Caring about your studio means caring for your equipment

What causes cracks in your upholstery and how to avoid them

Owning 12 Pilates Reformers and maintaining them appropriately is no small feat for any Pilates Studio. For Naike Mouromtsev from Kefi Studios in Five Dock, Sydney Australia she learned an important lesson when it comes to looking after the upholstery on her Pilates equipment.

“Our studio had been open a year when we discovered cracks in three of our shoulder blocks on our Reformers and we knew we had to act quickly,” said Naike.

“I have three studios running, a Reformer studio, a mixed equipment and a clinical studio. My business partner Fanny Nassour and I started this business from a place of passion and care about the presentation of our studio. Our studio is a place for community, we have daughters, mothers and grandmothers all coming to our studio or mums, dads and their teenagers, it’s a real inclusive multi-generational studio.

“So naturally I care a lot for my equipment; we do a deep clean every two weeks and in the busyness of running a studio I’d run out of the wipes that are supplied by Pilates Reformers Australia (PRA). And while I couldn’t get my hands on their wipes immediately, I sourced some from another supplier.

“The issue I faced was that these new wipes, although alcohol-free were detrimental to the upholstery.

“When I first mentioned the crack in the shoulder block to Cheryl and Adrian from PRA, they were right onto it. I sent them some photos and Adrian came down for my Reformers first-year service. He was also able to take a good look at what was going on and provide me with a quick solution.

“I didn’t realise that the wipes I had been using were making the leather look shiny, which Adrian mentioned was a result of the leather being dehydrated. That’s what had created the crack in the leather on a high-use area of my machines. Near the seam you could see the foam underneath so it was important to me that we got this sorted so it didn’t impact our clients' experience.

”I knew the upholstery on my Align Pilates machines was of good quality. I didn’t question it. I just realised that all the oil, body lotion, fake tan and sweat that my clients were bringing into the studio was another reason why I needed the right wipes to get the best clean for my machines.

“After our discussion, Adrian kindly replaced three shoulder blocks for my three impacted machines and I got the new parts within a day so it didn’t impact my teaching schedule. I now realise I should have listened to the experts and used their wipes but like everything life gets busy and you just get by,” said Naike.

Adrian Burgess CEO of Pilates Reformers Australia explained further, “Unfortunately what Naike and Fanny have experienced with the wipes and upholstery is becoming more prevalent across the industry. A wipe is not just a wipe.  Many components go into getting the right balance of chemicals to do a thorough clean, are environmentally friendly but also maintain the integrity of the upholstery and frame.  That is why we worked with an Australian company to produce independently tested PGW wipes made specifically for Pilates equipment. They are wetter and larger than traditional wipes meaning that studios use less wipes, save money and give their equipment longevity”.

Naike explains that she obviously cares about the equipment because she pays for it. “I also understand that small things like little cracks in upholstery or marks on the walls can all impact a client's experience. A lot of the feedback we’ve received to date is that our studio looks really clean, high end and premium. This might be the colour palette we chose for our brand but it’s also how we present all our equipment. It also impacts our Google and Mind Body Online reviews because it’s the little things that matter so much to new clients,” said Naike.

“Sure the upholstery cracks didn’t make any change to the workout itself but the whole experience end to end is everything. I also think I use less wipes now too which is saving me some money, especially when you run about 60 Reformer classes a week like we do.

“I had tried a lot of Reformers by the time I decided to purchase my Align Pilates Reformers with PRA and by process of elimination I knew these were best for me. I’m really happy with the machines and the level of service. I’m also happy that they have stock as I’m about to open our fourth studio soon too!,” said Naike.

Align-Pilates upholstery is known for its impeccable quality, lush look and slick finish and is also responsibly sourced. This means it ticks the box for being environmentally aware during its manufacturing methods and does not use toxic chemicals during the process.

Responsible cleaning of your upholstery with Australian Made PGW Wipes supplied exclusively by PRA will extend the life of your equipment. Independently tested PGW Wipes are biodegradable and compostable and combined with care of your Align Pilates equipment will extend the warranty of Align Pilates upholstery from 120 days to 365 days if used uninterrupted for this period of time.

Worried about your equipment? Pilates Reformers Australia is happy to discuss your equipment maintenance requirements.

You can get in touch at info@prateam.com.au or via website pilatesreformersaustralia.com.au or 1300 107 331.

Photography: Kefi Studios and Pilates Reformers Australia.