Your gym equipment is an investment that you make for your business as a gym-owner, or for your personal health when you buy equipment for home-use. Either way, it is an investment which benefits your overall wellbeing and is therefore something that you want to last as long as it can. Outlined below are the ways you can prolong the life of your gym equipment so you can keep working out for years to come.
Quality equipment
First thing’s first – invest in good quality equipment from the get-go. Spend the extra money and get gym gear from a reputable company with a good record for providing quality products.
Installing wet wipes next to equipment
Gym members can use them after or even before they workout with/on the equipment. This keeps it clean for users as well as for the facility, whilst also being an essential hygiene practice to have especially during Covid-19.
Always check the ingredients of the wipes before use to ensure they aren’t too harsh, corrosive or heavily fragranced.
Thorough cleaning by staff
Even though the antibacterial wipes make a world of difference, equipment still needs to be cleaned properly by staff at least once a day if not twice. Having a regular cleaning schedule is vital. Cleaning can be done by external professionals or by your existing gym staff.
It’s not just the equipment that needs cleaning either; floors, mats, resting areas and walkways all need to be cleaned.
Routine Walkthroughs
A good way to make sure cleaning is thorough is to instigate a routine walkthrough (which the staff can do on a daily/weekly basis) and maintenance schedule.
Walkthroughs to make sure equipment is both clean and functioning properly to avoid injury to users, as well as maximizing the longevity of your equipment. It gives you the opportunity to catch any early signs of stress or wear-and-tear before they get worse, especially if you check the small inner parts of the equipment. These might need cleaning by a professional, but finding them early will minimise cost and potential damage to the gym gear.
Clean regularly according to manufacturer’s guidelines
Follow cleaning guidelines in instruction/user manual is very important. The user manual will outline what products can and can’t be used on the equipment as well as details on how smaller or more intricate parts should be cleaned.
When in doubt, always reach out to the manufacturer of the equipment for further information.
Lubricate equipment
Treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, and any other constant-motion equipment usually needs lubrication. The instruction or care manual for the item will usually outline what lubricant you should use, but generally, silicone sprays and oils are suitable lubrication products. Lubrication can be done on a weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly basis, or as directed in instruction manual.
Update software for tech accessories (if applicable)
Always protect this equipment from water and sweat to avoid circuit corrosion and electrical faults. Make sure to give tech accessories a good wipe-down after use just to be sure.
Avoid misuse
If you have spent good money on equipment, you want tit to last for a long time. Ensure that you or your clients aren’t using the equipment for other exercises than the one it was designed for.
Explaining the use and rules of use to both personal trainers and users of the equipment is a good way to ensure it’s being used properly.
Monitor general functionality
As part of your routine checks, look for more than just visual signs of wear-and-tear. Is it making strange noises? Does something feel different? Is it moving like it always/usually does?
If anything seems unusual, make sure you get it looked at by a technician sooner rather than later.
Sources:
https://www.morgansports.com.au/guides/gym-maintenance-how-to-care-for-your-gym-equipment/
https://www.vaporfresh.com/blog/how-to-extend-the-life-of-your-gym-equipment/
https://mamally.com/home-gym-equipment-maintenance-tips/