{"id":150039,"date":"2025-09-11T22:56:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T22:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/150039\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T22:56:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T22:56:10","slug":"the-germiest-places-at-the-gym","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/150039\/","title":{"rendered":"The Germiest Places At The Gym"},"content":{"rendered":"

People go to the gym to get stronger and healthier, but the very equipment meant to help you reach those goals can also expose you to a surprising number of illness-causing germs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe few studies we have agree that some high-touch surfaces in gyms may have more germs than an average public toilet seat,\u201d Jagdish Khubchandani<\/a>, a professor of public health at New Mexico State University, told HuffPost. \u201cThe bacteria found in gym surfaces can cause problems ranging from mild skin infections to pneumonia to septicemia. For viral particles, in most cases, people may get common cold or flu-like symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n

To help gym-goers keep sickness at bay, we asked experts to break down the germiest areas and items in fitness centers and share their advice for protecting yourself from harmful microbes.<\/p>\n

Yoga Mats<\/p>\n

\u201cI was involved in a study that looked at surfaces in gyms and found the germiest happen to be the ones that get used the most, like the mats,\u201d said microbiologist Jason Tetro, aka \u201cThe Germ Guy.\u201d<\/a> <\/p>\n

He explained that germs thrive based on how often something is touched, the size of the surface area, the pressure applied and the wetness of the skin and surface being touched..<\/p>\n

\u201cTo reduce infection risks, bring personal items such as yoga mats, towels, and gloves to reduce contact with shared, hard-to-clean surfaces,\u201d said Kelly Reynolds<\/a>, a professor and chair of the Community, Environment and Policy Department at The University of Arizona\u2019s Zuckerman College of Public Health. <\/p>\n

Exercise Balls<\/p>\n

The gym\u2019s exercise balls are another hidden hot spot for infectious microbes. <\/p>\n

\u201cExercise balls can harbor disease-causing bacteria and viruses,\u201d Reynolds said. \u201cThese materials are often highly textured, making them difficult to disinfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Khubchandani pointed to research highlighting the presence of germs on these balls. <\/p>\n

\u201cOne study of 16 fitness facilities<\/a> in Ohio found that more than a third of the surfaces tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus bacterium,\u201d he said. \u201cThey found a high prevalence on weight balls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbells And Dumbbells<\/p>\n

\u201cGerms also tend to be on things you might not expect, like the bars of dumbbells and barbells,\u201d Tetro said. <\/p>\n

He added that these are high-touch surfaces where people tend to apply a lot of pressure with wet, sweaty hands. <\/p>\n

\u201cFree weights, dumbbells, barbells, and cardio machine handles are the germiest surfaces in a gym,\u201d Reynolds said. \u201cOne study found cold viruses on more than half of gym equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cardio Equipment Grips<\/p>\n

The grips on treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes are another common culprit in the spread of germs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they are not properly treated, the grips of the cardio equipment can quickly end up being a vector for transmission,\u201d Tetro warned. <\/p>\n

Shower Walls And Floors<\/p>\n

Locker rooms may feel like a place for relief and relaxation after a sweaty workout, but they\u2019re another high-risk zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven shower walls and floors may have mold, fungus and other bacteria, while one may assume that water would wash off germs,\u201d Khubchandani said.<\/p>\n

As noted, moisture actually promotes the growth of microbes, so be mindful of the surfaces you come into contact with as you recover from your workout.<\/p>\n

\u201cLocker rooms, showers and sauna floors create warm, moist microclimates that foster fungal and bacterial growth,\u201d Reynolds said. \u201cDon\u2019t set gym bags on dirty floors. Wear flip-flops in locker rooms and showers to prevent fungal infection transmission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Machine Buttons<\/p>\n

As with the grips of treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and other equipment, the buttons on these machines are not as clean as they might look. <\/p>\n

\u201cExercise machine buttons create small touchpoint areas that are frequently contacted, easily contaminated, but rarely cleaned,\u201d Reynolds noted. <\/p>\n

Water Fountains<\/p>\n

Even hydration stations aren\u2019t immune from disease-spreading microorganisms. <\/p>\n

\u201cWater fountains can be easily contaminated between users, and even personal water bottles may become vessels for germ transmission if they are not properly cleaned and sanitized,\u201d Reynolds said. \u201cKeep water bottles clean, especially lids and spouts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Yoga<\/p>\n

Asia-Pacific Images Studio via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Yoga mats might be hiding tons of germs.<\/p>\n

How To Prevent The Spread Of Germs At The Gym<\/p>\n

It\u2019s to be expected that an environment like the gym would be teeming with germs, but fortunately, there are ways to reduce your personal infection risks. <\/p>\n

\u201cWipe down equipment before and after use with EPA-approved disinfectant wipes or spray containers,\u201d Reynolds advised. \u201cBe sure to keep the surfaces wet for as long as possible to increase the contact time needed to kill germs.\u201d<\/p>\n

She recommended choosing to work out at gyms that provide proper cleaning routines and accessible sanitizers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to be sure that transient species are killed or removed before you touch the surface,\u201d Tetro noted. \u201cThe best approach is what I call the 3W approach \u2015 wet, wait, wipe. You add the disinfectant to the surface, you wait for the contact time and then you wipe it off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pay attention to your own potential germs as well to reduce the spread of infection at your fitness center. <\/p>\n

\u201cWatch for any signs of infection and flu-like symptoms, cover open wounds, and practice [the] highest level of hygiene,\u201d Khubchandani advised. \u201cFrequently, we are also the victims of the behaviors of others, so clean surfaces before using them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before and after using the gym. <\/p>\n

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\u201cAvoid touching your face during workouts to prevent hand-to-face transfer of pathogens,\u201d Reynolds said. \u201cCover open wounds to prevent bacteria like Staph from entering. Stay home when feeling ill to avoid spreading pathogens to others. Don\u2019t share personal items like towels or razors.\u201d<\/p>\n

When possible, make use of outdoor areas or work out in the most well-ventilated spots. <\/p>\n

\u201cSchedule workouts during less crowded hours to avoid peak contamination periods,\u201d Reynold suggested. \u201cWhile gyms are not sterile environments, risks are probably no higher than in any public space and can be significantly reduced through consistent hygiene habits.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"People go to the gym to get stronger and healthier, but the very equipment meant to help you…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":150040,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[674,337,23595,97],"class_list":{"0":"post-150039","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-exercise","9":"tag-fitness","10":"tag-germs","11":"tag-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150039"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150039\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}