Rubber gym mats are an excellent flooring option for gyms. They are cheap and easily customizable. Plus, these mats are extremely durable and shock-absorbent. Rubber flooring is also non-porous. This ensures there is no mould or mildew growth in your gym. Still, rubber gym flooring needs regular and proper maintenance. Otherwise, they can become damaged and slippery. Luckily these floorings are not high maintenance. You can preserve them for a long time with a smart and strategic rubber gym floor cleaning routine.
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Challenges Of Rubber Floor Maintenance
You will face multiple challenges when providing proper gym flooring care. The gym owner must keep these in mind when creating a plan. Effective gym maintenance means addressing each of these issues.
Foot Traffic
Busy gyms see a lot of foot traffic. This brings in a lot of outside dirt to your gym. Non-porous rubber flooring still holds onto dirt pretty well. Over time the dirt can embed into the floors. This makes your gym floors look unkempt.
The accumulating dirt can also scratch the floors as people drag their feet on them. Thus, destroying the integrity of the rubber surface. So, the dirt people’s feet bring in is a primary concern for the owner.
Sweating
People are constantly sweating in the gym. The droplets and body oils find their way to the floors.
Rubber mats don’t absorb the sweat. Still, the fluids can accumulate on the surface. It can combine with the dirt and form a grimy layer of grease. This compromises the slip-resistant surface of the rubber floors. Thus, people can slip and accidents might occur. Also, the overall gym environment becomes unhealthy.
Drag Marks and spills.
Now and then someone drops a heavy barbell in the gym. Durable rubber flooring can survive the impacts of heavyweights. However, constant abuse ultimately takes its toll.
Also, some gym-goers like to shift the equipment around. Rubber flooring might be shock-absorbent but not especially drag-resistant. Thus, the shifting of equipment might leave scuffs on the rubber. Over time the scratches add up to make your floor look worn out.
People bring various protein shakes and energy drinks to the gym. These can easily spill and stain the rubber floor.
Bacteria, Mould and Odour
Moisture can’t penetrate the rubber surface. However, it can still get into the seams of the rubber flooring. This can lead to mould and bacterial growth in the rubber mats. Also, your gym will stink and ruin the mood for a workout.
Rubber Gym Floor Cleaning Maintenance Tips
Daily cleaning is the key to a healthy gym. A daily cleaning routine keeps the workload light. The same job can get a lot more stressful if you put it off until the gym looks dirty and starts to stink.
Dust Removal
Daily dust cleaning is an important part of preventative maintenance. Dust will be embedded into the rubber floors if you don’t clean it every day. Allergens in loose dust can cause wheezing or breathing problems in your gym goers. Thus, affecting their performance.
So, use a broom on your rubber mats daily. You can do this after the gym closes. It shouldn’t take too much effort since you had already cleaned yesterday. Use a soft bristle broom to avoid scratches on the rubber. Vacuum clean after brooming to get the finer particles.
Focus on areas with high foot traffic. For instance, near the entrance or around the most popular machines. The room’s edges and the rubber flooring’s seams demand special attention too. They tend to collect more dust than other spaces.
Floor Scrubbers
Manual cleaning isn’t practical for large commercial gyms. You can use a floor scrubber in this case.
A battery-operated floor scrubber can effectively clean bigger spaces in a shorter time. Plus, they have variable settings for different surface types. These machines are also your best option for deep cleaning rubber floors to remove embedded dirt.
Wet Cleaning
Dust removal only gets rid of the loose particles. You have to follow up with wet cleaning to eliminate the sweat and grime. Use a microfiber mop for this job. This ensures there is no fibre or cotton residue on your floors after mopping.
Mix a ph neutral cleaner with water when mopping your floors. Common household cleaners like vinegar, ammonia or bleach aren’t ph neutral. They will damage the rubber surface when you use them regularly.
Special ph neutral cleaners for rubber floors are available online and in stores. Go for eco-friendly cleaning products. Otherwise, the cleaning products might leave toxic residues in the gym air. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using commercial cleaners.
A good alternative can be dishwashing soap. They are almost ph neutral. Mix a few drops with warm water if you don’t have a rubber mat cleaner at hand. However, a commercial gym floor disinfectant is more effective when your mats are too sticky or sweaty.
Dip the mop into the solution and wring out the excess liquid. Start from the far corner of the room. Then, systematically mop towards the exit. This ensures you don’t step on the wet floor. Plus, it takes much less time to cover the entirety of the gym.
Don’t let water stagnate on the rubber floor. So, use a dry lint-free cloth to soak up any excess water. Check the seams to ensure they aren’t trapping moisture.
Stain Removal
Stains on the floor tell the visitor that your gym is not well-maintained. The best way to prevent stains is to clean up spills before they dry. However, some of them will still go unnoticed. In that case, you have to do spot cleaning.
It’s best to use ph-neutral cleaner for spot cleaning too. However, you might use low-pH cleaners as an alternative. Their degrading effects will be minimal since you are working in a small area. You can choose glass cleaner or white vinegar for this task.
Spray the cleaner on the stain to dampen it. Don’t make it too wet. Wait for a few minutes. This allows the cleaner to break the stain. Then use a dry lint-free cloth to wipe it away. You can use a soft brush for more stubborn stains.
Prevent Scratches
Install heavy equipment protection pads in the weight stations to reduce impact. This can prevent scratches or indentations on the rubber surface.
The gym owner can set rules on footwear in the gym. Request the visitors to wear proper athletic shoes in the gym. Don’t allow barefoot in the gym since toenails can scratch the surface. Plus, sweat and dirt from the feet can also mess up the rubber floors. Discourage gym-goers from dragging empty barbells and instead carry them.
An effective solution to spills and scratches on rubber surfaces in floor sealing. A floor sealer creates a protective barrier on the surface. This coating can resist water, drinks, scratches and other abuse. It also makes cleaning and disinfecting the gym floor so much easier.
Seam Sealing
Maintaining your gym rubber floors can be much easier if you seal the seams. These are the parts of the flooring most vulnerable to dirt and moisture. Sealing them will prevent contaminants from entering these spaces. The result is a healthier and hygienic flooring. Plus, you don’t have to put any extra effort into checking and cleaning the seams daily.
Clean and dry the rubber flooring properly before sealing the seams. The product comes in a tube. Cut the tip at an angle for its consistent flow. You can also use a caulking gun to apply the sealer.
Apply the sealer directly into the seams between the rubber flooring. Ensure the product goes all the way into the seam. Use your finger or a small tool to evenly spread the sealer along the seam lines. Don’t forget to wear gloves. Allow time to dry properly. Avoid using the floor during this time. It takes several hours to a full day for complete drying.
Seam sealing is helpful for odour removal too. Sweat and dirt won’t stink up your gym since they have nowhere to accumulate. It also joins all the rubber mats into one continuous flooring. Thus, increasing the facility’s aesthetic appeal.
Final Words
The cleaning tips in this discussion work fine as long as your gym is a small, local one. For big commercial gyms, you’ll need professional help. Eco Cleaning Brisbane can offer gym cleaning services at the most affordable rates. We offer both daily and monthly cleaning plans. Our services include cleaning equipment, floorings, lockers and restrooms. The deep cleaning package offers walls, vents and ceiling scrubbing too. Eco Cleaning Brisbane uses hospital-grade disinfectant and the best techniques for the job. Contact us for details.
