Top 5 Ways to Take Care of Your Elliptical Trainer

Once you get your elliptical, you want to make sure you are taking excellent care of it. After all, it is quite an investment! Yes, elliptical coupons are helpful, but they still cost more than pocket change. When you spend that much money on something, especially when it’s worthwhile like fitness equipment, you should take very good care of it.

There are a few things you need to do to maintain your elliptical. Here’s a list of the top 5 most important ways to care for your elliptical trainer.

#1 – Don’t Do Anything Stupid. That means shouldn’t be using it incorrectly, jumping on it, tipping it over, using it to hang up your clothes, or a long list of other things. Just use it that way it was intended (this is #1 to make sure people actually read it). If you get bored with doing the same thing all the time, there are several safe ways to change up your elliptical workout.

#2 – Disinfect, disinfect, disinfect. I can’t stress enough to you how important it is to wipe off your elliptical after a sweaty workout. Who knows if you are starting to get a cold and are unintentionally spreading germs?! Every person who uses it after you, like you spouse or kids, will be infected with those germs. Nobody wants that! Also, moist surfaces attract dust and dirt, which can build up and break your machine. Make sure you get each nook and cranny, including the wheels and tiny corners.

#3 – Lubricate the Moving Parts. The owner’s manual often has a recommended brand of lubricant, but usually a general type will work fine. Just make sure you do it regularly, or else the parts will start grinding over time and cause permanent damage.

#4 – Keep All Parts Tightened. If anything starts to come loose, your machine can fall apart beneath you while you’re using it. Not only will this break the machine, but you might break yourself too! Checking your machine regularly for loose parts will save you the costs of a hospital stay and a replacement machine (though after an incident like that, I might switch to a treadmill).

#5 – Repair When Necessary. If a part ever breaks, don’t use it until the machine has been repaired. Otherwise the problem can be compounded and it could break something else (not to mention the possible consequences in #4).

These are the most important tips in maintaining an elliptical trainer. As always, make sure you consult your owner’s manual for more information. Just remember – if you take care of your elliptical, it will take care of you!