Focus on Locker Rooms

Every area of your fitness center needs regular attention in order to keep your facility in top condition. One area of particular importance are your locker rooms.

All employees, no matter what their title, need to chip in to keep up with cleaning and maintenance. And, try not to hold it against your members for not putting towels in the dirty towel bin. It's not done maliciously; sometimes they just forget. As a manager and employee of the facility, it's your responsibility to keep your facility in top condition for every member. Everyone can, and should, pick up towels. Everyone can, and should, wipe down wet countertops. Let's take a run through the locker room and see what else we can find.

Floors

Flooring appearance and condition can be affected by human factors and facility issues. The easy fixes are to ensure that the floors are free of towels and trash. Additionally, go through your lockers on a regular basis and pull out all towels that are left behind. If you get to them first, they won't end up on the floor.

If your locker rooms have carpeting, pay close attention to where the wet areas meet the carpet. Look for water lines - where water sits for most of the day and may never dry out, causing mold, fungus and a safety hazard.

Toilets and stalls

Keep toilets and stalls clean and stocked. If you post "Toilet Talk" flyers, replace them on a regular basis. Monitor the condition of the stalls. If rust is developing, there may be a bigger issue (poor air circulation) or a simple one (the cleaning crew is using a cleanser that eats away at the metal). Check stall locks. When your members are in a rush, they don't want to have to lift up on the door to lock it. Check coat hooks - make it easy for your members to keep their coats, bags, etc., off the floor.

Showers

If shower curtains are tattered or moldy, toss them. Take a look at all of the corners and joints in shower stalls. Check for broken joints or a lack of caulking. Water will run wherever it can, and, if it is escaping behind the walls of the showers, it could be going anywhere - wreaking havoc on your flooring or ceiling, if your locker rooms are on an upper level. If you provide soap, check between the dispenser and the wall. This tends to be a breeding ground for mold and muck.

Steam rooms and saunas

Open the doors to your steam rooms and saunas, and take a deep breath. How does the air feel, taste and smell? If any of those senses send "run away" signals to your brain, you may need to do a deep cleaning of these rooms. Steam rooms and saunas need a lot of attention, due to the level and type of use they get (no matter how many signs you put up, there's bound to be some bare backsides on the benches). Regular (daily or even twice a day, depending on usage) cleaning is essential. Check the temperature regularly to ensure you are within safety standards.

Amenities

Members love and come to expect amenities such as wet item bags, toiletries, hair dryers, combs, scales and whatever else you may offer. Keep them stocked, clean and in working order.

Locker room cleanliness tends to get the lowest approval rating in member surveys. You and your staff members, therefore, should be very critical of these areas. Members want the area where they are trying to get clean to be clean, comfortable and inviting.