Staying Clean at the Gym!
Author: Shannon Miller
Wondering how to have the cleanest gym experience?
You’ve come to the right place! Mostly this involves things that go on in the locker room.
Sure, it’s not your own personal bathroom like you have at home, but by following a few simple tips, you’ll be sure to have a hygienic experience!
- Wearing loose-fitting clothes will limit the friction between your skin and the clothes – such friction can make acne worse.
- Sweatbands are so 1980! It’s best not to wear sweatbands because they can trap sweat in pores and cause acne.
- 2 towel rule. Use 1 towel to wipe down the machine before and after use and another towel to wipe the sweat from your face – using 2 towels will help to limit the spread of bacteria.
- Flip to the flop. Wearing flip flops around the locker room is a great idea because it can prevent fungi from the (less than immaculate) floor from getting onto the bare skin of your feet.
- Make-up. Taking off make-up prior to working out can aid in your pores not getting clogged and therefore help to prevent acne.
- Water works. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout in order to keep your body hydrated. This will also keep your pores flushed out which can aid in preventing acne.
- Clean your water bottle out after each time it’s used in order to prevent bacteria from growing in it.
- Hang damp clothes up to dry before cramming them in your locker or in a gym bag – this will help to prevent fungus from making a home where it doesn’t belong!
- Give your shoes room to breathe so athlete’s foot doesn’t get in your way!
- Sit pretty. When sitting on a bench in the locker room, sit on a towel or get dressed first because bacteria and fungi are bound to make a home on locker room benches!
TIP: Have a productive and clean gym visit!
Source: “Lurking in the Locker Room” on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website