We all wash after a workout, right? Sweat is a badge of honour when you’re putting in the effort, but ignore your personal clean regime at your own peril or you’ll soon earn a nickname at the gym.
It’s the same for your heart rate monitor and Myzone chest strap. If you want to get the most out of your strap so you can use it for longer, a little TLC is key.
All that heart rate training will have made you sweat. This can build up over time and start to interfere with the sensors on your Myzone chest strap and can even begin to erode your strap. It's worth noting: MZ-Switch’s arm and wrist straps don’t have sensors so a rinse once in a while is all that’s needed to keep them clean.
Here’s how to keep your Myzone heart rate monitor strap clean and accurately recording your hard-earned MEPs:
• To get the most out of your Myzone, make sure you rinse your chest strap after each workout to remove sweat and salt from the studs and black sensor strips. We also recommend wiping down your Myzone module around the snaps to clear away salt and residue. A clean, damp swab or cloth will do the trick, but avoid chemicals such as alcohol or other solvents.
• Your chest strap will need a deeper clean after five workouts. It couldn’t be easier. Just pop it in the washing machine. There’s no need to pre-soak it (in fact, don't as this may damage the strap). All you have to do is remove the module, use a gentle detergent (avoid harsh chemicals and detergents like color fasteners, bleach and fabric softeners) and machine wash your strap on the gentle cycle at +40°C/104°F. We recommend reducing the spin cycle and using a laundry pouch to prevent your Myzone strap from getting tangled.
• When it comes to drying your chest strap, you can hang it up or lay it out on a flat surface to dry. Don't use a tumble dryer as this can damage the strap. Try not to overstretch your strap when it’s wet or wring it out, and please don't iron it or press it with heat – they don't like that at all.
As any Myzone mover knows, there’s nothing more frustrating than turning up for your workout without your fitness tracker. Does it even count if you’re not wearing your Myzone device?
Bag yourself a couple of spare straps to make sure that, while your strap is in the laundry, you’ve got a fresh strap in your gym bag or stored with the rest of your workout gear so that every session counts.
By following these simple cleaning recommendations and rotating your straps you can prolong the life of your Myzone device. Doing these small things will help keep your device in prime condition so both you and your Myzone can achieve peak performance.
However, sooner or later, just like the rest of your workout gear, your chest strap will need replacing. Generally speaking, you will need to replace your chest strap after 9-12 months of use.
This is just a guide and depends on how often you wear your chest strap, how hard you train and whether you regularly swap it with spares. When the time comes to say goodbye to your trusty workout companion, simply head to the Myzone shop to order your new chest strap and start the process again.
Sweat. Rinse. Repeat. Replace.