Clean Mats

Gym Mat Cleaning for Climbing Gyms

Clean mats lead to clean air

Over the past decade, climbing gym matting has evolved significantly. In the early days, most mats were simple gymnastic pads with PVC/vinyl covers. Experience with these mats has shown that dirt from the PVC/vinyl surfaces is easily transferred to climbing holds via climbers’ shoes. Additionally, excess chalk dust on the mats gets re-suspended into the air each time a climber falls or jumps, leading to poor air quality in the gym.

More recently, many climbing gyms have transitioned to carpeted mats. Carpets absorb dirt and prevent it from being tracked onto climbing holds. When regularly vacuumed and maintained, carpets also reduce chalk re-suspension into the air. However, if left uncleaned, they can become a significant source of chalk dust, posing a risk to indoor air quality.

Cleaning both PVC/vinyl and carpeted mats in gyms is often seen as a tedious and time-consuming task, but it is essential to maintain a clean and welcoming environment.

Technology - Carpet

ClimbLab has developed an innovative vibrating vacuum head that extracts up to 70% more dust from carpets. This vibration is generated by rubber strings that oscillate as air flows through the vacuum head. In addition, the vacuum head is designed with a brush to more efficiently capture larger chunks of chalk, as well as to move more smoothly on flat surfaces such as concrete, wood, and vinyl.

To optimize performance, the vacuum head is paired with an industrial vacuum cleaner equipped with a self-cleaning function. A wider hose and wand are also used to ensure high and constant airflow, further enhancing the cleaning efficiency. As a result, our vacuum system is more than twice as effective at cleaning mats compared to traditional methods.

Technology - PVC

For PVC/vinyl mats, our “Chalk Control” solution is a game-changer. It is a natural oil extract with the sticky components removed. When added at a 4% concentration to water for cleaning, it leaves the PVC/vinyl surface dry and slightly porous, which helps trap dust particles and agglomerate them into larger chalk particles. These larger particles are less likely to be resuspended into the air. Cleaning PVC/vinyl mats with water and 4% Chalk Control each morning is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to reduce airborne chalk dust in gyms.

Proven Results

ClimbLab’s technology is backed by data, as we guarantee the performance of our products. We hypothesized that proper mat cleaning would significantly reduce chalk dust in the air. For carpeted mats, we installed a PM2.5 meter in a gym to measure chalk dust levels before and during the use of our custom vacuum head. The data revealed a 30% reduction in chalk dust during peak hours, confirming our hypothesis that clean carpets absorb more dust. For PVC/vinyl mats, we conducted a similar test using a PM2.5 meter in another gym, measuring chalk dust before and during the use of Chalk Control. The results showed a 50% reduction in chalk dust during peak hours. In conclusion, the use of ClimbLab’s products leads to significantly cleaner air in climbing gyms, creating a healthier and more pleasant environment.

Keep your
mats clean.

Explore our mat cleaning systems or reach out for advice.