Gym equipment wipes: You use them, we use them, and we all hope the person who used the machine before us used them, too. But how effective are those little wipes, really? Are they actually doing anything, or is this an example of a polite gesture that’s more for show than sanitation?
Here’s the good news: The gym isn’t a high-risk area for getting sick–as long as the person next to you isn’t coughing and sneezing. Even grimy equipment isn’t particularly problematic. “Overall, the risk of infection from surfaces people might come in contact with at a gym is very low,” says Daniel Kuritzkes, MD. You’re more likely to get sick from respiratory droplets from someone coughing or sneezing than you are from touching a surface (as long as you’re careful not to touch your face afterward, more on that important caveat later). However, wiping equipment down is still effective for killing most germs – and is an important part of being plain old courteous in a shared gym space.
We spoke with experts to find out just how effective equipment wipes are, and the best ways to avoid spreading (and catching!) germs at the gym.
