Owning a treadmill provides you with ample comfort. Firstly, you do not have to make trips to the gym every day, which can be a daunting task with a tiresome routine. With user-friendly functions and compact design, this gym machine is perfect for shedding off the extra pounds.
Since treadmills cost a great deal of money, it is essential to keep them clean. Despite being easy to maintain, treadmills do require considerable attention and frequent cleaning.
However, your treadmill will last for good years if you keep it properly maintained. Although cleaning a treadmill is not toilsome; however, certain steps should be followed to clean it properly. Read on to know how to clean a treadmill to get a good return on your investment.
Read more: How to clean a treadmill
Which Treadmill Parts Need to be Maintained and Cleaned
Drive Motor
Being the engine and primary power source of the treadmill. Therefore, the drive motor is required to be cleaned frequently. If the drive motor stops working, your treadmill will stop running as well. Therefore, it is crucial to keep it well maintained.
There are two basic steps of cleaning the driver motor; vacuuming and then wiping down the area. First, it is essential to get rid of all the dust. Otherwise, the drive motor can get clogged and eventually wear down.
Rollers
Rollers are another integral part of the treadmill. They allow the treadmill belt to move, which stimulates you to walk or run on the treadmill. Hence, the rollers should also be kept free of dirt. Vacuuming is the best mechanism to keep the rollers clean and maintained.
Incline Motor
The incline for walking or running is produced by the incline motor. Therefore, it is a vital part of the treadmill. Without the incline motor, you would not be able to walk or run uphill.
There are two ways of cleaning the incline motor. The first is through a vacuum. If you cannot get rid of all the dust by vacuuming, you can use a wipe. Take a wipe and put some disinfectant on it. This method would take out all the stubborn dirt. Make sure the treadmill is turned off before you wipe it with a disinfectant.
Incline Mechanism
The incline mechanism is a component of the incline motor. Hence, it should be taken care of. Vacuuming would work effectively for making the incline mechanism dust-free.
Belt
The belt is the area where you run or work; hence, it accumulates a good amount of dirt. The belt can easily be cleaned with a disinfectant. However, if you find any signs of mold or mildew, you can also use a vinegar solution.
Deck Suspension System
Deck suspension system refers to the treadmill deck where you run or walk on. This system consists of the belt and the rollers. The entire deck suspension system will automatically be cleaned when you thoroughly clean the belt and the rollers.
Console
The console features many electronic parts; hence it should be cleaned with proper care. It is suggested to use an electronic cleaner for cleaning the console. In this way, the risks of the display screen getting damaged would be minimized.
Also read: Best Treadmills for Seniors
Important Periodical Cleaning of Treadmill
Here are some steps you can follow to clean your treadmill daily, weekly, monthly:
Daily Maintenance
The daily maintenance of the treadmill consists of a single step; wiping. First, clean the sweat off the deck and dashboard with the help of a paper towel. This would keep the deck cleaned and fungus-free. The daily cleaning would also avoid corrosion.
Moreover, wiping off the sweat after every workout session is highly important if you share the treadmill with your partner. It would help in avoiding the users that workout after you from getting injured.
Weekly Maintenance
Weekly maintenance of the treadmill would not be as complicated as you might think. Start off by simply wiping down the treadmill with a cloth damped with warm water.
Next, take the damp towel and clean the entire surface of your treadmill. Finally, make sure that you get deeply into the crannies and nooks.
You can opt for disinfectants as well instead of water. However, it is suggested to not use abrasive cleaners. Abrasive cleaners can deteriorate the quality of your treadmill by damaging the lubricant and breaking down its components. This can profoundly impact the durability of your treadmill in the long run.
Moreover, you can use a vacuum as well. The vacuum will pick all the dust and debris from the treadmill and clean its electrical components thoroughly. Do not forget to push up the belt and carefully clean it from the inside as well.
Monthly Cleaning
Monthly cleaning needs the greatest amount of care and attentiveness. Start by unplugging the running machine and then take off the motor hood. Next, wipe the debris or dirt that has been collected with a soft cloth. You can also go for vacuuming instead of wiping the dirt off.
Next, remove the cover of the console and clean it properly. Since the treadmill sits close to the floor, it gathers a lot of debris and dust. Hence, cleaning it thoroughly is highly important. In this way, the life of the motor will also be extended. Otherwise, it can break down quite easily by the accumulation of tons of dirt and dust.
The next step of the monthly maintenance is lubrication. Use silicon-based lubricant to lubricate the treadmill belt. The frequency of these steps depends entirely on the treadmill usage. Typically, lubricating every six to eight weeks would be quite beneficial.
Lastly, pay a good amount of consideration while aligning and tightening the belt. Make sure it is not loose or misaligned, or else the treadmill would not be able to function correctly.
Conclusion
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You put your hard-earned money into bringing a treadmill home. Hence, you should take out some time on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to clean out your treadmill. A little amount of cleaning and care would go a long way and avoid the need for pricey repairs or replacement.