Cleaning Gym Flooring

Gym flooring requires a fair amount of maintenance and cleaning to keep it looking great. Unfortunately, gym floors are used for many activities and sports that tend to leave them dirty, scuffed, and dull. Often, these floors are covered with a finish that makes them shine. From time to time, you'll need to refinish the floor to bring back the shiny surface and protect the floor.

Between refinishes, though, it is key that you maintain the cleanliness of your gym flooring. The more dirt and scuffs build up, the harder it will be to remove them later. Each day that the floor is used (or several times during the day, if needed), you'll want to follow these few easy steps to keep it clean and prevent dirt build up and other problems later on:

1. The first thing you'll want to do is remove scuffs on the surface caused by shoes. These can be a huge pain to get off, but there are a few things you can try to make the process easier. You could get down on hands and knees and scrub, but there is a wonderful tip you can try instead. I have found that connecting a tennis ball to a long stick that has a sharp end (such as a broom handle with a point) can make this chore a snap. Without having to learn over, you can easily rub off the scuff marks with the tennis ball.
2. Sweep the gym floor. You can use a broom (the larger the broom, the less time it will take) or a large dust mop. Go over the entire area and collect the dirt and debris in one pile. Sweep up the pile with a smaller broom or vacuum it up. Be sure that you pay attention to the corners where the floor meets the wall: dirt builds up here, too.
3. Using a mop or an auto scrubber (if you have one), wash the gym floor. Go over every part of the surface, including corners. If you are using a mop, use a solution of water and a floor cleaner that is safe for the surface of the gym floor. If the floor is especially bad, you might want to mop over it twice to get all of the dirt off.
4. Make certain that the floor has dried off completely before anyone walks on it, uses it, or plays on it again. It is best to clean it at a time of day when no one else will be using it for a few hours.

By following the above steps, your gym floor should look beautiful and shiny in between refinishes.