We all know exercise is good for us. It offers all kinds of benefits: it strengthens muscles, helps work off extra pounds and helps us sleep better. But if you go to a gym, consider this: when you pick up those weights, you might be picking up something else as well, since anything on a person's skin can be transferred to the next person who uses the equipment. Microbiologist Janice Jones explains how to protect against germs lurking in the gym/
- Wash your hands after using gym equipment, free weights (figure A) and exercise balls. Hand sanitizers can help kill germs as you move from one piece of equipment to the next.
- Lay towels over equipment before using, if possible. Bring towels from home to the gym, them wash them in a solution that includes bleach to sanitize.
- Use shower shoes to protect your feet from fungal infections; never go barefoot in a gym.
- Lay a towel over workout mats before your workout (figure B). It will protect you from dirt and germs that the mats come in contact with on the floor.
Baking soda is a multipurpose cleaner for the gym environment: sprinkle it in gym bags (figure C) and shoes to keep them smelling fresh, and use as a paste with white vinegar to remove perspiration stains from clothes (figure D). Spoon the paste on the stains, work in with your thumbs, let soak for 15 minutes and launder.
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