From weights to exercise balls, locker rooms and cardio machines, your gym is full of bacteria. When it comes to public spaces, especially fitness facilities, it’s important to take precaution upon entering, to avoid these harmful germs.

One study showed that gym equipment may commonly serve as fomites for the transmission of viruses.

*Related: The Top 20 Secrets From People Who Never Get Sick

That being said, bring your own towel, yoga mat and water bottle from home. Wipe down machines with disinfectant spray before and after you use them, and never go barefoot in the locker room.

Exercise is known for its variety of health benefits, so don’t let gym germs get in the way of your health and potentially make you sick.

Keep reading for additional ways to avoid gym germs.

The floor of the gym locker room is full of bacteria. Unless you like stepping in sweat and getting foot fungus, I strongly suggest you wear flip flops in the shower and around the locker room. Tip: Lay a clean towel on the floor while you get dressed to avoid stepping on the floor after you shower.

Even though most gyms offer paper towels and sanitary spray to wipe down equipment after use, that doesn’t mean everyone is doing it. Bring your own disinfectant spray with you to the gym. Wipe down machines before you use them to avoid coming in contact with any harmful bacteria. Then wipe them down after to prevent your germs from spreading to others.

Other than the fact that if you don’t shower you will smell bad, the perspiration left behind on your skin allows bacteria to form which can cause breakouts and rashes.

Your sweaty gym clothes are full of germs and gross bacteria. Bring a separate gym bag to put your dirty clothes in. This way, you are not mixing them with your clean clothes, and you are keeping the bag your clean clothes are in germ-free. Tip: If you are looking for a lightweight shirt that resists odor and sweat, check out the pocket tee from Ably Apparel.

Absolutely never touch your face when you are at the gym, this will cause you to spread bacteria to your face which can potentially make you sick. Make sure you wash your hands before you leave the gym.

It’s great that gyms provide you with equipment such as yoga mats and resistance bands. However, when you think about the amount of people that touched the equipment and spread germs on it, does it really make you want to use it? Bring your own workout mat and portable equipment to the gym to avoid germ exposure.

Before you begin your workout head straight to the locker room and wash your hands. Then, after using equipment, wash your hands again.

Open wounds are susceptible to infections. Avoid getting an infection and transmitting infections by simply covering up your wound before going to the gym.

If there are 8 treadmills open at the gym, and only one person is using them, choose the one farthest away. You never know if that person is just getting over an illness, or has any infections. The last thing you want is to catch a drip of their sweat on you. Your best bet is to pick a machine as far away as possible.

Hanging out in your sweaty workout clothes calls for infection. Your sweaty yoga pants can lead to a yeast infection, while your sweaty top can cause rashes and bacterial infections.

Are you absolutely certain that your gym’s water fountain is frequently cleaned and sanitized? Probably not. Bring your own water bottle to avoid coming into contact with any unwanted bacteria.