If you own a commercial gym where many fitness freaks come over everyday for gyming sessions, or you have a gym at your home, you have to maintain a spic and span gym floor because after workout, the floor gets damn dirty demanding for cleaning. Regular cleaning and maintenance is essential not merely for visual appeal, but to add life to the gym floor usually made of rubber and to ensure health and safety of the gym users.
The best things about rubber gym floors are durability, low-maintenance, impact-resistant, anti-slip, wear, tear resistant, waterproof, low-maintenance, resistance to mold, stains and mildew that made it a popular choice for commercial and home gym owners.
Knowing the process to clean the rubber gym floor will make the process easy and less time consuming. In this article, we have compiled all the necessary information regarding “how to clean gym floor mats” to make your work easy. Let’s have a look.
Points to Consider When Cleaning Rubber Flooring
- Never use steel wool or any other abrasive pads to avoid scratches on the floor.
- Never soak the floor completely when mopping because water may seep to the subfloor, especially with plywood underneath.
- Never use acidic cleaner because it will damage the floor.
- Don’t use cotton mop.
- Clean the floor at least once a week.
- Always use nylon, or sponge mop for clean floor.
Tools and Equipment Required for Cleaning Gym Floor Mats
Before cleaning the rubber gym floor mat, it’s important to gather all the necessary tools and materials. Cleaning the rubber gym requires the right cleaning solutions, tools and techniques.
Tools and Equipments
- Vacuum cleaner or broom
- Nylon, synthetic or sponge mop
- A bucket
- Buffing machine for commercial gym
- Cleaning agent (non-acidic)
- Dish soap (mild one without bleach or oil)
- Sealer
- Rubber floor finish
- Soft bristle scrubbing brush
Tips: There are two different options of rubber floor cleaner; homemade and store bought. It’s advisable to opt for store bought cleaner as it is more effective and is available in low odor and biodegradable degreasers.
How to Clean Gym Floor Mats?
Gym floor mats can be easily cleaned in five simple and effective ways.
Vacuum or Sweep the Gym Floor
The first step involved in gym floor cleaning is to sweep or vacuum the floor to remove dust or debris accumulated over the period. You can use a broom or vacuum for home gym and leaf blower for commercial gym for fast cleaning.
Tips: Use a vacuum with a beater brush to avoid scratch on the rubber floor. Also, use a high performance suction vacuum to pick up all the dust.
Spot Clean the Rubber Floor
The next step is to identify any obvious spots on the floor that require extra cleaning. These trouble spots are usually seen in the high traffic areas where maximum workout takes place. You can remove these stains using a soft bristle brush dipped in the cleaning solution.
Mop the Floor
Now it’s time for mopping using a DIY cleaning solution made at home or store bought cleaner. For home gyms, a bucket and a mop will do the work, but for commercial gyms where heavy duty cleaning is needed, opt for automatic floor scrubber or a buffing machine with a soft nylon brush.
Tips: Avoid soaking rubber floors too much in the cleaning solution because moisture may seep through the seam to the subflooring, frequently change the soap and water solution for proper cleaning, divide areas into smaller segment when cleaning a commercial gym floor for better result(focussing on smaller area help in achieving better result), rinse the floor with plain water after mopping with store bought cleaner and skip rinsing with plain water in case of DIY cleaner.
Air Dry the Floor
After you are done with sweeping and mopping, leave the gym floor mat for air drying rather than wiping with a cloth. Leave the floor for 24 hours or overnight to dry completely before use. You can open the window and door during the conducive weather to let the floor dry quickly due to cross air breeze. You can also use a wet vacuum to remove extra water on the floor after mopping to speed up the drying process.
How to Seal the Gym Floor?
Sealing the rubber gym floor is optional and not mandatory, but sealing extends more protection to the floor. If you have used recycled rubber floors mats, sealer creates a wax layer that protects the floor and gives a glossy look. The process to seal the rubber gym floor is as follows:
- Clean the floor with a neutral pH cleaner and let it dry.
- Apply a thin coat of sealant using a sponge mop or paint roller and allow it to dry.
- Repeat the coat until sheen is achieved. Apply a minimum of two coats and maximum of 4 coats. The coat depends on the type of sealant you use.
- Leave the floor to dry up to 24 hours before use.
Tips: Don’t use sealer for black recycled rubber floor.
Conclusion
Cleaning the gym floor mats require adequate and specific knowledge because one single mistake can damage the floor. Once you know all the dos and don’ts, you can clean the rubber gym floor (personal gym or commercial) effectively.
