WAG Pit cleaning

[Learning Parent GB]

I'm just curious how other gyms go about cleaning the pit out. How often? Do parents do it? Do you have any special equipment? Top tips?

And how many gyms use those pit socks to cover the foam? They say they extend the life of the foam so are a worthwhile investment in the long run. Any experiences?

Yes, I've just been showering an inch thick layer of dust out of my hair and clothes. If there is an easier way I want to know!

 

[ayyyrial]

At the gym I trained at we cleaned the pit out officially once a year...but I think we actually did it less than that. We weren't told ahead of time but one day at practice during the summer we had the optional team and the coaches clean the pit. No parents, since it was during the daytime when most parents are working. It was a huge pain but I definitely subscribe to the theory that if you participate seriously in an activity, you should be involved in taking care of the equipment. To be honest, it was also nice to have a change of pace after those grueling summer practices.

 

[skschlag]

At our old gym, the gymnasts cleaned it about 2 times a year. One whole day wasted on it. At our new gym, the staff gets paid to clean it. The owner says that since we pay tuition and team fees for the training, equipment, coaching, and maintenance, we should not be asked to clean it. The teams do fluff the pits occasionally but that is usually because they are using it at the time and it is too flat.

 

[Learning Parent GB]

At the gym I trained at we cleaned the pit out officially once a year...but I think we actually did it less than that. We weren't told ahead of time but one day at practice during the summer we had the optional team and the coaches clean the pit. No parents, since it was during the daytime when most parents are working. It was a huge pain but I definitely subscribe to the theory that if you participate seriously in an activity, you should be involved in taking care of the equipment. To be honest, it was also nice to have a change of pace after those grueling summer practices.

Did you just throw it all out, hoover the bottom and then throw it all back in? No face masks or anything for people with asthma? We really noticed how much worse the air was a year on when the pit foam has deteriorated more. And did you try and clean the rest of the gym at the same time? We had a great team today celanign mats and hoovering everywhere, but there was so much pit dust in the air it will probably all be filthy again now. We wondered whether we should leave it to settle and then go in and clean properly around the rest of the gym tomorrow.

 

[ayyyrial]

Did you just throw it all out, hoover the bottom and then throw it all back in? No face masks or anything for people with asthma? We really noticed how much worse the air was a year on when the pit foam has deteriorated more. And did you try and clean the rest of the gym at the same time? We had a great team today celanign mats and hoovering everywhere, but there was so much pit dust in the air it will probably all be filthy again now. We wondered whether we should leave it to settle and then go in and clean properly around the rest of the gym tomorrow.

We took the foam all out and placed it on the floor, got rid of anything that wasn't supposed to be in the pit (lots of stuff), vacuumed, and put most of the foam back in. We took out any blocks that were super torn up. We also integrated new foam blocks. At the end we vacuumed most of the floor, too, since there was all kinds of pit dust around. We definitely didn't all wear face masks - I don't remember if they had them available for people who might want one. I know we had some kids on our team who regularly had problems with chalk dust, but I don't remember if they were affected by pit cleaning (I'd imagine so - I think the solution would probably have been to give them different cleaning tasks).

 

[Learning Parent GB]

Sounds pretty much the same then. Along with re-homing the spiders that live at the bottom of the pit. :-D

 

[gymgal]

dd's gym fully cleans out the pit a few times a year. Sometimes more, if something got lost under the blocks. It is amazing how much gets lost in that pit! Usually it is the optional team that does most of it but the lower team helps. They also partial empty the pit throughout the year to fluff up the blocks.

 

[Azgymmiemom]

Wow. The entire team that has classes that day (about 50 kids) empties the pit EVERY Friday. It's part of their conditioning. They are timed. Takes them about an hour. Once everything is out, it's inspected and anything left in it removed. Then they fill it back up. I couldn't imagine only doing it once a year!

 

[duyetanh]

Those covers are dang expensive. My girl's gym cleans the thing out I believe a few times a year. The girl would love the covers. The coaches would love the money to buy them. HAHAHA.
They still have great foam though. Better than many other gyms we have seen!

 

[Learning Parent GB]

Wow. The entire team that has classes that day (about 50 kids) empties the pit EVERY Friday. It's part of their conditioning. They are timed. Takes them about an hour. Once everything is out, it's inspected and anything left in it removed. Then they fill it back up. I couldn't imagine only doing it once a year!

So when they have emptied it, do they get all the bits of pit foam out of the bottom? And do they hoover all around it once it is back in?
Emptying it and removing the odd socks and bobbles and stuff was the easy bit. It was the hoovering the whole area afterwards that takes forever - and will need redoing tomorrow because of the amount of dust in the air. Is this just really quick because to hoover round afterwards because it is done so regularly?

 

[Learning Parent GB]

Those covers are dang expensive. My girl's gym cleans the thing out I believe a few times a year. The girl would love the covers. The coaches would love the money to buy them. HAHAHA.
They still have great foam though. Better than many other gyms we have seen!

I suspected they would cost a fortune when I couldn't find a price easily online! But as an accountant I would love to know if it does indeed work out cheaper and healthier over a 15 year period.

 

[Azgymmiemom]

So when they have emptied it, do they get all the bits of pit foam out of the bottom? And do they hoover all around it once it is back in?
Emptying it and removing the odd socks and bobbles and stuff was the easy bit. It was the hoovering the whole area afterwards that takes forever - and will need redoing tomorrow because of the amount of dust in the air. Is this just really quick because to hoover round afterwards because it is done so regularly?

It doesn't take long because they do it every week. There's also a hired cleaning crew every Sunday that vacuums the whole gym and cleans the mats. It is a very clean gym compared to some I've seen, for sure.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Kids asked to volunteer. They make a thing of it and provide lunch. Do this 1-2 times a year. Big cleaning. Periodic fluffing for lack of a more official word during the year

 

[SMH]

Sounds pretty much the same then. Along with re-homing the spiders that live at the bottom of the pit. :-D

Well I'm never going near a gymnastics pit again.....

The team 'fluffs' the pit every few months- they have the kids throw out all the blocks, get rid of the random stuff at the bottom and then vacuum.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

When I was a gymnast we cleaned it once a year . We do the same now . Meaning the kids and coaches do it. It's soooo much fun.....

 

[Sarah_the_gymnast]

When we cleaned it (and put in new foam) we took everything out, vacuumed, fluffed the mats at the bottom and put everything back in. Took about 2 hours w/ about 30 kids.

 

[Jard.the.gymnast]

So I found out to be very lucky. Our pit (see photo) is more like a giant foam block or like a big airbag without air. For cleaning it, at the end of the year, also know as beginning of summer break, we have a cleaning company come in who cleans the entire gym, including pit.

 

[Gymmom0824]

Our gym has a pit cleaning party a couple of times a year that is required by parents to attend. Some people grumble but we enjoy giving back as it benefits our girls.

 

[Learning Parent GB]

Our gym has a pit cleaning party a couple of times a year that is required by parents to attend. Some people grumble but we enjoy giving back as it benefits our girls.

We've been at several different gyms and definitely making it a pit party made it a lot more fun. I think everywhere you get the mix of jolly joiner-inners and grumpers but this time there seemed to be more health concerns even from the jolly group because of the sheer amount of particles in the air. I think some funky face masks next time will help to make a big difference. And pizza afterwards ;-)

 

[CCGymbug]

As a parent who pays close to 500 a month for 13h a week training, I have ZERO tolerance to gym time being used for cleaning!!!!
That said, our pit was cleaned by team members post practice and anyone willing to stay to help got open gym time after for free.
We are getting new foam blocks with covers which will be nice to no longer see tons of little foam pieces in dd hair.