Treadmills are one of the best ways to get fit at home. They allow you to burn calories, avoid the cold, and enjoy your favorite music without having to go outside. Treadmills are also very simple, and with a little routine maintenance every month, you can make sure yours keeps working smoothly for years to come.
Maintaining a treadmill is a much more difficult process than maintaining other fitness equipment. Although treadmills need oiling, cleaning, and adjusting, it is important to remember that improperly maintaining a treadmill can be incredibly dangerous.
Treadmill maintenance requires a complete understanding of treadmill operation—if you don’t know what to look for, you could be putting yourself at risk for injury or even death.
The Most Important Treadmill Maintenance Tasks
To maintain your treadmill, start by cleaning the control panel, console, and any other parts of the machine. Use a dry cloth or a slightly damp cloth to wipe away dirt and dust. If you spilled something on the machine, wipe that area clean as soon as possible. Don’t forget to clean any areas where your feet might hit, or where you place your hands while working out.
The best treadmill maintenance can extend the life of your treadmill by decades, and it may even save you money. To keep your treadmill running optimally, perform regular maintenance tasks. Here are some of the most important treadmill maintenance tasks.
Set Your Treadmill On A Level Surface
Make sure your treadmill is on an even surface. If it is on a slope or an uneven surface, it could slip or move while you are using it. You can purchase levelers to put under this equipment, or you can move it to a level surface.
Wipe Down Machine (After Each Use)
After each use, wipe down the treadmill with a damp cloth. This helps prevent sweat, dirt, oil, and other debris from building up on the surface of the device. This is especially important if you have hardwood floors.
To prevent the buildup of rust, you can also invest in a special treadmill cleaning solution designed for treadmills. (You’ll find this in most sporting goods stores, or online.) Just make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using a cleaning solution on your treadmill.
Clean Under Belt (Monthly)
Maintaining your treadmill Clean Under Belt (Monthly) is important to keep it running smoothly and as a precaution to avoid any injuries. If you don’t have the time to clean it yourself or if you have a busy schedule, you can hire a professional to do it for you.
Clean Around Motor (Monthly)
The thing is that the motor of the treadmill is a very important component, it moves your treadmill and keeps it on track; if it breaks you will need to replace it from another treadmill model, since it is not an easy job and you need to have much experience in order to do it.
Lubricate Belt (As Needed)
Treadmill maintenance is necessary to keep your machine working properly. Most of the time, treadmill maintenance is very simple. You only need to lubricate the treadmill belt every few weeks. This lubrication will also protect the belt. You should also clean the treadmill’s deck and rollers as part of your maintenance routine.
Tighten Belt (As Needed)
Most treadmills that are not used daily will need to be adjusted once a month or even more frequently if you run on it often. With an exercise form of jogging, walking, or running it is important to keep the belt tightened properly. You can notice that the belt has become loose if it does not move when you step on it. If the belt has become loose, you will need to readjust the belt.
Replace Belt (As Needed)
Treadmill belts are reinforced rubber belts that are designed to keep running when the motor of your treadmill is on. They are attached to the electric motor and the deck of the treadmill through metal drive and idler pulleys. The belts are responsible for the stability and the smoothness of motion or the running surface. Replace a broken treadmill belt (as needed) to restore the belt to its original state.
Use A Surge Protector
One of the most important parts of ensuring the longevity of your treadmill is to protect it from electrical surges and spikes with a surge protector. If you use a treadmill, then you need to make sure that it is properly protected from electric fluctuations and damage. To protect a treadmill, you need to install a surge protector for your treadmill as soon as possible.
Use A Treadmill Mat
If you use your treadmill regularly, you want to do your best to protect the surface underneath it from spills, and also keep the surface from becoming damaged from your shoes dragging across the surface. A treadmill mat is an inexpensive solution to these concerns and can be easily cut to fit underneath almost any treadmill.
Tighten The Bolts Regularly
While you are exercising, you need to make sure that you keep it clean. You should also check the bolts regularly to make sure that they are tight enough. If you don’t do this, you might end up with some issues such as chipping or breaking the treadmill.
You also need to make sure that you don’t use it when the bolts are loose. Over time, the bolts will get loose and you will have a hard time walking on it. To prevent this from happening, you should get in the habit of checking the bolts regularly.
Unplug Your Treadmill When Not In Use
When you are not using your treadmill, you must unplug it. Though your treadmill is designed to be energy efficient, leaving it plugged in all the time will eventually wear it down and could cause you to spend more money in repairs than if you had unplugged it.
Last Words
It is important to maintain your treadmill for a number of reasons. Many people do not realize that their treadmill is not designed to last forever. Most treadmills will have a life expectancy of around 10 years before they will inevitably need to be replaced due to technology advancements and the wear and tear that comes from each and every use.
