Does it have to be unhygienic in the gym?

There is a gym-sort-of-a-place (Itrim) close by where I live. I could see myself walking up there and back, it wouldn't be too hard. (which is to say that it would be hard, but I could perhaps do it a couple of times a week). Problem is, it feels so unhygienic. It's one of those places where they've put the machines in a circle - and between each machine is a step-thingie or a flat square where you're supposed to jump or move or step up and down or whatever.

Everything is going in intervalls - so you have I think it's now 30 seconds on each bit. I sweat a lot, and when I sit on the machines I leave a puddle behind me. Many people sweat and leave puddles behind them - but there is NO time for a wiping down of the machines before or after you're doing the machine. It's never wiped down. I've never seen it being done by anyone who works there or anyone who trains there. Also you have to hold on to things and pull here and there on those machines, also there, no one ever wipes the hand-sweat after using or before using. There simply isn't enough time if you're to keep up with the rest of the people who are training.

For me, who get colds and bad stomach problems easily and also know what hand hygien is, it's just a big no-no.

What is the purpose of hand washing?

Frequent hand-washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness. Hand-washing requires only soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer — a cleanser that doesn't require water.

This way of not cleaning between person makes me think of what people have on their hands. From pee to feces to a lot of other things. (people tend to use their fingers for a lot of disgusting things all the time - picking of nose, cleaning out a tooth etc..)

So I've written Itrim a letter about this, but haven't' received a reply, Probably because they just don't get it.

How germs get onto hands and make people sick

Feces (poop) from people or animals is an important source of germs like Salmonella, E. coli O157, and norovirus that cause diarrhea, and it can spread some respiratory infections like adenovirus and hand-foot-mouth disease. These kinds of germs can get onto hands after people use the toilet or change a diaper, but also in less obvious ways, like after handling raw meats that have invisible amounts of animal poop on them. A single gram of human feces—which is about the weight of a paper clip—can contain one trillion germs 1. Germs can also get onto hands if people touch any object that has germs on it because someone coughed or sneezed on it or was touched by some other contaminated object. When these germs get onto hands and are not washed off, they can be passed from person to person and make people sick.

I feel sick just the the thought of it all. So I guess if I should choose that gym, I would have to have gloves on through-out and a plastic sheet of something to sit on.