If your treadmill looks anything like this, then you’ve been neglecting your valuable investment. 

I hate to admit it, but these are pictures of my treadmill taken yesterday. Cleaning my treadmill regularly just hasn’t been part of my routine. It’s gone on way too long and it was definitely time to clean things up.

Cleaning your treadmill doesn’t have to be complicated. It only takes a little bit of time and a few handy tools. However, if it is as dirty as mine was, it might take a little more work.

1.  Just to be on the safe side, unplug the treadmill.

2.  Vaccuum around, behind and under your treadmill. Fold it up and move it if you have to.

3.  Use the brush attachment on your vaccuum cleaner to pick up any loose dust and debris on your treadmill. Work the bristles into any crevices where dust might be stuck. This is great for getting into the tracks along side the belt.

4.  Using a damp cloth, wipe down all surfaces of your treadmill. Rinse the cloth several times if necessary. There is no point in cleaning a treadmill with a dirty cloth.

5.  If there are some really stubborn spots that the cloth or vaccuum brush won’t reach, try using a damp Q-tip or paint brush to get in there.  I had to wrap the damp cloth around the end of a screwdriver and gently wipe inside spots I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to get to. Speaking of the screwdriver, don’t be afraid to remove parts of the treadmill if it will help you do a better cleaning job.

Don’t use too much water on your cloth.  Don’t use any heavy-duty cleaning solutions.  And don’t vaccuum up any screws (blush).

When your clean treadmill looks like this, you’ll be glad you took the time to get it done.

Now that you’ve gotten your treadmill clean, make sure you keep it clean. Wipe up after you use it. (You are going to use it now, right?) Dust your treadmill and vaccuum around it on a regular basis.