How to maintain a treadmill?

Preface

If you buy a treadmill for your home, you don’t need to waste time going to the gym and queuing up to use the treadmill. You can enjoy the treadmill at your own pace at home and schedule use and exercise on your own schedule. In this way, you only need to consider the maintenance of the treadmill, but the maintenance of the treadmill will not cost you too much time.

What about the maintenance of the treadmill? Let us take a look at it together.

Why do you need to maintain your treadmill?

Many people will have questions about treadmill maintenance. The reason why treadmills are maintained is to ensure that they will not break down soon after you purchase them. Just like a car, it needs regular maintenance in order for it to run better. It is also very important to inspect and maintain your treadmill to avoid any accidents that could cause you injury.

Routine maintenance of treadmill

What about maintenance on the treadmill? First, read the instruction manual provided by the treadmill manufacturer, which contains specific recommendations for your specific model of treadmill. Generally speaking, you should clean your treadmill after each use. That dry cloth wipes away post-workout sweat, wipe down armrests, displays, and any other parts that have sweat or dust on them. Especially liquids on metal must be cleaned. Gently wiping down your treadmill after each workout can prevent the build-up of dust and bacteria that can cause damage to the machine over time. And, your next workout will be more enjoyable, especially if you share the machine with your family.

Weekly maintenance of treadmill

Once a week, you should give your treadmill a quick clean with a damp cloth. Here, you need to note that it is better to use clean water rather than any chemical spray. Chemicals and substances containing alcohol can damage your electronic screen and, in general, the treadmill, so don’t use anything other than water. To prevent excessive dust build-up, it is important to vacuum exercise areas regularly. You can also use a vacuum cleaner to remove hidden dust from the area between the treadmill frame and the belt. Cleaning this area will keep your belt running smoothly. Don’t forget to vacuum under the treadmill as dust and debris can form there too.

Monthly treadmill maintenance

To avoid serious damage to your machine, it helps to perform a thorough inspection of your treadmill once a month. Turn off the treadmill and unplug it. Then let it rest for a while, 10 to 20 minutes is enough. The purpose of this operation is to prevent yourself from getting an electric shock when inspecting machine components. Gently remove the motor and carefully clean the inside of the motor with a vacuum cleaner. Once cleaning is complete, put the motor back and make sure it is screwed back on correctly according to the instructions in the manual. Now you can plug the treadmill back into power. During your monthly maintenance routine, you should also check that the belts are tight and aligned. Maintaining your belt is crucial, and that’s what we’re going to talk about next.

Lubricating The Treadmill

For your treadmill’s endurance, it is important for you to lubricate the belt. For specific instructions, you can turn to your manufacturers manual, as different models can have different guidance regarding lubrication of the belt. You might not need to lubricate it every month and some models require lubrication only once a year, but it really depends on your treadmill model and how often you use it, so please refer to your manual. There you will also find out about how and where exactly to apply the lubricant.

Belt Maintenance

After a while, you might notice that your belt is not as straight as it was. That doesn’t mean that your treadmill is flawed. It is a common thing that will happen after the treadmill was in use for some time. All you need to do is align your belt so that it runs at the centre of the deck. You can do that by locating the bolts on each side of the machine. You can refer again to your manual to do so. Another important aspect of the belt maintenance is the tightness of the belt. If you feel too many vibrations while working out or it feels like your belt is slipping under your feet, it is most likely that you need to tighten it. One more way to check if the tightness level is right is to lift the belt. You shouldn’t be able to lift it higher than 10 centimetres. To adjust the tightness of the belt you will need to tighten the bolts. Usually, they are located at the back of the treadmill, but if you cannot locate it, refer to your manufacturer’s manual. There you should also be able to identify how tight the belt needs to be for your particular treadmill model.

Additional Tips

In case you have pets, it is recommended to perform vacuuming more often, especially if your pets shed a lot of fur. Make sure you remove any dirt and fur from behind the motor of your treadmill. This is especially important as the fur can, and will, get caught in the motor and do damage to the motor in the long run. To prevent extra dirt building under the treadmill, you can get a treadmill mat.

Conclusion

If you have your own treadmill and wish to use it for as long as possible, it is very important to perform a regular maintenance of the machine. Maintaining your treadmill is also important to make sure it is not a health hazard and you don’t cause yourself injuries. A treadmill is easy to maintain and it does not take much time. All you need to do is regularly wipe the dust off it, lubricate it, align and tighten treadmill’s belt. Once you know how to maintain a treadmill, you can start exercising and live a healthy lifestyle. You may also want to find out why do you need a treadmill and how to workout on a treadmill on our News.