Cleaning the equipment at your gym

[Anonymous]

I belong to a gym that was a Fitness First but turned into a Gold's Gym. They used to supply cleaning wipes to wipe down the mats and cardio machines after you use it. Now they have non-perforated paper towel rolls and a spray bottle that has liquid that may just be water for all I know. It doesn't smell like anything. I'm not a huge germaphobe, but I feel like the sanitation of this gym has gone way down. But it's been awhile since I've belonged to another gym, so I am curious what other gyms have (especially other Gold's franchises) and if you feel it's enough for the basic courtesy of wiping sweat and some germs?

[Anonymous]

My Gold's uses a spray mixture and cloth towels. They are EVERYWHERE. Usually right next to each machine. I vastly prefer this to gyms where you have to hunt down the one bottle and disposable towel. I don't ever feel like things are gross, but I'm not a germaphobe. My friend on the other hand comes and doesn't want to touch ANYTHING. It's annoying as hell lol

[Anonymous]

I've been going to Golds for years (several times a week) and use the spray bottles with hand towels I bring. (Paper towels - bad for environment.) I don't really get sick, so I've never had reason to think that Golds' disinfectant wasn't doing the job.

[Anonymous]

My gym has pre-moistened wipes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My gym has pre-moistened wipes.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My gym has pre-moistened wipes.

+1

Mine, too. I go to Life Time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My gym has pre-moistened wipes.

The Sport & Health I go to has them too. I'm not a germaphobe at all. I don't wipe down anything before I use it, but I will almost always wipe down equipment if I work up a sweat on it, because it's the polite thing to do, even though I'm not sick, gross, etc. To be honest, I think I wipe down to give the appearance of making sure I look like I'm a conscientious gym-goer. But I tend to think it's all kind of dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My gym has pre-moistened wipes.

The Sport & Health I go to has them too. I'm not a germaphobe at all. I don't wipe down anything before I use it, but I will almost always wipe down equipment if I work up a sweat on it, because it's the polite thing to do, even though I'm not sick, gross, etc. To be honest, I think I wipe down to give the appearance of making sure I look like I'm a conscientious gym-goer. But I tend to think it's all kind of dumb.

+1

My gym supplies cheap paper towels and spray bottles (although at least ours smell like chemicals). If a machine is drenched in sweat then yeah, wipe it, but other than that I don't really care. It's not like you don't encounter billions of germs on other surfaces at the gym anyways - why does it matter if there are a few cold germs hanging out on the weight machines?

[Anonymous]

I think the important thing is that you don't touch your face when you're working out, don't have any open wounds (even small cuts) that could come into contact with anything, and you wash your hands immediately after your workout. I'd think that would go pretty far toward keeping yourself healthy.

(I always wipe down the machines after I use them, even when I'm not sweating. It's good form.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I belong to a gym that was a Fitness First but turned into a Gold's Gym. They used to supply cleaning wipes to wipe down the mats and cardio machines after you use it. Now they have non-perforated paper towel rolls and a spray bottle that has liquid that may just be water for all I know. It doesn't smell like anything. I'm not a huge germaphobe, but I feel like the sanitation of this gym has gone way down. But it's been awhile since I've belonged to another gym, so I am curious what other gyms have (especially other Gold's franchises) and if you feel it's enough for the basic courtesy of wiping sweat and some germs?

I too am a FF member, the one in Bethesda that is still a FF gym. I have actually had to change which machines I workout on because the person before me didnt mop up their nasty sweat and I sure as hell am not going to do it!! It pisses me off to no end, but what do you want for $29 a month!

[Anonymous]

I got staph infection from the gym. However, I don't think the wipes would have prevented that.

I do know that many Golds are franchised. The ones in Ashburn/Sterling are the same owner and he is a complete germphobe. For anyone who goes to one of those Golds, you know what I mean.