All-Star Illness And The Cleaning/upkeep Of Cheer Mats

[Matt Faherty]

With flu season here and all, just seeing if, and how everyone is combating the spread of sickness within the gym. I'm curious how everyone takes care of their mats to keep them clean.

Do you use a vacuum? Commercial or Residential?
How often do you clean the gym/mats?
Do you use any special cleaning agents or anti-bacterial chemicals on them?
Does anyone have any insights into steam cleaning them?
Does anyone hire an outside cleaning services to upkeep the mats and other equipment?

Thanks,
-Coach Matt
Full-Out: Cheer and Fitness

 

[tumbleyoda]

We use a Residential Vacuum.

We have a staff cleaning checklist. The all floors are vacuumed at least once a week. Mats are sanitized once a week, including all preschool mats, shapes, panel mats, etc.

We use our staff for our entire daily and weekly checklists, but we have two that really like to clean so they do most of the heavy cleaning. These are those that have fewer hours teaching hours or are on scholarship.

 

[alexamarysouza]

Man,can I introduce y'all to my coaches? Our mats are so gross that one of my coaches hates when we do middle splits on them because "our faces are too close to the nasty mats".

 

[mommadonna]

Eeew. Gross. I don't even wanna think about it.

 

[Cheer Observer]

This is a topic of conversation with others at our gym because I feel like all mats should be sanitized more often. We use a residential style vacuum at the gym and they are vacuumed at least once a week and we have a disinfectant spray that is used on the mats. You don't even want to know what types of germs and bacteria are on those mats, especially because some wear their shoes outside the gym and then hit the mat. That said, the worst is that everyone walks into the bathrooms in their shoes and then on the mat, there is so much bacteria on the floor in bathrooms which can and will contribute to skin rashes/infections and illness. I know it can't be avoided but this is why cleaning is so important. We are constantly on the kids to wash and or sanitize their hands as soon as they are done on the floor. I feel like this year everyone should be even more diligent with cleaning due to the Flu being so bad already, if it continues on this track it could have a serious impact on teams and competitions throughout the season.

 

[CricketCheerMom]

Lice seems to be a huge problem at cheer gyms. How do you all handle that?

 

[scottish_cheerleader]

it is a massive job to clean all the equipment but when i did camp america i had to clean all gym equipment at the end of every day with clorox spray

 

[CricketCheerMom]

If I owned a gym I would clean daily.

 

[cheercurl]

If I owned a gym I would clean daily.

If I owned a gym I would hire my cleaning lady to clean the gym daily...I really hate to clean. Thats why my cleaning lady comes once a week. I can unload dishes keep up with laundry, wipe counters down etc... but showers, toilets, floors? umm not so much. If I could convince her to clean my refrigerator out I would. LOL #princess

 

[Matt Faherty]

CricketCheerMom I work with a hand-full of gyms and have never heard of it being a problem. (Knock on wood) Perhaps it's a regional thing?

@cheer-observer I try to make it a habit to wash my hands after every lesson or class I teach.
Also, another thing that is a good habit to build but not obvious. Being in the fast paced cheer gym, there is little time for meals. So I frequently am eating trail mix, and other snack between lessons. I make a conscious effort to wash my hands AFTER I eat as well. Many kids have food allergies, especially peanut allergies, that can be triggered by being spotted by someone who has handled those foods.

cheercurl Really? I'm not sure why, but I like cleaning the gym. If I find myself at the gym early, I always end up getting out the vacuum and clean. I guess I find it interesting to see how much can dirt (and tons of hair) can be picked up after just a few days. -- Also, the constant hum of the vacuum, while nearly mindlessly going back-and-forth, panel-to-panel, is almost hypnotizing. I do a lot of my brainstorming and come up with a lot of great ideas while cleaning.

 

[Matt Faherty]

Couldn't figure out how to tag you in the post, your name wouldn't come up since it was 2 words... so I "quoted" you. =p

 

[Matt Faherty]

Eeew. Gross. I don't even wanna think about it.

If you get grossed out thinking about it in a cheer gym... Imaging how nasty the balance beam's surfaces are in gymnastics clubs!

 

[CheerCoach84]

I personally sanitize the mats/pits/tumble traks, etc.. in our gym 5 days a week, And now with all of the Flu going around, I sanitize and clean it all everyday!!!!.....:fro:

 

[cheercurl]

CricketCheerMom I work with a hand-full of gyms and have never heard of it being a problem. (Knock on wood) Perhaps it's a regional thing?

@cheer-observer I try to make it a habit to wash my hands after every lesson or class I teach.
Also, another thing that is a good habit to build but not obvious. Being in the fast paced cheer gym, there is little time for meals. So I frequently am eating trail mix, and other snack between lessons. I make a conscious effort to wash my hands AFTER I eat as well. Many kids have food allergies, especially peanut allergies, that can be triggered by being spotted by someone who has handled those foods.

cheercurl Really? I'm not sure why, but I like cleaning the gym. If I find myself at the gym early, I always end up getting out the vacuum and clean. I guess I find it interesting to see how much can dirt (and tons of hair) can be picked up after just a few days. -- Also, the constant hum of the vacuum, while nearly mindlessly going back-and-forth, panel-to-panel, is almost hypnotizing. I do a lot of my brainstorming and come up with a lot of great ideas while cleaning.

Where do you live Matt?

 

[sarah_cheergirl]

I consider myself really fortunate, our gym is super clean. I'm pretty sure ours is cleaned by a professional every night over night, at least I think. If not, its definitely deep cleaned at least once a week and then touched up overnight, cause I do see the cleaning lady there all the time. The bathrooms are always clean and so are the mats. We are so lucky!!