Guide: How to Lubricate a Treadmill?

A treadmill is a wonderful fitness tool and an all-in-one gym at home. If you are a fitness enthusiast or a pro athlete with high interval working out routines, lubricating your treadmill will enhance your workout and increase your treadmill’s life. It will help if you don’t wait for your treadmill to break down before you think of lubricating it. Rather lubricating your treadmill should be routine maintenance. 

Lubricating the treadmill is a simple job. You need to unplug the treadmill’s belt, apply the lubricant, and spread it evenly, and you are ready to work out again.

Lubricating a Treadmill

If you don’t know how to lubricate your treadmill properly, follow the steps below to lubricate your treadmill

1- Lubricant

Pour the lubricant into a squeeze bottle before applying it on the treadmill. The squeeze bottle makes it easier for the lubricant to dispense properly and evenly.

2- Unplug the Treadmill

Unplug the treadmill belt from the deck before applying the lubricant. Take a bolt opener or wrench to open the belt adjustment knobs. Apply pressure to the knobs and loosen it; they are usually located on the downside of the treadmill’s frame at the backends and frontends of the frame. Once you loosen the knobs, gently apply pressure to the belt to lift it from the deck surface.

3- Applying the Lubricant

Once the belt is unplugged, take the squeeze bottle and apply drops of lubricant to the belt’s front, end, and middle parts. You should not apply too much lubricant and only a few drops. Take a piece of cloth to spread the lubricant evenly; if little spots remain, apply a few drops more and spread it again with the help of a cloth.

4- Starting the Treadmill

Gently apply pressure to the belt to plug the treadmill belt back into the deck and tighten the knobs.

Now start your treadmill and adjust the speed to walking mode in the settings. Now, walk on the treadmill for 5-10 minutes to spread the lubricant evenly into all parts. If you still feel that the treadmill’s parts are not properly lubricated and need more, repeat the process and lubricate any remaining parts.

Following the above steps, you have just lubricated your treadmill; you should wait half an hour for the lubricant to set down on the parts. After that, your treadmill is ready to begin your workout.

Choosing a Lubricant

It is important to choose the right lubricant for your treadmill. Many treadmills have recommended lubricants in the user manual, but a general rule is to use a silicone or wax-based lubricant. Silicone and wax-based lubricant are safe to use on the treadmill’s part and do not harm the moving parts of the treadmill. It is not recommended to use grease from your automobile or any engine oil since they catch dust and can harm the belt to the engine motor.

Ensure you check out the density of the lubricant before purchasing one. Too-dense lubricants can get sticky and not work properly on the treadmill’s parts. 

The lubricants are inexpensive, and you can get a decent brand online. Look out for treadmills from a reputed company with reviews and recommendations. Your treadmill costs a lot, and spending a little extra on the lubricant can enhance its life more than getting a noncompatible, cheaper one.

When should you lubricate your Treadmill?

As a general rule, you should lubricate your treadmill after every three months, whether you use it frequently or every once in a while. If you are working out regularly and your treadmill use is a lot, set a mark for lubricating your treadmill depending on your workout. 

If you do strength training and high-intensity workouts, you should lubricate your treadmill too often. Consider lubricating your treadmill every 100-200 miles. The good thing is that lubricating your treadmill once every three months and between 100-200 miles does not harm it; on the contrary, it protects it from damage. 

If you take care of your treadmill and do routine maintenance and dust-offs, consider lubricating your treadmill once every six months. This is in case of your low treadmill use for workouts. But if you use it a lot, you should lubricate it after the 100-200 miles mark.

Benefits of lubricating your treadmill

Lubricating your treadmill enhances the treadmill’s life and makes your treadmill last longer for nonstop workouts and fitness routines. A lubricant is the treadmill’s food, along with electric power. Lubricating the treadmill makes it function smoothly and keeps it intact for longer use. 

Lubrication improves your treadmill’s performance and prevents damage to the part with prolonged use. If you notice any squeaky sounds while working out on your treadmill, they come from inside the deck due to the fraction the treadmill produces over time. Lubrication reduces that fraction, and the belt runs smoothly. The fraction can also be damaging to the belt and can shorten the belt’s life, requiring you a replacement it. Lubricating the belt reduces those odd noises and saves you money in replacing parts.

A lubricated treadmill ensures an enhanced workout experience not only prolongs the treadmill’s life but improves performance and brings stability to your workout experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use Grease Oil from automobiles or engine oil for lubricating the Treadmill?
You should use silicone-based lubricant for lubricating your treadmill. It is not recommended to use engine and grease oil. They are too dense and collect dust, which can cause damage to your treadmill. Also, they are not designed to lubricate the treadmill but automobile engine parts; they are slippery and can make the belt function improperly.

Do Treadmill Lubricants produce smell?
Treadmill lubricants do not produce a strong odor as such. When you have lubricated your treadmill, you should notice a slight odor near the treadmill for a while. But if you encounter a sharp pungent smell after lubricating, that’s not a good sign and can be harmful while breathing when working out. You should stop using the lubricant and exchange it. As a precaution, always use lubricants from reputed brands; they are not too expensive.

How to know if your treadmill is properly lubricated?
If you have been lubricating your treadmill for a while and want to know whether you applied the lubricant properly over time, here are a few signs to know;

1- Your treadmill should work more quietly, and any extra squeaky sounds cease to produce from the deck and belt area.
2- Your treadmill is properly lubricated over time if your workout experience is not harsh and bothersome while running, and the belt runs smoothly.
3- Your treadmill is properly lubricated if you have not needed any replacement or encountered faulty parts in the treadmill. A lubricated treadmill rarely needs repair jobs and functions smoothly with reduced wear and tear. 

Conclusion

No doubt lubricating your treadmill enhances your life, ensures smooth performances and enhanced workout experience, and causes you less fatigue. You should choose a compatible lubricant and lubricate the belt after using the treadmill for a few months. Lubricating your treadmill is much easier. All you need is a lubricant and a wrench or plier to unplug the belt from the deck and apply the lubricant, then run the treadmill for half an hour to spread the lubricant evenly to all the parts, and the job is done.