Managing Member Expectations About Gym Cleanliness?

Manage Member Expectations About Gym Cleanliness?

Introduction

Cleanliness is one of those things members expect and of course notice first when something is wrong. Even when everything else is good — great equipment, friendly staff, good classes — perceptions of hygiene can make or break trust, satisfaction, and ultimately retention.

For gym owners, it’s less about emergency cleaning or spring cleaning(though that’s important) and more about maintaining consistent, ongoing daily standards and making sure members see those standards in action. This helps avoid complaints, disgruntled members, and cancellations.

Below are insights and strategies, backed up by data, to help you understand how important cleanliness is to members, how often it drives people away, and what to do so members both trust and believe in your cleaning efforts.

How Important Cleanliness Is to Gym Members

Here’s what recent survey and research data suggest about cleanliness and member behaviour in gyms/leisure centres:

Survey and research data consistently highlight that cleanliness plays a major role in shaping member satisfaction and retention. For example, in one UK study, around 5–7% of members cited lack of cleanliness as a direct reason for cancelling their membership, with the rate slightly higher (7.8%) among older adults compared to 5.7% across all age groups (Health Club Management, 2023).

An Australasian study found that when asked what would stop them from going to a gym, members overwhelmingly pointed to hygiene issues: 72% cited unpleasant smells, 71% mentioned dirty equipment, 71% unclean toilets and changing rooms, 55% dirty floors, 52% lack of cleaning supplies, 46% spills or stains, and 36% dusty surfaces (Australian Leisure Management, 2022).

Industry reports also suggest a strong link between perceived cleanliness and member loyalty. Some research shows that if a gym maintains consistently high standards of cleanliness, up to 90% of members report being more likely to renew their membership (Health & Fitness Industry Association, 2023).

While cleanliness might not always top the list of why people leave a gym, it consistently ranks among the top deal breakers — and is one that is easily overcome.

2. Why Cleanliness Ranks Highly Among Reasons for Member Loss

From the data above and from industry studies, the key reasons poor cleanliness contributes to member dissatisfaction and cancellation:

First Impressions - If someone visits or tours a gym and sees dirty floors, mouldy showers, dusty or sweaty equipment, it signals a lack of care, even if the rest of the facility is good.

Member Comfort and feeling: Members don’t want to feel like they’re using used or dirty equipment; having to avoid certain machines or shower rooms because they feel unclean can impact not just their workout experience but their whole visit to the club.

• Health perceptions: Even when there is no actual health risk, the perception of risk (e.g. germ transfer, poor hygiene) can discourage people.

• Lack of visible cleaning measures: If members seldom see staff cleaning or cleaning facilities available like spray or wipes, it makes them question what is happening. People often judge based on what they observe even if they are only there twice a week for an hour.

• Critical areas: Locker rooms, showers, toilets/restrooms often carry more weight in judgement. If those are unclean, trust in the rest of the facility drops significantly.

3. How to Gather Feedback from Members About Cleanliness

It’s hard to manage expectations if you don’t know what members are thinking. Sure you can have feedback cards but these often bring the feedback when its too late. Below are several things to consider.

• Short surveys / comment cards: At regular intervals (e.g. quarterly or monthly), send out or make available brief surveys focused on cleanliness: overall rating, restrooms, showers, equipment, etc.

• Staff rapport with members: The better the relationship your staff have with members the more honest feedback you will receive. You need to make staff aware to be open to this and encourage regular communication as it will mean items can be corrected before they are a bigger concern.

• Net Promoter Score: I strongly recommend an ongoing net promoter survey being continually sent to members on a rotational basis. It means you are collecting regular feedback on key points so nothing slips.

4. How to Ensure Members Know You Clean — Visibility & Communication

Even great cleaning standards may go unnoticed unless members see proof. To manage expectations and build trust, here are strategies to visibly demonstrate cleanliness:

• Visible cleaning routines: Have staff present during peak and non-peak times cleaning high-touch surfaces: wiping machines, sanitizing weights, attending to change rooms. Even if they do hidden deep cleaning, visible maintenance matters.

• Use checklists in public view: Like “last cleaned at ___” boards in restrooms, or “equipment wiped at ___” in key zones. It shows accountability.

• Signage encouraging member contribution: Provide wipes and sprays for members, with friendly notices (e.g. “Please wipe down after use”); this helps reinforce culture of cleanliness.

• Communicate cleaning policies: In onboarding new members, tours, newsletters, website, social media: “this is how we clean, when we clean, which areas get extra attention.” Transparency helps set expectations.

• Respond publicly to feedback: If a concern is raised (by survey, anonymous feedback, comment), follow up visibly: “Thank you for this feedback — we have increased cleaning in the locker room each hour” etc. This shows action.

5. Putting It Together: Managing Expectations

Combining the data, feedback, and visibility tactics, here’s a framework for managing member expectations about cleanliness:

1. Define & document your standard for cleanliness: what gets cleaned, when, how. Include restrooms, showers, equipment, floors, mirrors, etc.

2. Train staff to follow and enforce those standards, and empower them to act when issues arise (not wait to be told).

3. Make cleaning visible: scheduled walkthroughs during open hours, “in-use” cleaning of high-touch items, staff presence.

4. Set up feedback loops so you can catch small issues before they become reasons for leaving.

5. Communicate proactively: what you do, how often, and when you make improvements. Use signage, social media, newsletters.

6. Monitor and adjust: measure satisfaction related to cleanliness over time, track whether complaints are decreasing, whether renewal rates improve after improvements, etc.

In non-crisis, day-to-day operations, cleanliness should be a fundamental: it’s part of the service your members are paying for. You can have excellent trainers, cutting-edge classes, and premium facilities, but if hygiene standards are inconsistent or invisible, members will notice.

By using data to understand how critical cleanliness is (it ranks high among reasons people quit or avoid gyms), actively collecting feedback, and visibly maintaining high cleaning standards, you create trust, reduce complaints, and improve retention.

In the end, managing expectations isn’t about overpromising — it’s about showing you deliver. When members see you deliver cleanliness day after day, what was once a risk of dissatisfaction becomes a point of pride, word-of-mouth, and loyalty.