Why alcohol based products will destroy your upholstery and equipment.
Upholstery is a hard material by nature, therefore, during the manufacturing process the upholstery is softened with conditioning agents in order to make it feel pliable and useable as upholstery, much like leather.
Alcohol based cleaning products, will remove the softening agents and return the upholstery to its original state this is why your vinyl becomes dry and begins to crack. These can include products like; tea tree oil, window cleaner, eucalyptus oil, essential oils, silicones, baby wipes or alcohol based wipes etc. The use of these products can also cause deterioration to wood surfaces, as the chemicals attack and destroy the protective coating applied to the wood finish.
How do I clean my equipment and protect clients without destroying the equipment?
There are many non-alcohol based products out there that are designed to clean upholstery and kill germs or bacteria. For our Align Equipment we recommend the use of 2XL Gym Wipes. First and foremost 2XL Wipes kills 99.9% of germs and is a high quality USA made product that doesn’t use any chemicals that can be considered harmful to the skin or upholstery, therefore keeping clients safe.
2XL Corp have released their new Anti-Bacterial wipes which have been approved by the EPA in the USA to show effectiveness against COVID-19. Our stock will arrive by the second week of July 2020. These wipes are documented to kill the virus within 2 minutes and are 100% equipment friendly.
Whilst some would recommend a simple soap and water mixture, please be careful with your ratios and remember to disinfect after using this method.
Another product that can be used for cleaning equipment could be PathoCide. PathoCide is an allnatural, non toxic, fragrance free product that is safe to use around your home and family, as well as in workplaces. It is proven to meaningfully reduce the presence of 99.999% of pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli. PathoCide has also demonstrated efficacy against human coronavirus and other viruses more resilient to disinfection than SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. We recommend this product particularly for sterilising of hand grips. Note that it is not a cleaner and should be used in conjunction with 2XL Advantage Gym Wipes.
How can I protect my studio?
Ensure you adhere to all the restrictions and requirements set by NSW Health and the recommendations set by the Australian Pilates Method Association (APMA) and/or Pilates Alliance Australasia (PAA) https://www.pilates.org.au/preparing-for-easing-of-covid-19-restrictions-and-return-to-work/
- Prepare and implement an effective cleaning schedule to ensure the protection of your staff and clients. This could include things such as:
- Requiring that all instructors and clients wash their hands both before and after class.
- Consider having hand sanitisers placed at the front door to be used upon entry and in the studio to be used by instructors and clients.
- Encourage clients to bring their own towel to be placed on equipment. Wipe down upholstery used after use, this includes but is not limited to; carriage beds, foot bars, shoulder pads, springs, head neck and support pillows and carriage runners.
- If possible, wash all hand and foot straps after each session. Alternatively, you could have spare straps that you could use to replace the used straps after a session. This will allow you time to wash the used straps without too much interference with your session schedule. Another option is to gain access to vinyl coverings, Pilates Reformers Australia is in the process of acquiring these which can be used by all Align Pilates Equipment.
- Consider becoming a sock only studio to help prevent the spread of bacteria. If you aren’t already, you could consider becoming a wholesaler of ToeSox Grip Socks which not only creates another forum to increase the profits of your studio but also protects your clients and equipment from germs as well as from the potential of any slippages whilst working out. With their personalised shopping experience and new ’10 Sock Starter Pack’, ToeSox can be the perfect way to protect your studio in style.
- Stagger your class sessions to allow enough time in between sessions to clean other surfaces apart from just equipment, i.e. light switches, door knobs, EFTPOS Machines etc.
- Consider having the COVID-19 checklist displayed clearly in your studio for clients to adhere.
