Survey Reveals Gym Cleanliness Horror Stories

A recent study commissioned by  Cintas Corporation found that gyms are often prone to shamefully dirty sights and behaviors. The survey, conducted online in December 2012 by Harris Interactive® among 3,036 U.S. adults, asked adults to describe in detail the grossest thing they have seen in a gym.

As people make their New Years resolutions, they likely want to work out in a facility that is clean and free of the filthy things revealed in this survey, says Dave Mesko, senior director of marketing for Cintas Corporation. By being selective of the types of gyms they join, consumers can make sure they arent witness to anything unpleasant while working out.

When respondents were asked to be as descriptive as possible about the dirtiest object or behavior theyve ever seen in a gym or athletic facility, U.S. adults shared the following:

Clumps of hair floating around in the exercise room during a class. (Female, age 53)

People shaking [their] head and body, such as a cat, to get sweat droplets off them, sending THEIR sweat in every direction. (Female, age 55)

Janitors using the same towels people use to wipe their bodies to clean the bathroom floor/toilet, etc. (Female, age 55)

I once saw a man sneeze into his hands and then proceed to wrap his hands around a piece of gym equipment. (Male, age 31)

A urinal in the mens locker room that had a brownish, yellow stain running down the wall under it that went all the way to the floor. (Male, age 47)

We knew wed get some interesting responses, but the results of this survey left us laughingand in some cases, crying, adds Mesko. As we start the New Year, consumers should keep cleanliness in mind as they plan their 2013 fitness goals and gym memberships.

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Cintas Dec.  7-11, 2012 among 3,036 adults age 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

Source: Cintas Corporation