How to Clean A Massage Table (Step by Step Guide)

Whether you’re using the massage table personally or professionally, it’s extremely critical that you take care of your investment. After all, massage tables don’t run cheap!

Besides casual maintenance, you also need to know how to clean the massage table properly. The vinyl used in making the table surface is delicate, so you only need to clean it with mild detergents and water.

In this article, we’ll walk you through a brief guide to help you maintain the table cleanliness. Let’s hop in!

How to Clean a Massage Table

Here’s a quick step by step guide to clean your massage table properly:

Step 1: Prepare Your Table and Cleaning Tools

To save yourself the hassle, you should always start your cleaning by spreading the table open and removing any kind of sheets or covers used to expose the vinyl surface.

As previously mentioned, vinyl isn’t a hardy fabric, so you have to take care of what kind of cleaners you use.

Ideally, a solution of mild soapy water is more than enough to clean oily grime and body greases.

Avoid using any kind of cleaners that contain alcohol, citrus, or concentrated chlorine because it can make the vinyl surface crack and look old and bubbly. For disinfection, you might want to use Pure Green Solution or a very diluted chlorine solution.

The water used can be gently warm. However, excessive heat can also be destructive to vinyl, so you have to take care not to make the water too warm. 

You should also bring multiple pieces of microfiber cloth that you can use to clean the table for best results.

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Step 2: Wipe the Surface Clean

With the table ready and the tools at your disposal, it’s time to wipe the table clean. Spray the mixture of warm soapy water over the table. 

Let the solution sit for 10 to 15 seconds so that the soap breaks down body grime sticking to the table.

Wipe the solution with a dampened piece of microfiber or paper towel to flush away the soapy solution. 

After that, follow up with a clean and dry microfiber cloth and carefully dry the surface of the vinyl.

Step 3: Disinfect the Massage Table

Pure Green Solution is great for disinfecting massage tables because it doesn’t use harsh chemicals, so it doesn’t dry out the vinyl like alcohol and shouldn’t void your table’s warranty.

If you don’t have Pure Green, you can use either white vinegar or a 1:10 diluted solution of household chlorine, but check the massage table’s warranty policy first.

Spray the solution, let it sit for 10 to 20 seconds, wipe it with a damp microfiber cloth, then follow-up with a dry paper towel. This should also take care of any stubborn stains that soapy water couldn’t remove.

Step 4: Restore and Protect the Vinyl (Optional)

After some time, your massage table will start to look a bit old and the vinyl will feel cracked wrinkled.

To restore the table’s health, consider applying a restoring solution every now and then. Despite being optional, it’ll keep your table in a mint condition for much longer.

Vinyl restoring formulas used for car seats are designed to restore vinyl’s shine, so it can work quite well with massage tables too.

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Step 5: Clean the Massage Table Sheets

If you use massage table fleece pads, warmers, or sheets during massage sessions, they’re the first line of contact with the skin, so they should be cleaned as well.

To do that, we recommend that you use a massage table sheet detergent because they’re specifically designed for that purpose.

They remove all kinds of stains left on the sheets and leave a clean and calming scent on the sheets.

The Importance of Cleaning Your Massage Table

Here are some of the benefits you’ll get from regularly cleaning your massage table:

  • Keep the massage table looking and smelling fresh and hygienic
  • Prevent transmissible diseases that can be transmitted from a client to client
  • Keeping the vinyl surface clean protects the table and boost its lifespan
  • A clean massage table is essential for a professional masseur and it puts out a good word for them

How Often Should You Clean a Massage Table

As a rule of thumb, you should clean the massage table right after each client for all the previously mentioned reasons, even if the massage table doesn’t look greasy or unclean.

However, for personal use, you might only need to wash and dry the covering sheet after every use. But, if you don’t use a covering sheet, you’ll have to wash it at least every couple of uses.

Wrap Up

With that said, you now know how to clean a massage table in easy and simple steps. As you can see, cleaning a massage table regularly is extremely important whether you’re using the table personally or professionally.

Remember that the vinyl surface of a massage table is very delicate, so you have to avoid using cleaners that contain alcohol because they can damage the table.

An avid yoga practitioner, massage enthusiast, and wellness advocate since 2008. From then on, she has helped countless people alleviate muscle pains, tension and stress, to ultimately achieve wellness and balance in life.