Have you ever stopped to think about how to clean your Peloton? Here’s a simple reason why you should learn: sweat damages exercise equipment. Sweat also makes things smell gross, especially if you have anything cotton or another material on or near your bike. Like your Spin Towel or Peloton seat cover. Products like this absorb sweat like a sponge.
But back to the notion of sweat potentially damaging your Peloton and why you want to be asking questions about how to clean your Peloton. I know that when I first thought about what can I use to clean my Peloton, I wasn’t sure what products would be OK.
So what are the answers for the products that are safe to use to clean your Peloton? Well, before I get into specifics, let’s step back a second and talk about sweat. Yes, sweat.
Why sweat is bad for your Peloton
You see, your sweat contains salt, and it can be bad for your Peloton. And if you know anything about what road salt in winter can do to your car, imagine what your sweat is doing to your Peloton bike or Tread from daily use.
The corrosive nature of sweat means anything metal on your Peloton Tread or Peloton cycle that comes in contact with your sweat could potentially rust. Additionally, when sweat builds up on non-rusting areas, other dirt, dust and grime tend to stick to those surfaces. So your Peloton just ends up looking gross.
No fear, though. I’ve gathered together the best tips–and products–on how to care for and how to clean your Peloton. You may be practicing some of this good Peloton “hygiene” already but a refresher course never hurts. Because I’m recommending products that I have purchased on my own from Amazon, I’ve created a shopping list over on Amazon along with links throughout this piece to make your shopping easier.
How to clean your Peloton
First and foremost, you should be wiping down your bike or Tread after each and every use. Do you sweat each time you get on the bike, even if you’re just doing a scenic ride? Doing a fun walk on the Tread? If you break a sweat, you need to clean up after yourself.
And this has nothing to do with good gym etiquette. This is about maintaining the life of your very expensive piece of exercise equipment.
Clean your Peloton to protect against sweat
Lucky for Peloton owners like us, the manufacturer has already added some features to the bike that protect against sweat. This includes the plastic “bumper” over the flywheel as well as the plastic cover on the chain guard. However, metal screws hold each of those plastic items together. You’ll recall that salt from your sweat is not good for metal. So you should be going over each of those areas after each ride to dry up any sweat that might have landed there.
I know this sucks to suggest but you really ought to dry each and every metal screw after each and every ride. It will be good insurance that those metal items don’t corrode over time.
Wipe down your bike after every ride
It’s important that you wipe down your bike after every ride. You can do this in multiple ways and using multiple products, many you may already own. Bottom line: after you’re done with your workout, you want to make sure your Peloton is completely dry and free of sweat
Use a towel to sop up moisture
I keep a towel draped over my handlebars while I ride. I’ve got sweaty hand syndrome, if you will, so my hands sweat as much as the rest of my body. I need this towel to dry off my hands, especially if there is a weight section to my Peloton class.
Additionally, I used this towel to mop my brow or wipe my face so sweat doesn’t get into my eyes. My Goody headbands do a good job of catching the sweat from my scalp, but sometimes in a HIIT, Tabata or Power Zone Max ride, the sweat is just overwhelming.
Anyway, after the ride is over, I use my towel to wipe down my bike. I find all the spots where moisture might have gathered and make sure I get my towel in those nooks and crannies.
I find that microfiber towels are the best. They absorb moisture well–be it sweat from my forehead or hands, or sweat I find on my bike. At the same time they don’t become sopping wet like a cotton towel. I treated myself to a multipack of microfiber towels and that’s what I use.
: Microfiber Towels
Microfiber towels are great for soaking up sweat without become sopping wet.
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amazon.com
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Use a bike safe cleaner when you clean your Peloton
Once a week, I’ll actually use a cleaning product to wipe down my bike, too–always drying afterwards. Because excess moisture, even if it’s not your sweat, is not good for your Peloton.
Previously, I was using my regular non-bleach Clorox wipes or Lysol wipes, which I have for cleaning around the house anyway. However, someone told me about Wipex natural fitness equipment wipes. I like them because they smell like lavender and seem to be gentler because they’re made with vinegar. So I bought some and they’re a great option if you want to use wipes.
Over time, though, I’ve become very sensitive to the amount of waste wipes create. So I wanted to get a cleaner I could use on the bike but with existing towels that I can throw in the wash. I’ve been using Mrs. Meyer’s Multi-Surface Cleaner Spray with my microfiber cloths.
: Cleaning Products
Here are some of the cleaning products that I legit use to clean my Peloton.
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amazon.com
Lysol Disinfecting Wipes
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Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
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Wipex The Original Natural Fitness Equipment Wipes for Personal Use, Lavender and Vinegar, 2 Canisters of 124 Wipes. They also come in Eucalyptus scent.
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Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner, Lemon Verbena. Also comes in lavender and a basil scent.
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So, how to clean peloton handlebars? Well, never spray anything directly on your bike to clean, especially not the screen. Spray on the towel or rag first, and then wipe down your bike. Then follow with a dry microfiber to dry everything off.
Vacuum or dust your bike, too
Even with all of the regular cleaning and maintenance, you may discover–like I did, grossly–that hair, dust and dirt will build up between the chain guard and the pedal. It is nearly impossible to get down into that small space to clean it out.
You can try using a Swiffer duster or the narrow attachment on your vacuum cleaner to suck out the stuff in there. I’ve even taken to wrapping one of those aforementioned wipes around a chopstick and sticking it down there to clean out the gunk.
How to clean your Peloton screen
When it comes to a screen cleaner, do not use the wipes or the spray-on cleaner that you use for the rest of the bike or your Tread. You have to remember that your screen or tablet is a high-end piece of electronics, like your iPad or flat-screen TV.
In fact, the most damage you can do to your screen is not wiping off your fingerprints on a daily basis. The oils on your fingers can contribute to the breakdown of electronic components.
Cleaner for eyeglasses can help
I found a great Peloton cleaning hack: if you have a spray that you use to clean your eyeglasses, you can use this on your Peloton screen. Again, don’t spray directly onto the tablet but instead onto a microfiber cloth. And I say microfiber cloth because, just like with cleaning your glasses, you don’t want to use anything that can scratch the surface. Paper towels? No way. A microfiber cloth is a good bet.
Think about it this way: the oils in your hands can do damage to just about anything over time. I mean, did you ever learn about changing the headlight in a car and how you should hold it with something else? That’s because the oils in your hand can decrease the life of the light bulb. Same with the touchscreen on your Peloton screen, be it the bike or the treadmill.
How to clean your Peloton mat
Both the Peloton bike and the Peloton Tread likely arrived at your home with a mat. The installers put the mat down underneath your equipment to protect your floors, I’m sure. When we lived in a house with wood floors, I used the mat. Now that my Peloton is on carpet, I don’t use the mat–it made the bike wobbly.
But my point is this: if you have a mat underneath, you need to clean that Peloton mat regularly. Follow the same cleaning protocol of using wipes or spraying cleaner on a towel, followed by a wipe down with a dry towel.
Bike add-ons to protect from sweat
I found three products on Amazon that, in and of itself, offer some protection against sweat when you ride. They are the Spin Towel and the Pelo Towel.
Spin Towel
So many people I know swear by the Spin Towel. It’s a towel that fits over your Peloton handlebars to catch your sweat. Think of it as a Peloton handlebar cover so you can wipe sweaty hands on.
Pelo Towel
The company called Pelotowel makes two products worth mentioning. They are the Pelo Towel frame wrap for the Peloton bike and the Pelo Towel that is a legit towel for your Peloton handlebars.
The Pelo towel frame wrap is more of a sweat guard or giant towel for your Peloton’s frame. It fits over the frame, with a hole in the middle for the resistance knob. Here’s what one reviewer on Amazon had to say about the Pelo towel:
“This wonderful towel is yet another layer of protection in maintaining the cleanliness and sanitation of our fitness equipment. It is well constructed, fits perfectly on the bicycle, and is easily removable to throw in the wash.”
: Products to Protect Against Sweat
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amazon.com
Pelotowel - AeroWrap fits Peloton
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spintowel️ Peloton Spin Bike
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Pelotowel - Frame Wrap for Peloton
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Keep your Peloton clean by washing your seat cover
In my blog post about the best Peloton bike accessories, I talk about getting a seat cover for your Peloton bike so it doesn’t hurt so much. Truth is, you’re going to be sweating on that seat cover. So you really want to be washing that seat cover on a regular basis.
It’s the reason that I invested in three of the Komfy bike seat covers. This way I can rotate them while one is in the wash. I also invested in a lingerie bag to wash the seat cover in and detergent made especially for delicate items. That would be Forever New laundry detergent. It is made specifically for delicate items. It is what I use to wash my bras.
Even so it can tackle some of the toughest odors. Though it is marketed for hand washables and lingerie, it works great in the washing machine on workout gear.
Most recently I discovered Vapor Fresh detergent, which is supposed to pull sweat smells out of items. After buying it on Amazon, I tried it on my pair of padded shorts, my Komfy gel seat and a sports bra. It comes as laundry pacs (like Tide pods), and it worked amazingly well.
I’ve used Vapor Fresh a couple of times since and it really does work. However, it doesn’t leave my clothing smelling like anything so I still prefer my fall back Forever New for leaving my clothing with a pleasant scent. Either way both products leave sweaty clothing and accessories not smelling like sweat at all.
FYI, Forever New laundry detergent comes in two ways–as a powder (they call it granular) and as a liquid. I prefer the granular version.
: Laundry Products
You'll want to wash the fabric items you use with your Peloton on a regular basis. These laundry products can get the sweat smell out and make washing them easier.
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amazon.com
Forever New Granular Biodegradable Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent – Original Scented, 32 oz.
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amazon.com
Vapor Fresh Laundry Detergent Powder - 72 Loads - Free and Clear - Unscented - HE Safe - Cold Water Enzymes - Ideal Laundry Soap for Sports, Gym Clothes and Activewear (5 Pounds)
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Bezport 2 Extra Large Mesh Laundry Bag Delicate Wash Bag, Travel Organization Bag for Lingerie
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How do you clean a Peloton heart rate monitor
Well, you don’t actually clean a Peloton heart rate monitor, but you can clean the strap. It’s fabric and likely absorbing your sweat. So once a week give it a good wash. How?
If you use a chest strap heart rate monitor, unsnap the electronic component and put the strap in a lingerie bag so you can wash it in the washing machine. Same with a heart rate monitor you might wear on your arm.
I currently use the Scosche Rhythm+ Armband Heart Rate Monitor, which I wear on my forearm. The Velcro strap is removable from the actual monitor, so I wash the strap in a lingerie bag once a week. Hang up your heart rate monitor strap to dry. Never put it in the dryer.
How to clean your Peloton cycling shoes
Most videos I found on how to clean bike shoes were designed to address cycling shoes that you wear outside. Like if you’re been riding in the rain and mud.
With indoor cycling shoes they’re not really getting dirty-dirty, are they. They just might be getting sweaty and possible smelling.
That’s why I believe that hanging up your shoes after each ride and letting them dry is a smart move. It’s akin to cleaning your shoes in that you’re not letting them get gross. You can hang your shoes off the back of your bike–look under where the weights are. However, if you have more than one person riding, you may want to invest in a Peloton shoe hook or hanger that can hang multiple pairs at once up to dry.
Hang up your Peloton shoes to dry after each ride. If you have more than one person using the bike, you might want to invest in a Peloton shoe holder.
Of course, if you’re using the Tread and using running shoes regularly, you’ll want to toss them in the wash from time to time. The aforementioned lingerie bag is a good accessory to have for washing sneakers. In fact, you might want to buy two–one for each shoe. Then, hang the shoes up to dry. Never put sneakers in the dryer.
Here is my blog post that’s all about how to get the sweat smell out of your workout clothes.
Cleaning your Peloton yoga mat
Another part of your Peloton routine that needs regular cleaning is your yoga mat. Sure, it’s just you using it, but over time your sweat can build up in the mat. That’s gross. Plus, it could lead to your mat degrading, which means you’ll have to buy a new one.
Here’s why I recommend buying a yoga mat–and everything else–with a lifetime guarantee. The Manduka PRO line of yoga mats come with such a warranty.
Wipe down your mat after your practice, each time, with any of the cleaning wipes I’ve recommended, or with a cloth onto which you’ve sprayed cleaner. After wiping down, go over again with a dry towel or drape your mat over something so it can air dry.
My friend Holly Hammersmith has a great article that asks and answers the question, “How clean is your yoga mat.” I would highly recommend you check it out.
How Clean is Your Yoga Mat? Rash from Yoga Mat
Again, because I’m recommending products that I have purchased on my own from Amazon, I’ve created a shopping list on the site.
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