Welcome to Ask Healthy Living -- in which you submit your most burning health questions[1] and we do our best to ask the experts and get back to you. Have a question? Get in touch here[2] and you could appear on Healthy Living!


"Ask Healthy Living" is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified health care professional for personalized medical advice.


Do I really need to wipe down the machines at the gym?


When it comes to good gym etiquette, our Facebook fans[3] and Twitter followers[4] told us wiping sweat off of shared equipment and machines is basically their Golden Rule.


But even though it's gross to lie down into a puddle of someone else's perspiration on the bench press, there's not actually anything inherently germy about sweat. So what's the deal?


Turns out, our health-minded community is on to something. Warm, moist environments are where bacteria really like to grow, says Dr. Pritish Tosh, M.D., infectious diseases physician at the Mayo Clinic. And if the gym isn't a warm, moist environment, we don't know what is. "There is certainly a potential for transmission of certain kinds of infections," he says.


One biggie is community-acquired MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus[5] ), Tosh says, an infection "caused by a strain of staph bacteria that's become resistant to the antiobiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections," according to the Mayo Clinic's website. MRSA outbreaks have been documented among athletic teams that share equipment, especially wrestling teams, he says.



Porous materials -- like machine padding and yoga mats -- are probably more problematic than something like dumbbells, since bacteria will thrive on those soft, squishy materials when they get damp and warm. "With things like athletic pads worn by hockey players, you can see people who are unable to get rid of their own skin infections," says Tosh. "They keep getting reinfected, because it lingers in the pads, so it's important to keep those things as clean as possible."


Other germs that may linger on shared equipment could cause urinary tract infections, E. coli, fungus growth (athlete's foot, anyone?) and warts, including those caused by human papillomavirus[6] , Men's Fitness reported.


And let's not forget about cold and flu viruses. If you know you're sick with the flu[7] , as a common courtesy to your fellow gym rats, maybe skip a couple of your public sweat sessions, says Tosh. "It's best to avoid those situations in a public area in close proximity to others so you don't spread your illness." And if you do feel a cough or sneeze coming on at the gym, do us all a favor and unleash that spray into the crook of your elbow[8] rather than all over the treadmill.


Bottom line: Even though your risk is relatively low of actually catching a really nasty bug at the gym, says Tosh, wiping up is more than just polite.




Have a question? Ask Healthy Living![9]



Also on HuffPost:




Loading Slideshow...



  • Bar Of Soap


    Despite the pervasive attitude that a bar of soap somehow cleans itself, the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/groups/advice-for-athletes.html" target="_blank">CDC recommends liquid soap over a bar</a> when possible to cut down on sharing. A 1988 study found that germy soap <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3402545" target="_blank">isn't likely to transfer bacteria</a>, but a 2006 study refuted that idea, citing <a href="http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/fitness-coach/How-Clean-Is-Soap.html" target="_blank">soap as a source of continuous reinfection in dental clinics</a>, Outside magazine reported. It could be because bars of soap don't usually dry all the way between uses, says Schultz, especially on the bottom, leading to an accumulation of bacteria, fungi and yeast that can be passed from person to person, he says.




  • Hats, Helmets, Hairbrushes And Combs


    Headwear is an obvious culprit when it comes to the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/gen_info/faqs.html#transmit" target="_blank">spread of head lice</a>, but so is making contact with sheets or pillows or couch cushions that have recently been used with an infested person, according to the CDC.




  • Antiperspirant


    There are two types of sweat, and one is smellier than the other. The odor comes from <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/facts-about-sweat_n_3709248.html" target="_blank">bacteria that break down the sweat on your skin</a>. Deodorant, therefore, has certain antibacterial properties to stop the stink before it starts, explains Schultz. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, "are only interested in decreasing perspiration," he says, so they don't contain the same germ-killing powers. If you share a roll-on antiperspirant, you could transfer germs, bacteria, fungi and yeast from person to person, he says. Stop sharing, or switch to a spray. Even with a deodorant stick, he says, you can transfer skin cells and hair, which plays to some people's lower threshold for the gross, but won't result in infection, he says.




  • Nail Clippers, Buffers And Files


    You <a href="http://www.today.com/id/24712504/ns/today-today_health/t/hidden-dangers-beauty-salon/#.UjnPkGQ4WH4" target="_blank">wouldn't share 'em at a salon</a> -- so don't share them with pals, either. If cuticles are cut or pushed back too far, or callused skin is removed, you could have little cuts in your skin, perfect openings for bacteria, fungus, yeast and viruses to be exchanged from tools that haven't been properly sanitized between users, according to the Today Show. Hepatitis C, staph infections and warts can all be spread this way.




  • Makeup


    Keep your mascara wands and lipstick tubes to yourself if your friend who wants a swipe has an <a href="http://www.webmd.com/beauty/makeup/dirty-secret-do-you-share-makeup" target="_blank">obvious infection, like pinkeye or a cold sore</a>. But Schultz says that on a case-by-case basis, <a href="http://www.dermtv.com/it-safe-wear-your-friends-makeup" target="_blank">makeup may actually be safe to share</a>. That's because most cosmetics have a number of preservatives on the labels, which are designed to kill bacteria and other growths in products made with water, thereby cutting down on infections.




  • Razors


    It probably goes without saying, but you should never share anything that could exchange blood. "Avoid sharing anything that might have contact with blood, even if there's no apparent blood," says Tosh. Since shaving can result in <a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/spreading-disease-things-you-should-never-share" target="_blank">tiny nicks in the skin</a>, viruses and bacteria left behind on razors can enter swiftly into the blood, according to "The Dr. Oz Show", and blood-transmitted viruses like hepatitis B are "unbelievably transmissible," says Tosh.




  • Drinks


    Sharing a water bottle or a cup can lead to saliva swapping -- and not in a good way. The <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-p-connelly-dds/sharing-drinks-healthy_b_3241147.html" target="_blank">germs that cause strep throat, colds, herpes, mono, mumps and even meningitis</a> can all be exchanged with a seemingly-harmless sip, dentist Thomas P. Connelly writes. However, Tosh points out that while many people carry the virus that causes cold sores, some won't ever actually have one. "Should you <em>never</em> share a soda?" he says, incredulously. "Usually, it's not going to cause problems."




  • Toothbrushes


    Sharing is a no-no, according to the CDC, since you could <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/factsheets/toothbrushes.htm" target="_blank">pass infections along on those bristles</a>, especially if, say from flossing, there is any small amount of bleeding, says Schultz.




  • Earrings


    When you poke an earring through your ear, you may make a little break in the skin, <a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/spreading-disease-things-you-should-never-share" target="_blank">allowing viruses from the last wearer to enter the blood</a>, according to "The Dr. Oz Show". Tosh points out that most people inserting earrings won't be drawing blood, but there is still potential risk if you don't clean your jewelry between wearers.




  • Earphones


    We know you love your jams, but frequent earphone use seems to <a href="http://www.ojhas.org/issue26/2008-2-4.htm" target="_blank">up the amount of bacteria in your ears</a>, according to a 2008 study. That bacteria could spread to another's ear if you share headphones, and could lead to ear infections. Avoid sharing -- or at least wash 'em first -- which, by the way, <a href="http://www.geeksugar.com/How--Properly-Clean-Your-Earbuds-7686915" target="_blank">you should probably do more frequently anyway</a>! Even over-the-ear headphones could pass along lice, says Schultz