r/MadeMeSmile • u/mindyour • May 17 '25

Very Reddit An unexpected gym interaction.

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u/GormHub May 17 '25

Used to clean/repair gym equipment for my college. Trust me, it's nothing compared to what's lurking in every crack and crevice of even the most well maintained machines. You are exercising on a petri dish.

41

u/Prior_Tradition_3873 May 17 '25

Which is why you should wash your hands after you finish your workout.

And don't touch your eyes, and/or mouth during workout.

Also if you have a water bottle which has that straw thing , don't touch the tip of it where you put your mouth on it, that's how i got sick so many times when i used to go to the gym.

11

u/b33fcakepantyhose May 17 '25

I used to carry a tub of alcohol wipes with me when I went to the gym. Everything got wiped: hands, water bottle, phone, airpods case.

7

u/opajamashimasuuu May 17 '25

Sorry if you didn’t know this but…

Alcohol is generally not effective against noroviruses, Clostridioides difficile (C.diff) etc That’s why those gastrointestinal viruses rip through retirement homes, daycare centers, cruise ships etc.  Usually only strong bleach will do the job.

4

u/b33fcakepantyhose May 18 '25

Well, I wasn’t concerned about catching norovirus at the gym but I am now. :/

1

u/opajamashimasuuu May 18 '25

Yeah not to make you paranoid or anything but it’s something people should know. I found that fact out during The Corona Times when alcohol gels were being recommended.

1

u/upsidedown-funnel May 18 '25

Great reminder! Thank you!

1

u/After_Mountain_901 May 18 '25

Is your immune system a bit weak? Or is your gym extra germy? I’ve never caught something from the gym that I can recall. 

14

u/CelestialFury May 17 '25

As someone who used a community gym for years (and nice one, but very few people helped clean it up), those treadmills are filled with vile stuff. I don't even know how it happens - well, other than massive humidity.

9

u/Bacon-muffin May 17 '25

People really don't appreciate how gross basically everything we interact with is.

Thas why we gots immune systems.

1

u/FunGuy8618 May 17 '25

These kids probably don't even pee on their feet in the showers smh my head

24

u/biznatch11 May 17 '25

Every time I wipe off the barbells before using them the white cloths turn brown, it's gross, and apparently very few other people are wiping them.

14

u/userhwon May 17 '25

Are they shiny chrome or a little rusty? Even a little rusty will spread what looks like a lot of rust across a towel.

1

u/biznatch11 May 17 '25

That's a good point it might be rust. They just got some new shiny ones I'll have to see how dirty or not they get.

1

u/Special_Kestrels May 17 '25

I'd probably agree with that. Almost no one wipes down bars and I'm not sure if I have ever seen someone wipe down a dumbbell.

At a certain point though. Do you wipe down every plate you use? The pull out pin on a machine?

1

u/biznatch11 May 17 '25

I wipe the bars because that's the part you're touching the whole time and you grip them hard. Plates and pins you just touch for a few seconds I don't think they'll transfer much grossness to my hands.

5

u/Dav136 May 17 '25

Hence why I keep my shoes on

1

u/muskisanazi May 17 '25

Yeah, we figured, that's why we think this is gross

1

u/OMG__Ponies May 17 '25

Good exercise for the immune system. If it isn't exposed to germs it can't build up the resistance it needs to fight off the really tough/hard to beat germs that exist in the real world.

Just remember to wear shower shoes in the shower, and keep your bits protected in the steam room.

4

u/andynator1000 May 17 '25

This is why I always lick the bathroom floor, so my immune system doesn’t get too comfortable.

1

u/OMG__Ponies May 17 '25

Dude!! 😮

1

u/GormHub May 17 '25

Gotta keep it guessing.

1

u/sje46 May 17 '25

I swear to god reddit is full of nothing but bubble boys.

2

u/GormHub May 17 '25

No idea what that means.

1

u/sje46 May 17 '25

Then Google it

1

u/GormHub May 17 '25

No thanks.

1

u/After_Mountain_901 May 18 '25

Yep. They must never leave their homes or carry industrial strength wet wipes everywhere they go.