Gyms and fitness clubs are areas that can get dirty pretty quick if not maintained properly. Since the main reason for many to hit the gym is to "sweat it out," they are bound to get dirty. Having said that, people prefer a clean area where they can workout. Keep in mind that the main reason for exercising is health and a dirty place defeats the purpose and will loose your clients quickly! Apart from cleaning, you also need to ensure that the gym is not smelly where people actually find it irritating to work out. Don’t let uncleanliness be the reason why your clients are walking away. Secure client retention with the following health club cleaning tips.
Get a Janitorial Service to Keep the Fitness Club Clean at All Times
The main area that can give a feeling that your gym is unhygienic is the rest room. When people work out intensely, they get dehydrated and the urine that is passed is usually concentrated and smelly. If the area is not well maintained, the smell can even cross the restroom and enter the workout area. Get the janitor to clean the restroom at least once every hour or even more during peak hours. Have the janitor follow a cleaning checklist, so no area is forgotten or overlooked no matter how clean it may appear.
No matter how careful your gym members are, they are bound to drip sweat on the floor. This can not only be unhygienic but also can make the floors slippery, which can be dangerous with people lifting weights and performing exercise moves. Get the janitor to also wipe the area constantly, especially in areas where aerobics and other cardiovascular workouts are performed. Educate the janitor about not interfering in the personal space of your clients. You do not want the janitor becoming a distraction to your clients.
Encourage Your Clients to Maintain Hygiene
Your gym is as much your clients’ as it is yours. Encourage them to bring in exercise mats and towels. Your clients must possess a separate set of gym shoes to avoid the dirt from outside entering the facility. You can make these a matter of rule and inform your clients when they become members of your gym.
To make things easier, you could even sell gym mates and towels to or give them free of cost. Handing out free towels with your company logo on it can prove to be a great advertising tool and also help you keep the gym clean.
No client prefers to wipe the equipment with the towels they use on their bodies. You can help them by keeping paper tissues and sanitation wipes at reach near the weights and equipment. Ensure that several wastebaskets are placed in well-thought-out places through out the gym. You could even have a couple of funny quotes or pictures about cleanliness stuck on the walls near the equipment that are most sweat-producing.
Have a Good Smelling Gym
The smell of sweat is hard to avoid in a gym. But you could do your bit by having adequate ventilation so that there is proper air circulation in the gym and fresh air comes in. Do not keep your gym area closed to avoid overload on your air conditioners. Consult your local HVAC servicemen for an apt solution for this problem. Also encourage your clients to keep the shoes on while in the gym. Anyone walking around in socks or bare feet, not only sets them up for potentially dangerous situations such as stubbing a toe or contracting a skin disease, but it also places your business for greater liability risks.
Keep Your Clients Educated
Educate your clients on the importance of wearing flip flops in areas like locker rooms and bathrooms to avoid picking up problems like athlete’s foot. Tell your clients to keep the gym bags clean and remove sweaty clothes when they get home; otherwise, the bag could become a breeding ground for germs. Sick clients are a hazard to the entire gym. Request your sick clients to stay home and give them your reasons in a subtle way.
Laying down the gym rules from the beginning makes getting your clients to follow the rules easier. Ensure that you convince them that the rules are for their own good. When you take these steps, maintaining the cleanliness of your gym becomes a breeze. Your gym becomes a fitness destination in the true sense where your clients feel comfortable spending time and concentrating on their health all around.