phones, door handles and any surfaces that are regularly touched must be wiped down 
• Bins – ensure any rubbish bins are emptied on a regular basis