Benefits Of Cleaning Your Gym Yoga Mat

Gyms are set to be busier and sweatier than usual, as lots of people are constantly being signed up for fitness classes.

Experts revealed that bacteria can lurk for several hours and viruses for several days in such a place and advice members to use paper towels and disinfectant spray to clean off equipment another person has used.

Recently, medical experts recently issued a more serious warning by claiming that herpes, a virus more commonly associated from sexual contact, could potentially be picked up from dirty mats.

According to Dr David Anthony Greuner, a US surgeon, making skin contact with a dirty yoga mat covered in germs and bacteria can lead to skin infections, acne, toenail fungus and even transfer of the herpes virus and staph and strep infections in susceptible individuals.”

He said “Herpes is usually spread through mucous membranes or broken skin.

“But where people are wearing Lycra or normal gym clothes the chances are incredibly slim,” he adds.

Meanwhile, a study also found a low risk of getting human papilloma virus (HPV), an infection which can lead to genital warts, by using unclean bike seats at the gym.

The best way to avoid getting ill from the gym is to wash your hands and kit afterwards.

There’s a risk of cross-infection where you share equipment, don’t get too hung up.

Avoid rubbing your eyes or touching the top of a drinking bottle during workout.

Washing the kits at a low temperature can get it really smelly, a sure-fire way to kill germs is to wash clothes at 60 degrees Celsius, or consider drying in the sun.

Have a shower after a workout.

But GP Dr Rankin insists the risk of catching a more serious infection from a mat or seat is “vanishingly rare” and tells people not to worry.