If you are a gym enthusiast then a treadmill might be your best workout partner. Keeping a treadmill in-home gym could be expensive as the treadmill is a valuable item. If you decide to keep a treadmill in your home gym, then procrastination shouldn't be one of your traits. Treadmill maintenance and taking care of it every now and then becomes necessary once you buy it.
Whether it is an ordinary treadmill or Nordictrack treadmill, cleaning them can be easy but maintaining them on a daily basis could be devastating. In this maintenance guide, we are going to discuss how to clean a treadmill motor and how to clean mold off a treadmill
However, the simplest thing you could do to your treadmill is after every workout, wipe out the sweat using a dry and clean cloth. For weekly maintenance, you can simply use a damp cloth to clean your treadmill's belt and vacuum around and under the deck. In the case of screen and control panel, make sure to not use any glass cleaner, instead, you can use a cleaner for electronics.
There are a total of three parts that need to be cleaned and maintained:
Cleaning the mechanicals
mechanicals includes:
- Drive motor.
- Rollers.
- Incline motor.
- Deck suspension system.
- Incline mechanism.
Above mentioned parts are the components of mechanicals that are hidden away and found under the treadmill. Maintaining and cleaning them simply need a vacuum cleaning every once a week. It is recommended to use a hose joined to the face of the vacuum and clean the above underneath areas of the treadmill. They don't require very deep cleaning, just weekly maintenance can keep your mechanicals out of the dust, pet hair, and carpet fibers.
If you are able to move the treadmill, lift the mat, and vacuum underneath. For a treadmill motor, you can carry out more than just a vacuum. Every 3-6 months, remove the cover of the motor and bring the vacuum inside the unit.
If there is too much dirt or dust preserved inside the treadmill that could result in excessive heat or burnout.
Cleaning the belt
Wipe out the belt after every workout. Every once a week, use a moist cloth to clean the sweat thoroughly off the belt. However, this wouldn't require too much water yet you would be astonished at how much dirt comes off that belt after doing so.
You can do it more effectively if you turn on the treadmill and let the belt run under the cloth. You would not have to scrub onto the blet texture. Spend some more time cleaning the belt, go in circular directions and keep rotating the belt as you clean it from top to bottom.
Adjust the belt
As you keep using the belt during the workout session, it would stretch with time. This will cause it to become overloose and will come off your body as you run/walk through your treadmill.
If you find your belt, not being in the center of the deck then you would need to adjust it. Most of the treadmills are equipped with a specific key to doing it. You need to be gentle with this in order to bring your belt to the center.
Cleaning the control panel
The very first recommendation is to not use a glass cleaner on your control panel. Glass equipment from your smartphone to the flat-screen TV, glass cleaners can cause permanent streaks on your devices. The screen of your control panel should be counted in too.
This should be implemented to the entire control panel and not just the screen. The consoles of the control panel are generally covered with protective plastic. And these plastic covers can be streaked by glass cleaners. You can use clean wipes for your control panel as well as the entire treadmill.
Finally, don't forget about the treadmill lubricant. Lubricating your deck after every 150 miles is significant and wouldn't let your belt worn out too easily. Taking good care of the deck is an essential part of treadmill maintenance. By the use of an Allen wrench, loosen the bolts and nuts in the back of the treadmill by rotating them in the counterclockwise direction. This will cause the belt to lose and you can easily lift it underneath. Now elevate the belt and apply one ounce (28g) of a silicone lubricant spray, liquid, or wax onto the running deck. This would stop the deck from causing friction while you walk or run on the treadmill.
- Some of the treadmills are known to be self-lubricating and don't require any additional lubrication. Therefore, you need to check your manual before lubrication.
- Different brands require different types of lubricants. Hence, it is important to look into your treadmill's manual and figure out the exact type of lubricant for your treadmill.
- Ensure that you don't spray over the belt as it would make the belt slippery.
- As you get done with lubrication, fix the bolts in their position and align the belt.
A treadmill that had been kept in a moist place for a long period, cleaned off with a lot of water, and was not properly dried might come up with mold patches. If you have tried several methods to wipe out the mold but failed to do so, and now you are asking "how to clean mold off a treadmill?"
Then, you can simply go with this technique. Instead of using ordinary bathroom mold cleaners, use a damp cloth dipped in the vinegar solution to wipe out the fungal spores. Properly dry your treadmill and lubricate it. This would refrain from fungal growth. Also, keep your treadmill in a dry place.
