It’s no secret that how a clean a gym/leisure centre looks can make all the difference. If your space doesn’t look clean, people will naturally be uncomfortable and cautious about training in a dirty space.
In this blog, we will explore the hidden dangers of poor cleaning in gyms and leisure centres.
Sentrex Services stands as a leading provider of comprehensive cleaning and hygiene solutions, serving a vast region from the Northwest to the Southeast of England. With a dedicated team of over 600 professionals, we deliver bespoke cleaning services tailored to the unique needs of each commercial client.
Do gyms need more frequent cleaning than other spaces?
Yes. In many cases, gyms and leisure centres have a more critical requirement for professional cleaning. This is because:
- Gyms and leisure centres have a much larger frequency of people that attend in the space of a day.
- Members may have poor personal hygiene (using the toilet, not washing hands afterwards).
- Members and staff will sweat whilst working out, etc. Aside from being a slip hazard, if left to dry, it can make the space smell.
- Members and staff may be ill when attending, potentially leaving harmful bacteria to spread on surfaces.
- Members and staff may track in dirt and dust when entering.
- Due to numerous factors, people may react to exercise in different ways depending on intensity (e.g, vomit), which must be cleaned.
How can members contribute to cleaning?
Obviously, you can’t expect members to start mopping the gym floor once they have finished their workout. But there are policies you can implement as part of their membership that can incentivise good personal hygiene habits. Examples of this are:
- Encourage members to bring a towel, and wipe down surfaces they have used (benches) after they have used them. For additional hygiene, providing a cleaning solution to spray on the surface.
- Place signs in visible areas of the bathroom asking members to clean their hands after using the toilet. Maybe explain why it’s such an important requirement on the sign. Ensure soaps are refilled.
- Place hand sanitation stations in various areas of the space. This allows members to keep themselves clean when sharing equipment.
What can I do if my gym or leisure centre is not hygienic?
If you are observing poor hygiene in the space, consider speaking to a manager, or emailing the head office. It is the gym/leisure centre’s responsibility to have a safe, hygienic space for all of its members. As a paying member, this is the absolute minimum you should expect.
Be sure to have evidence in terms of photos or videos of poor cleaning practices. Unfortunately, staff only have a limited amount of powers when it comes to telling members to change their personal hygiene (unless it is part of membership requirement).
What are the dangers of bad cleaning in gyms and leisure centres?
There are many dangerous outcomes that will come if a gym/leisure centre is cleaned badly, or not at all. This can include health and safety issues, illness, and more. Here’s a deeper look:
Bacteria, disease, infections, fungus
- Due to the high frequency of people, and their possible lack of hygiene, equipment, and things like lockers and mats can be a breeding ground for bacteria. (Like a staph infection) This can lead to infections on the skin, inside the body, or respiratory issues.
- Warm, moist areas have a higher chance for fungi to thrive. Wet areas like showers, changing rooms and bathrooms can easily allow for mould growth if not cleaned properly or consistency.
- Like we all saw with COVID, illness can spread rather easily, especially from surfaces that are high-touch. This includes equipment, handles, and more.
- If left for a long period of time, biofilm can form on surfaces. This is a layer of bacteria that requires more than a light scrub.
Air quality
- If left uncleaned, dust, skin cells, and other particles can result in worse air quality, this will make members and staff uncomfortable. In addition, this can aggravate people’s breathing if they have a respiratory issue.
- As mentioned before, mould can easily grow in an unclean gym, this can further damage people’s breathing.
Damaging and affecting equipment
- Over time, dirt, sweat, and debris can accumulate in areas within the exercise equipment. This can lead to a shorter lifespan, a reduced efficiency, and increased general wear and tear.
- Whether it’s uncleaned spillages on the floor, or accumulated contaminants in exercise machines, there is a risk of harm to the user and others in the vicinity through breakage or slipping etc.
- Some equipment, like those with sensors, can have a reduced effectiveness, or inaccurate readings if biofilm has been left to form over the sensor. (Think of BPM readers on modern treadmills.
Discomfort and reputational damage
- Uncleaned surfaces and space, and the accumulation of people’s poor personal hygiene, and poor ventilation, will result in bad odours. This can seriously ruin the experience of members.
- Further to this point, an uncomfortable space, whether it’s due to smell or mess, will give a member a negative experience and impression of the gym/leisure centre. This can directly impact memberships.
- Online reviews have the capacity to boost or damage your business, especially if reviews state a common problem that hasn’t been addressed, like cleanliness.
- While there might not be explicit legal requirements for cleaning standards, health and safety regulations (like the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in the UK) require employers to provide a safe environment. Failure to do so can lead to legal action and penalties.
Is it better to use a professional service for cleaning gyms/leisure centres?
For any gym or leisure centre, professional services are strongly recommended. Sentrex has years of experience in cleaning a variety of spaces and sizes including gym’s and leisure centres of various sizes.
Our bespoke cleaning services caters for all. Is your gym 24 hours? We can create a plan where our cleaning takes place in the least impactful time for your members.
Using quality cleaning solutions, high specification equipment, and multiple years worth of experience from our cleaning staff, we can guarantee a superior level of cleanliness.
The best cleaning service for gyms and leisure centres
Protect your members, your staff, and your reputation. Contact Sentrex for expert gym and leisure centre cleaning solutions that meet the highest hygiene standards.
At Sentrex, we prioritise commercial, industrial, and specialist cleaning services. Our services aren’t just a standard once-over, we ensure a comprehensive and individually tailored approach perfect for any site.
Here is a list of the warehouse cleaning services we provide:
- Chemical degreasing
- Steam cleaning
- Pressure washing
- Power-scrubbing
- Auto-scrubbing
- Stain and spill removal
- Debris and dust removal
- Power-scraping
- Sanding, and shot-blasting
- Vacuuming
- High-speed burnishing
- Spray buffing, waxing, and stripping
- Low moisture bonnet cleaning
- Deep extraction
- Commercial carpet cleaning
- Trash clean up
- Window cleaning
- Exterior cleaning
- Cleaning of washrooms
- Deep cleaning
In this blog, we’ve provided the key information on the hidden dangers of poor cleaning in gyms and leisure centres. Whilst also providing supplementary information about the benefits of our professional services.
Our commitment to fair pricing, environmental sustainability, and personalised service sets us apart. We prioritise quality through rigorous control measures, including monthly audits with advanced software, real-time management via iPads, and an automated time and attendance system.
As members of esteemed trade bodies, we adhere to the highest industry standards. Beyond core cleaning, we offer a full suite of soft and hard FM services, ensuring comprehensive building maintenance. Want to know if our services apply to your business or site? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to secure a superior clean.
