Specialized Cleaning Services for Fitness Centres and Gyms in Calgary

To keep your fitness centre in high demand among clients, it’s essential not only to invest in quality equipment and skilled staff but also to maintain a high standard of cleanliness. Cleaning fitness facilities requires a specialized approach that goes beyond routine housekeeping. In this article, we’ve gathered the most up-to-date information to help you clean your gym quickly, efficiently, and to the highest standards.

Key Aspects of Cleaning in Fitness Centres

Effective gym and fitness centre cleaning is built on two essential principles:

Cleaning regulations are governed by Alberta health and safety standards. Responsibility for maintaining compliance should not fall on trainers or instructors, but rather on professionally trained cleaning staff. Depending on management policies, cleaning may be handled by in-house employees or outsourced to specialized cleaning services.

Regular cleaning is critical to achieving not just a spotless environment but also a safe and healthy space for visitors. After all, working out in a facility with dirty equipment, dust, and poor air quality not only undermines the goal of health and wellness, it can also pose serious health risks.

Adhering to Sanitation Standards and Regulations

Maintaining strict sanitation standards is a critical part of cleaning any public space, and it’s especially important in fitness centres. Due to the nature of their operations, gyms and athletic facilities are held to even higher hygiene requirements compared to other types of businesses. Failing to meet these standards can result in not only reputational damage but also significant financial penalties.

The standard sanitation requirements for fitness facilities include:

Overall, sanitation protocols for fitness centre cleaning focus on the continual disinfection of all surfaces that come into frequent contact with visitors, helping to minimize the spread of harmful microorganisms.

When Cleaning Takes Place in Fitness Centres

Cleaning and sanitizing fitness facilities generally falls into two main categories:

Daily cleaning is essential for removing dust, sweat, and other residues from fitness equipment, treadmills, benches, and other high-contact surfaces. To manage this effectively, the entire facility is divided into zones, each with its own cleaning schedule and maintenance checklist. These documents outline the cleaning standards required for each area and specify the approved cleaning agents and disinfectants to be used.

This zoning system offers several important advantages:

To ensure cleaning quality and promptly identify any missed areas, it’s recommended to use zone-specific checklists for daily inspections.

Deep cleaning is a more intensive process that should be scheduled at least once a week. This includes thorough washing with hot water and cleaning agents on all surfaces—windows, doors, shelves, decorative elements, and more. Deep disinfection is also carried out in high-use areas such as washrooms, showers, locker rooms, pool zones, and saunas, ensuring the facility remains hygienic and safe for all members.

Zoning in Fitness Centres

Fitness centres are typically divided into two main zones: dry zones and wet zones.

This division is based not only on how these spaces are used but also on the specific cleaning requirements for each type of area.

The zoning system plays a crucial role in maintaining both cleanliness and compliance with public health regulations. It ensures that each area is cleaned according to its unique needs, using appropriate equipment, supplies, and cleaning agents.

By applying separate protocols for dry and wet zones, fitness centres can achieve a consistently high standard of hygiene while meeting the expectations of regulatory authorities.

Special Considerations for Cleaning Locker Rooms and Showers

Locker rooms, showers, washrooms, saunas, steam rooms, and pools all fall under the wet zone category. In addition to daily cleaning, these areas require regular disinfection treatments and full deep disinfection at least once every 10 days.

Ongoing Disinfection Tasks
Daily disinfection involves cleaning benches, lockers, door handles, shower stalls, toilets, sinks, urinals, and other high-contact surfaces. In wet zones, walls must also be disinfected up to a height of at least two metres to ensure thorough sanitation.

Pool Area Cleaning
Special procedures apply to pool maintenance. Water is removed from the surrounding floor areas using industrial wet vacuums, while the pool basin itself is cleaned using water-based or hydraulic vacuum systems. Pool cleaning is performed strictly outside of operating hours, ensuring the safety and comfort of all visitors.

Saunas, Steam Rooms, and Spa Area Cleaning
Cleaning procedures for saunas, hammams, and steam rooms must also follow specific guidelines. These spaces are typically finished with wood, a material that readily absorbs odours, moisture, and chemicals. As a result, chlorine-based disinfectants cannot be used, as they release harmful vapours when heated. Instead, surfaces are treated with mineral oil-based sealants at regular intervals to protect the wood from humidity and mould growth.

Important Note:
Separate cleaning equipment must be used for each area within the wet zone (showers, washrooms, locker rooms). All tools are pre-labelled and stored separately from other cleaning supplies to avoid cross-contamination.

Wet Zone Cleaning

As previously mentioned, the wet zone includes washrooms, locker rooms, and showers. Pools are also considered part of this category, though they involve unique cleaning protocols that are best addressed separately. The primary focus when cleaning wet zones is on the thorough disinfection of both the space itself and all interior fixtures and surfaces.

Wet zones require special attention due to the combination of several risk factors: high foot traffic, elevated humidity levels, and the frequent use of various cosmetic products. Together, these conditions create an ideal environment for the growth of harmful bacteria and microorganisms.

It’s also important to remember that most wet zone areas are designed for personal hygiene activities, a highly sensitive matter for clients. Many visitors place significant emphasis on the cleanliness of showers and locker rooms, making it critical to uphold impeccable sanitation standards. In addition, wet zones are subject to regular inspections by health and regulatory authorities, reinforcing the need for consistent, high-quality cleaning practices.

Dry Zone Cleaning: Fitness Equipment and Workout Areas

The dry zone includes the reception area, entranceway, fitness rooms, and gym equipment areas. Cleaning these spaces requires a specialized approach.

The bulk of dry zone cleaning is typically performed after the fitness centre closes to avoid disrupting members during workouts. However, gym equipment and fitness gear must be wiped down and disinfected multiple times throughout the day, as they are in constant contact with a high volume of users. This cleaning is done according to a set schedule to maintain hygiene standards.

In addition to routine surface cleaning, dry zone duties for cleaning staff include:

Some fitness centres also feature dedicated lounge or relaxation areas with sofas and chairs. In these spaces, cleaning tasks expand to include regular furniture cleaning, dusting of surfaces, and airing out the room to maintain a fresh and welcoming environment.

How to Maintain a High Standard of Cleanliness

While absolute perfection in cleanliness may be unattainable, a well-planned cleaning strategy can deliver impressive results. Maintaining a consistently high level of cleanliness is achievable by following a structured five-step approach:

In short, maintaining exceptional cleanliness requires a comprehensive, strategic approach. This level of care and consistency can only be reliably achieved by professional cleaners,those who not only have access to specialized equipment but also possess the expertise and techniques necessary for effective, high-quality cleaning.

Recommendations for Cleaning Fitness Facilities

The key recommendation for maintaining cleanliness in a fitness centre is a thorough, well-organized approach to the cleaning process. Club managers should plan ahead by investing in high-quality cleaning products, disinfectants, equipment, tools, and essential supplies such as gloves and microfibre cloths.

MOLCLEAN’s cleaning experts also recommend:

Investing time and resources into setting up a proper cleaning process is essential. The effort will be rewarded with a steady stream of satisfied members who appreciate training in fresh, well-ventilated spaces and relaxing in spotless showers and comfortable lounge areas after their workouts.