So you have a nice gym setup finally and have been working out either by yourself, with friends or maybe with your spouse or kids. Now you need to clean your mats. You don't want to take all day to do it, but just get it done and get back to using the gym.
Here we explain some different methods that you can use and make sure you just go with the one that is most convenient for you.
So how do you clean gym mats at home? Cleaning your gym mats can be very easy make sure to check the cleaning instruction specific to the mats you purchased. Overall you need to sweep/vacuum up loose dry particles first then spray disinfect down like Windex with ammonia (Bleach or Vinegar make work just check first) then wipe down using paper towels or regular towel.
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Cleaning and Maintaining A Sanitized Gym
People don't realize how unsanitized gyms can be and with your small home gym there is no exception. If you have the right supplies and do some easy daily tasks it makes things much easier keeping your gym clean.
After all if you are using your gym right you are going to have to clean it and keep it sanitized so you don't get sick. The more people in your gym the more you are going to have to clean it.
Daily Wipe Routine – There are Zogics Gym Wipes and Scrubs Gym Equipment Cleaning Wipes you can get that are specifically for wiping everything down in your gym from the machines, weights, resistance bands, to the floor. They are a little pricier but can be worth it.
A cheaper alternative is simply using Lysol Wipes they work great and one time use. If you want to get a little cheaper just buy a spray bottle of Lysol and spray it down and wipe down with a smaller towel. This is what most gyms do.
This will go along with with your gym.
Keeping Floor Clean – The easiest way to keep your gym floor clean is to have a GYM ONLY SHOE that way less dirt and particles will get on the gym floor. Then your main concern will be cleaning up the sweat that drips on the floor. Gym shoes are cheap these days either get on something like Amazon or go to a place like Kohls to get some great deals.
Mirror Mirror On The Wall – If you have gym mirrors that is great helps keep your form and motivation going while also lighting up the room. This definitely helps with basement gyms or garage gyms where there isn't as much light. But you need to keep them clean.
This can get more expensive then cleaning your house if you want to use something like Windex. I would suggest using something like vinegar and water. All you need to do is a 1 to 1 ratio so start with 1 cup of white vinegar to 1 cup water in a dollar store spray bottle. Trust me it will save you a bit of money and trips to the store. You can get a gallon of vinegar for like 99 cents.
Also use a microfiber cloth you can buy a package of these cheap on Amazon or go to your local Walmart. Then you can reuse them. Gym mirrors are not that expensive also if you are looking to purchase you can find them online cheap or even at Walmart.
Best Way To Clean Puzzle Mats
If you have or are looking to get a gym you have probably at least looked at Puzzle Mats for your flooring. They are cheap and last a long time I still have some from around 10 years ago.
You can get them in any color these days we have purchased some for our daughter that we have in a couple rooms.
- Vacuum – start off by vacuuming. Make sure it isn't scratching your floor. Also use the hose to get into any crevices.
- Mop – use a mop with a antibacterial cleaner or vinegar 1 to 1 ratio.
- Toothbrush – get an old tooth brush if you need to get an residue up that can be caused by grease from machines or weights
That's it make sure to let it dry accordingly even put a fan in there if it is in a place like a basement where it can be a bit more humid.
Best Way To Clean Rubber Gym Mats
Rubber mats work great there are different grades we personally use the horse stall mats you can get a place like Tractor Supply since they are very rugged and actually cheaper then gym specific mats. They can also take a big pounding like that happens from workouts like deadlift. After all they are for 100+ pound animals.
Start with any residue or sticky spots that can be from something like gum or grease. Get that up using a tooth brush or any thing with friction even a bristle pad that you use for dishes just make sure it doesn't scratch. With our horse style mats nothing really scratches them that bad beyond the surface.
Next vacuum up the dirt and loose debris. Use a regular vac with a hose or a hand vac to get any spots you miss.
Mop down using any disinfectant or vinegar based mix.
Allow the floor to air dry or use a fan to quickly dry.
How To Clean Wrestling Mats?
Now this will depend on what you are using the wrestling mats for if you are just using them for you and your fam to workout on then you won't need to be as serious for this cleaning just take it as you do any mat or floor in a gym.
However, if you are using these for wrestling team you need to be very careful with cleaning your wrestling mats or if it is a first time cleaning for some wrestling mats you just got from a wrestling team. A lot of bacteria can spread quickly and things such as ring worm and impetigo among other spreadable viruses you don't want.
Take on top of that that wrestling usually takes place during the flu and cold months every precaution needs to be taken to not get everyone sick. Other sports like mixed martial arts or jujitsu should be treated the same.
*That is why you should use a daily dose of 1:100 bleach to water mixture EVERYDAY it is being used.
Single Use or Small Fam – If it isn't being used daily or by a big wrestling team just clean after every use.
Used For A Home Gym – Clean flooring once a week as long as separate sneakers worn for gym. Wipe down equipment daily and you should be fine with that.
Related Questions
How Do You Clean Exercise Mats?
- Clean exercise mats by simple using 1:100 bleach/water mixture or a 1:1 vinegar/water mixture.
- Start with a vacuum
- Then mop
- Finally let air dry.
How Do You Get The Rubber Smell Out Of Gym Mats?
So for Gym Mats this can be an annoying problem and also can even cause headaches for some people so getting that rubber smell out of your gym mats can be a high priority.
To keep it simple we just wash them outside on a sunny day using Dawn Dish Soap and let them air dry this usually does the trick. If it is very potent you may want to try a vinegar mixture of 1:1 to water.
How Do You Clean A Rubber Gym Floor?
- Vacuum with a high powered vac and hand vac to finish off any hard to reach areas and corners
- Mop with 1:1 vinegar mixture
- Scrub any residue or sticky parts with toothbrush
- Let air dry
How Do You Disinfect A Foam Mat?
To disinfect a foam mat the easiest way is to use Lysol wipes they are actually quite durable and go a long way. You can also spray to get ride of 99% of the germs.
Conclusion
That is really all there is too it to keep your home gym nice and clean. Do not skip this part especially the more people you have in your gym. Just by wearing separate gym shoes you will see a big different in the cleaning frequency required.
Get your gym some fresh air when you can by opening any doors or windows when the weather is right. Also get a dehumidifier or air conditioner in there to keep the air quality right and it will also help keep weights from rusting. If you live in a dryer climate like Colorado you probably won't have issues with this.
As far as quality and durability if you are just starting out head over to your local Tractor Supply or Horse Hardware Store to get some horse mats. They run about 4′ X 6′ and they will last just about forever no matter what you do to them. They run around $30-40 bucks where gym specific mats can run about double that or more.
You can cut them to fit but it is tough. I wouldn't get used ones as it is almost impossible to get that fresh horse manure smell out lol.
