My gym hadn’t cleaned its showers in three weeks so I complained. You won’t believe the manager’s response

A mum was disgusted when she discovered clumps of hair and discarded plasters on the shower floor of her local gym, but the ‘disgusting’ finds opened her eyes to a bigger problem.

The 31-year-old American let the sight slide because she thought the waste was a one-off, but she realized her gym had not cleaned the showers as the waste remained on the floor for the next three weeks.

“I documented it, contacted them on Facebook and got no response,” she shared on Reddit.

‘A week later I messaged again because it was still there and still no response – until I left a two-star review on Google.’

The gym’s corporate team then sent the mother a ‘rude’ email suggesting it was time to leave the gym if she was ‘dissatisfied’ with the facilities.

A mother complained when she realized her gym had not cleaned its showers in three weeks

‘[The gym branch] It remains a work in progress since we purchased the facility just over a year ago, and we have upgraded many equipment,” the email said.

‘Moreover, we are currently working on the management transition. We have addressed the issues you brought to our attention. Understand that if you remain dissatisfied with the facility, [gym chain] may no longer be a good fit for you.’

The woman alleged that the gym’s management acted “unprofessionally.”

“I would understand if I was concerned about something innocuous, but the lack of basic sanitation seemed worth complaining about,” she said.

‘Why start a business if you’re not willing to do the bare minimum [and keep it clean]?’

Can I get an infection if I shower at the gym?

Fitness centers are a breeding ground for deadly bacteria – which thrive in humid environments – with so many people dripping with sweat in close quarters.

These bacteria can cause warts, rashes, and infections that can go as deep as your bones.

Taking simple precautions, such as wearing shoes in the shower and wiping down exercise equipment, can go a long way in protecting your body from harmful viruses and infections, such as MRSA and ringworm.

Showering in an unsanitary gym can also cause warts.

Warts that occur on the bottom of the foot are called plantar warts, while warts on the hands are called palmer warts. They are growths caused by infections on the top layer of the skin.

Plantar and palmer warts are caused by a strain of the human papillomavirus, the most common STD.

Fitness centers are a breeding ground for deadly bacteria

Many were shocked but not horrified by the gym’s behavior.

‘Just clean the showers!’ said one. ‘That should happen several times a day in every gym. There really is no excuse not to clean in a gym.”

Another added: ‘That gym sounds like a germ fest. If they’re not cleaning the showers, they’re probably not cleaning the equipment or not cleaning it properly.”

‘You might want to go to a different gym. Or wait to shower at home – yuck! Their response was inappropriate for a legitimate complaint,” one man said.