How antibacterial gym flooring can protect your facility and save money in the long term

Antibacterial and fungicidal flooring is pretty much self-explanatory. In this case, we’re talking about gym flooring that prevents the spread of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms, even killing certain strains.

WHY IS ANTIBACTERIAL GYM FLOORING IMPORTANT?

Antibacterial or bacteriostatic properties in gym flooring are important for the hygiene and cleanliness of your facility, and in the new age of post-Coronavirus exercise it is now more important than ever. Individuals and governments are taking more and more steps to protect themselves and others from contagion, and you’ll have developed or implemented your own protocols to ensure the safety of your members.

However, improved cleaning routines and masks don’t guarantee complete elimination of dangerous pathogens, meaning that your clients could still be at risk. This is because pathogens can develop resistances to cleaning products, making them harder to kill with standard cleaning or the usual materials. Consider the much-publicised relatively recent outbreaks of superbugs in hospitals, such as MRSA and C. difficile, which developed due to their ability to evolve and resist cleaning products commonly used in healthcare.

This is not to say that your gym will become the epicentre of a superbug outbreak. It’s simply an example of the danger of pathogens even when cleaning is prioritised and executed properly.

WHY YOU SHOULD INSTALL ANTIBACTERIAL FLOORING

This leads us to the crux of why antibacterial and fungicidal gym flooring is so important. The longer that pathogens are left on a surface, the more time they have to reproduce. This reproduction allows them to adapt to their environment and therefore build a resistance to cleaners. So, not only are bacteria and viruses reproducing and spreading across your floor, often resulting in stains and bad odours, they are also becoming more resistant to the products you use to clean with.

A 2018 PBS study found higher levels of dangerous pathogens in dust in gyms that used higher concentrations of the chemical cleaner triclosan, demonstrating the ability of microorganisms to adapt to cleaning process. Those gyms that cleaned more only succeeded in strengthening the bacteria they were trying to get rid of.

Antibacterial gym flooring stops this at the source. By preventing the reproduction and spread of pathogens, antibacterial surfaces ensure that the microorganisms present cannot adapt and develop resistances to cleaning products. In essence, bacteria are left on the flooring through the sweat of a user, for example, where it stays until it is cleaned away. Without antibacterial or fungicidal flooring, the pathogen begins to reproduce and permeate the floor, making it harder to clean and over time more resistant to cleaning.

WHERE CAN I FIND HYGIENIC GYM FLOORING?

At Pavigym, we offer a wide range of gym flooring and accessories, all with antibacterial and fungicidal properties. This means you have a choice of flooring to suit your needs, while still protecting against the growth of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and mildew. Thanks to the impermeable surfaces of our products, cleaning is quick and easy, meaning you can both protect your members and increase your productivity.

The impermeable surface of the virgin rubber also adds another “barrier” to protect against microorganisms, preventing liquids from soaking into the flooring and keeping all the dangerous pathogens on the surface until they can be cleaned. You can read more about the importance of an impermeable surface here.

Of course, regular cleaning and maintenance is still essential, and you can find out more about how to clean our products right here. If you have any other questions about our services, please contact us and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.