How clean is your gym?

Bacteria grow in warm, wet environments. Ask any emergency room attendant why it’s so cold in the ER and they’ll tell you it’s to stop breeding bacteria.

Most gyms leave it to the members to wipe the equipment down themselves after use. A good facility should provide paper towels and spray cleaner. Use it before you work out as you don’t know if the person before you might have used a sweaty towel to wipe down. And be thoughtful to wipe it down again after you’ve worked out.

To further protect yourself, wear long sleeves and long pants. Don’t hang your towel over the equipment. Bring your own towels as there is no guarantee your gym is washing its towels in bleach and rinsed in hot water. Don’t sit down naked or put clean clothing down on benches in the locker room; you don’t know what was sitting there before. And of course, wear flip flops in the shower.