If you're trying to figure out how to clean a treadmill belt, you're in the right place!
We've put together a step-by-step guide to talk you through the process, highlighting a few top tips along the way to ensure your cardio machine stays in great condition.
You may not realise it on a day-to-day basis but the belt on a treadmill can actually accumulate quite a lot of dust and debris which, in turn, can drastically shorten its lifespan.
Therefore, to keep your machine working for years to come, we recommend regularly cleaning your belt to ensure everything runs smoothly and as it's meant to.
So grab your best treadmill and follow our guide to cleaning your machine right here.
How To Clean A Treadmill Belt
The following method is what we believe to be one of the most effective techniques when it comes to cleaning the belt of a treadmill.
But before you begin, make sure you've got the right equipment to complete the job in its entirety.
What You'll Need:
- Anti-static duster
- Lint-free cloth
- Treadmill belt cleaner
- Paper towels
Step 1: Before cleaning, make sure to unplug your treadmill from its power source.
Step 2: Then, using an anti-static duster, remove dust from the belt. Remember to dust all the accessible areas and underneath the belt to avoid any excess build-up.
Top Tip: You can also use an old t-shirt when cleaning the underside of your treadmill belt to make sure you hit all the hard-to-reach areas.
Step 3: Wipe down your entire belt with a dedicated treadmill cleaner, like this formula from Treadmill Doctor, and a lint-free cloth. Make sure you don't drip any of the liquid onto the belt itself.
Top Tip: Owning a dedicated pair of treadmill shoes can be a great way of ensuring your belt remains dirt-free. Check out our list of the best running shoes right here for some inspiration.
Step 4: Dry your treadmill belt with paper towels. Make sure you cover every inch of the belt by rotating it with your hands. Double-check that everything is dry before reconnecting the power and using your treadmill again.
How Often Should You Clean A Treadmill Belt?
There's no fixed rule on how often you should be cleaning your treadmill belt as it really depends on how regularly you use your machine and on where its placed.
For example, if your treadmill is in your bedroom or near a door, then it'll likely accumulate dust a lot quicker. As a result, we'd recommend cleaning your treadmill once a week.
Conversely, if you don't use your treadmill all that often and it's placed in a relatively dust-free zone, then a clean once every couple of weeks should be fine.
To minimise how often you need to clean your machine, we'd recommend folding your treadmill away after use if possible to avoid dust building up. For example, this FYC Treadmill, featured in our list of the best treadmills under 500, folds completely upright to save space and stop dust gathering.
With that being said, we'd recommend cleaning your treadmill as often as possible because each clean can help extend the lifespan of your machine to ensure it continues to run smoothly for the foreseeable future.
Things To Avoid When Cleaning A Treadmill Belt
There are several things to keep in mind when cleaning the belt on your treadmill, especially as one wrong move may cause irreversible damage.
The key thing we'd recommend you avoid doing is cleaning your treadmill whilst it's connected to a power source. This way, you know that, whatever you do, you won't be able to switch your machine on whilst cleaning, or shortcircuit any of its electrical parts.
We'd also suggest you avoid getting any of the electrical systems wet for similar reasons.
Moreover, try not to get any of the moving parts like the roller wet because these will most likely be lubricated, so getting them wet may cause increased friction.
Finally, avoid using silicon sprays or any lubricants to clean the belt on your treadmill. A belt is designed to be grippy, so adding either of these may decrease traction and make the surface slippery to run on.
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