Exercise is crucial for maintaining a healthy mind and body, with studies indicating that regular physical activity can slow the progression of 40 chronic diseases and conditions.
As we strive to stay fit, a health expert has highlighted the importance of keeping our gym habits clean. GP and wellness expert Dr Aarthi Sinha has issued a warning about the risks associated with not cleaning your water bottle properly, which could lead to unpleasant stomach issues.
“If you don’t wash and air your water bottle often enough this can lead to these bugs building up on the side of the bottle and then getting into the water when the bottle is filled up,” she explained. “If you then drink this water, it can lead to diarrhoea and vomiting.”
How often should you wash water bottles?
Dr Sinha’s advice is straightforward: treat your water bottles like any other dish ware and clean them daily. For an extra level of hygiene, she suggests using sterilising tablets occasionally.
“You may periodically consider cleaning it using sterilising tablets (like those used for baby’s milk bottles), if they’re compatible with your water bottle.”
Echoing her advice is Dr Donald Grant, senior clinician at The Independent Pharmacy, who has advises people to wash water bottles after every use. He told The Independent: “To minimise your risk of getting sick, you should ideally clean your water bottle after each use. As a minimum, you should aim to wash it thoroughly at least a few times a week.”
The frequency depends on how often you use your water bottle, according to Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of Aspen Clean, who also warned people to avoid a build-up of germs – it’ll only get harder to clean.
She told Martha Stewart Living: “If you only use your bottle occasionally, you can wash it every few days. When we drink from a water bottle, we introduce our mouth’s bacteria into the bottle, which can multiply if the bottle is not cleaned regularly.
“Over time, this can create a biofilm, a thin layer of bacteria that adheres to the inside of the bottle, making it harder to clean and increasing the risk of contamination.”
Other habits to avoid
For more insights from Dr Sinha, read on for her list of four other key habits to avoid at the gym, starting with the perils of unclean gym mats.
Sharing gym mats
Dr Sinha warns: “Any bodily fluid contains dead skin cells and bugs from our skin and other secretions. You may be carrying viruses you are unaware of and if this spreads to another person it can cause skin infections (including spots), coughs and colds.”
Not changing out of your gym kit quickly enough
Furthermore, Dr Sinha emphasises the risk linked with re-wearing workout clothes without washing them: “Sweat and dead skin cells that shed when we workout can transfer on to our gym clothes. If these are worn again, it can cause skin infections like impetigo and thrush.”
Wash your gym kit inside out at a low temperature and avoid fabric softeners, as they can harm stretchy gym fabrics and leave behind residue.
Not cleaning your gym equipment
A study by FitRated revealed that free weights in the gym carry 362 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, while treadmills have an average of 74 times more bacteria than a public bathroom tap, according to the Express.
Using the gym’s swimwear dryer
Additional research on household washing machines and dryers, which operate similarly to your gym’s swimsuit dryer, showed that 20% contained E. coli in the drum, a bacterium that can result in diarrhoea, stomach upsets, and cystitis.
“Bodily fluids like sweat, dead skin cells and even saliva transfer from our bodies to our swimsuits and therefore into the dryer. This can then be transmitted on to our swimwear,” warns Dr Sinha.