Our Guide To Keeping Your Treadmill Clean

Keeping your treadmill clean is the best way to make sure it stays running smoothly, performing daily and monthly cleanups on your machine can even extend the lifespan of your treadmill too.

To clean a treadmill properly, you should make sure you clean the belt, motor and deck, as well as wiping down the whole machine after each use.

We have put together a short yet informative guide below that will tell you how to clean each important part of your machine and why it is essential to do so, as well as some other care tips which can be important for your machine too.

Why It’s Important To Keep Your Treadmill Clean

First of all, it’s necessary to keep your treadmill clean so as you can prevent dust, debris, human hair and pet hair from building up inside of the machine and causing blockages (especially around the motor).

Cleaning sweat and dust off the parts of your machine will also stop them from wearing down and increase their lifespan which is important for the treadmill belt.

Not every part of your treadmill needs to be cleaned daily, so some of these cleaning tasks can be performed once a month or every three months instead of every day.

Our Best Steps For Cleaning Your Treadmill

To clean your treadmill properly you should focus on cleaning each part of the machine separately so as you can ensure you have done a complete job, we have listed out the best ways to do this below.

Wipe It Down

After every use of your machine, you should be wiping it down with a damp cloth, remove any debris or sweat you find on the display of the machine as well as handlebars. Never leave sweat on your treadmill as this can cause corrosion and lead to the wear down of metal parts over time.

Cleaning The Belt

Making sure the belt of your treadmill stays clean is extremely important, if not you can risk dust and dirt building up on your belt and causing extra friction, which could, in turn, reduce the lifespan of your treadmills belt and cause issues in the future.

It’s also very important to clean your belt before you add any lubricant to it, doing so could cause a build-up of which would be even harder to remove in the long run.

We’ve listed out the steps to cleaning your treadmills belt below.

• Step One – Always make sure the treadmill is turned off before attempting any kind of cleaning on the belt.
• Step Two – Take an anti-static duster and remove any dust that has formed on your belt.
• Step Three – Rotate the belt by hand so as you can clean every inch of the belt with a dampened towel, never let water get on to the machine, however.
• Step Four – Make sure your treadmill is dry before switching it back on again.

To clean where the lubricant will go on the belt, follow these steps too, but make sure the towel you are using is held tightly by two people on either side of the treadmill otherwise it could potentially get caught up in the machine.

• Step One – Use a towel that is one metre in length and fold it in half lengthwise, lift the treadmill belt and push it through with an even distance on each side.
• Step Two – Push the towel forward so as it is located under the safety key.
• Step Three – Power the treadmill on with the towel being held to remove dust and debris from under the treadmill belt.

How To Lubricate Your Treadmills Belt

Keeping your treadmills belt lubricated is important to reduce friction and heat produced by the machine, this, in turn, will help the motor and other parts of the treadmill last much longer.

To apply lubricant on your treadmill just follow the steps below, however, you should ensure you are using a 100% based silicone lubricant, failure to do so could cause potential damage to your machine, always go for the lubricant suggested by your manufacturer.

• Lift your treadmill belt when the machine is turned off and apply lubricant in the centre, do this at the back of the belt too.
• Avoid getting any lubricant on the deck and let the treadmill run for a few minutes to help it spread all over and distribute evenly.
• Lubricate your treadmills belt depending on its usage, most manufacturers suggest once a year, however it could be more frequent, check to see if your belt is rough underneath to see.
• If you cant lift your belt try loosening then tension first with the bolts, always realign the belt once the lubricant is applied.
• Never use other oils to lubricate your treadmills belt, doing so could cause serious damage to the machine.

Cleaning The Motor

The motor of your treadmill will need cleaning once a month to three months, lots of dust and debris can build up in here, so it’s a good idea to remove that dust before it causes even more issues with the motor and clogs it up.

When cleaning your motor, make sure to remove the cover with the screws so you can get right inside, never use water to clean this part of your motor and try a cloth, vacuum and dust blower instead to get into all the nooks and crannies.

If you struggle to take the cover off your motor your treadmill should include how to do this in their manual.

Additional Care Tips For Your Treadmill

Now we understand how to clean a treadmill and the most important parts to be cleaning regularly, we have listed out a few more care tips below that will help you keep your treadmill in the best shape possible.

• Get a treadmill mat – A treadmill mat can help reduce vibrations and also protect the floor under your treadmill.
• Unplug your machine after use – Keep your treadmill safe from surges by unplugging it after you have used it.
• Keep the belt aligned – Reposition your belt when needed and adjust the tension if it gets loose over time.
• Never use soap on your treadmill – Only clean your machine with a cloth that is dampened by water, this cloth should not be too wet and you should never use cleaning products on your treadmill, this could cause sticky residue and have bad effects on your treadmills function.
• Replace the belt when needed – After a while, you may need to replace the whole belt on your treadmill, always replace the belt straight away if you see any damage.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cleaning a Treadmill

What’s the best way to clean dust from a treadmill?

The best way to get rid of the dust on your treadmill is by using a vacuum and a cloth, you could also consider hanging a sheet over the treadmill when it is not in use.

What parts on a treadmill are most effected by dirt?

Most affected parts on your treadmill are likely the treadmill belt, motor and handlebars as this where you touch the most during using the machine.

Why should I wipe my treadmill down after every use?

It’s important to wipe your treadmill down after every single use as sweat can corrode the machine, dirt can interfere with heart rate monitors on the machine too.

Last Words

Overall, cleaning your treadmill is pretty simple, just make sure to do it daily and don’t forget about the important parts like the motor once a month. Never get water on your treadmill and always use a damp cloth to clean and a vacuum for the dust.