Keep fitness equipment in good health

For fitness equipment to do its job and keep guests healthy, hoteliers must be careful to maintain the health of the equipment.

“Housekeeping can turn a room well, but they have little or no experience in cleaning a gym,” said Glenn Colarossi, president-hospitality for Cybex. In order to keep machines prepped for constant use, Colarossi said it’s important to train staff on a specific maintenance routine, which is often specified by the vendor.

On a daily basis, housekeepers need to clean for dust, sweat and dirt on each machine. The buildup of dust and dirt can contribute to a heat overload and cause motor failure, said Geoffrey Tracy, product development & design for Hotel Fitness. For treadmills, staff should try to to vacuum underneath the belt.

photo courtesy of Hotel Fitness

“We recommend placing all treadmills on equipment mats, which will help minimize the amount of dust that will blow up into the machine,” he said.

Beyond daily cleaning is the regular preventive maintenance, which may be done by the fitness equipment vendor.
“The main heavy lifting is quarterly maintenance,” said Rob Newkirk, director of commercial sales for Advantage Fitness Products. He stressed the importance with treadmills and ellipticals. “Anything with moving parts, you’ll have the most maintenance if you clean it properly,” he said. Depending on usage, Newkirk said a typical treadmill’s lifespan should be three to five years.

These checkups involve removing the motor cover to vacuum for dust, checking the bolts and belt for wear and tear and checking the amperage draw with the manufacturer’s recommendation. If these steps aren’t done, a motor could shut down after one year, Colarossi said.