You're likely spending more time using your home fitness equipment, at least we hope so. We rounded up some best practices from our Director of Procurement & Design Justin Honas and our fitness partners at Matrix on keeping your fitness equipment clean and disinfected. Honas says, “I prefer and use Method All Purpose Spray or Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner on my home gym equipment which works well, smells good and is non-toxic. If wanting to really disinfect, both of these companies make a disinfectant version Method Antibac and Simple Green Antibacterial. I recommend wiping down any equipment that you use with an all purpose cleaner after each workout. Do I do that every single time? Of course not, but I try my best and hope that the law of average plays out a clean place to workout. Lastly, about every month or two I forfeit my workout for a deep clean. I pull out all of the equipment that is not as much fun to clean like balls, kettlebells, and dumbbells and do a good overall cleaning. Believe it or not, it is actually a decent workout!”

Here are some additional cleaning recommendations from one of our fitness equipment partners Matrix.

According to the CDC, cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. Cleaning works by using soap (or detergent) and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.

Disinfecting uses chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not clean dirty surfaces, but kills germs on a surface after cleaning. It can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

So the best thing to do is both clean and disinfect all your fitness equipment and surfaces you’re using to workout.

Recommended procedure for cleaning and disinfecting fitness equipment:

• First, wash surfaces on the equipment to remove germs. Matrix recommends the following cleaners: mild dish soap and water (1:10 dilution); vinegar and water (1:20 dilution); or cleaning wipes (e.g., Athletix cleaning wipes).
• Be sure to apply the cleaner first to a clean cloth, and then use the cloth to wipe down the equipment.
• Always avoid spraying a cleaner directly on equipment, as it may penetrate openings and cause corrosion or damage to electronic components.
• After thoroughly wiping the cleaner off the equipment, follow with an EPA-registered disinfectant to kill any remaining germs. Some popular disinfectants include Simple Green, Virex II 256, Puregreen 24 and various disinfecting wipes (e.g., Athletix disinfecting wipes).

Ensure the solution you are using is appropriate for the surface you are disinfecting. Improperly diluted disinfectants can dull the finish on your fitness equipment and cause irreversible corrosion. Disinfectants usually require the product to remain on the surface for a certain period of time (e.g., 3 to 5 minutes). Be sure to remove the disinfectant once the time has elapsed. Failure to remove disinfectant can cause corrosion.

Use disinfecting wipes on electronic items that are touched often, such as consoles and speed/incline buttons. It may be necessary to use more than one wipe to keep the surface wet for the stated length of contact time.

Always follow a manufacturer’s label instructions for cleaning products and disinfectants. What are your favorite cleaning products?

Justin Honas is the Director of Procurement and Design for Active Wellness. He currently works out of his home office in Arizona and is keeping busy by stepping up for his two daughters (7 & 10) as both their temporary Physical Education teacher and Soccer Coach. While he enjoys the extra time at home, and new young workout partners he is excited to get back to socializing in the gym with a full selection of equipment.