If you own a gym, you are probably familiar with rubber flooring. Rubber athletic flooring is common in most gyms in the weight lifting room, where circuit equipment is, and even in aerobic exercise classrooms. The reason for this is that these mats and floors are heavy, durable, and also provide a great deal of traction.
But these floors can pick up debris quickly, as the rubber clings to dirt, and dust, making rubber floor cleaning a bit of a challenge. Schools face a similar problem with outdoor rubber playground mats, and synthetic track surfaces for high school track and field athletes.
Here are a few ways you can keep your rubber athletic flooring clean throughout the year.
- Vacuum. There will likely be chunks of mud that fall from the crevices of running shoes that customers bring into the gym. These mud pieces can easily be swept into a dustbin, but smaller particles could be left behind. If you have your rubber mats vacuumed regularly, you may be able to keep the their surface appearance cleaner, and also prevent any dirt from settling into the flooring.
- Scrub. Vacuuming will only get rid of a portion of the mud or debris stuck on your flooring. You may also want to have your rubber flooring scrubbed at least once a month to increase its longevity. All you need is some liquid soap, some water, and a bristle brush, and you can scrub away at some of the harder-to-clean areas, removing impacted dust and dirt. You don’t want to use harsh chemicals, though, as this may erode the rubber.
- Vinegar. Many homeowners use vinegar to clean their tiles, bathrooms, kitchens and bathrooms, mainly because it a natural substitute to some of the more harsh commercial chemical cleaners. Similarly, you can have your rubber floor cleaned using a solution of vinegar and hot water. Vinegar’s composition makes it a quality cleaning product, and also only leaves a slight odor.
So to increase the lifespan of your rubber flooring, be sure to have it cleaned periodically. It will also help keep your gym more sanitary.
