Conscious Cleaning
In today’s Pilates landscape, cleanliness is no longer simply an operational necessity, it has become part of the studio experience.
As boutique fitness continues to evolve into a more premium, experience-led offering, studio owners are increasingly balancing two priorities: maintaining exceptional hygiene standards while ensuring their choices align with broader wellness and sustainability values.
According to company president Dean Tansman of Wipex, this shift has become increasingly clear in recent years.
“Operators still want rigorous hygiene, but not at the expense of member health, equipment life, or the studio experience,” Dean explains.
Following the heightened hygiene focus of 2020, many studios turned to harsh, hospital-grade chemicals. While effective, these solutions often came with trade-offs, from damage to reformer upholstery and mats to strong chemical smells that disrupted the atmosphere of the space.
“From day one, our focus has been to pair lab-validated cleaning performance with skin safety and an elevated sensory experience, including scents that make the room feel fresh rather than clinical,” says Dean.
Today, the conversation has moved beyond simply asking, Does this clean?
Instead, studio owners are asking deeper questions around what products leave behind - on bodies, equipment and the environment.
“Our EWG VERIFIED® studio products are built around full ingredient transparency so that operators and clients can see exactly what they’re using and feel confident that their hygiene standards align with their wellness values,” Dean says.Conscious cleaning means taking a more considered approach to hygiene, one that balances cleaning performance with skin safety, sustainability and long-term material care.
“Studio owners are already managing staffing, schedules, retention and member experience. Few have the time to decode chemical labels or investigate manufacturing standards. This leaves many vulnerable to greenwashing, where products appear sustainable in branding but fail to deliver genuine environmental responsibility,” he says.
At the same time, no premium studio wants to compromise on perceived cleanliness.
As Dean notes, any environmentally conscious solution must still perform at the highest level.
“It needs to remove sweat, body oils and grime buildup while protecting the life of reformers, mats, and upholstery.”
For studios that have made the shift, the difference is being felt both operationally and experientially.
Behind the scenes, Wipex has continued to refine its formulas through partnerships with organisations such as EWG and independent laboratories.
“Over the years, we’ve worked to refine three things: how well the wipes clean sweat and sebum, how gently they treat skin, and how they interact with real-world fitness materials like vinyl, rubber and technical coatings,” Dean explains.
The brand notes that its fitness wipes are certified hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested, including HRIPT testing for sensitive skin, allowing staff to use them comfortably throughout the day.
At RFMR Pilates Club in Sedalia, Missouri, hygiene is considered an extension of the client experience.
“At RFMR Pilates Club, we take cleanliness just as seriously as the workout,” Nadia Ostapenko shares.
“After every class, reformers, rings, weights and mats are wiped down as part of the studio ritual; not simply for hygiene, but to maintain a space that feels premium, safe and welcoming.”
The difference, they say, is immediately noticeable.
“We absolutely love Wipex. Not only do they power through every drop of sweat from those heated sessions and intense pulses, but they leave the studio smelling so clean and refreshing, not that harsh chemical smell.”
For RFMR, cleanliness is no longer a back-of-house operational detail. It is part of the studio’s identity.
“A studio that smells fresh, feels clean, and stays hygienic is part of the RFMR experience.”
Studios tell Wipex that this scientific backing allows them to market cleanliness with confidence and reassure clients who care deeply about both hygiene and wellness.
For many wellness-led studios, this reflects a wider industry shift.
As sustainability, ingredient transparency and environmental responsibility become increasingly important to clients, what happens behind the scenes is now just as important as the movement experience itself.
For Wipex, that is exactly where the future of studio operations is heading.
“Environmentally responsible hygiene is quickly becoming the new standard for premium wellness spaces,” Dean says.
In that sense, conscious cleaning is no longer an operational detail.
It is part of the modern studio experience.
Find out more about how Wipex could be the best solution for your studio.
What Should Studio Operators Look For?
According to Wipex, a genuinely environmentally responsible hygiene solution should meet five key criteria:
Packaging: Minimized, refill-friendly and recyclable where possible
Materials: Compostable fibres rather than plastic-based wipes that contribute to microplastics
Third-party validation: Trusted certifications such as EWG VERIFIED®
Corporate practices: Transparent environmental and social commitments
Manufacturing footprint: Responsible production standards and robust worker protections
“If a product can answer those questions well and still deliver on cleaning performance, it’s usually a good sign,” says Dean.
Find out how Wipex could be the best fit for your studio
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