You’ve just crushed a grueling workout or trekked through the wild on a heart-pounding hunt. Your exercise clothes are soaked with sweat and dirt. It’s time to make sure those clothes get clean before you need them again.
Here’s everything you need to know to wash, dry, and care for your exercise clothes so you can keep hitting your goals without worrying about worn-out gear.
Why Proper Washing Matters for Exercise Clothes
Whether you’re blazing trails on a run, struggling up a steep incline, or knocking out a session on the squat rack, your workout clothes take a beating right along with you. Proper washing isn’t just about hygiene, though that’s part of it; it also impacts the longevity and performance of your gear.
When sweat and dirt are left to fester, bacteria buildup can result in odors and weaken your clothes’ fabric over time. Plus, materials like polyester and spandex, which are common in exercise gear, require specific care to maintain their stretch, durability, and moisture-wicking properties. Taking a little extra time to properly clean your clothes will pay off in performance and savings since you won’t need to replace them as often.
Step-by-Step Guide to Washing Your Workout Clothes
Taking care of your exercise clothes starts with proper washing. While it’s tempting to toss them in the nearest washer on autopilot, there are steps you should follow to maximize longevity. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Check the Care Label
Always read the care label on your clothes to know whether they’re machine-washable or need special treatment, like handwashing.
2. Separate Your Laundry
Keep your exercise clothes away from items like jeans or towels. Heavy fabrics and rough textures can cause unnecessary abrasion to the more delicate, stretchy materials of workout gear.
3. Turn Your Clothes Inside Out
Sweat, oils, and bacteria linger inside your gear, so turning your clothes inside out ensures the areas that need cleaning the most get the attention they deserve. This practice also protects the outer layer of your clothes from friction and fading.
4. Use Cold Water
While it might be tempting to crank up the heat for a deep clean, stick to cold water to keep your clothes stretchy and functional. High heat exposure can degrade the fabrics, making them less pliable.
5. Choose the Right Detergent
Skip the harsh chemicals and go for a gentle or sports-specific detergent. These products are designed to tackle odors and stains without breaking down the technical fabrics used in many workout clothes. If you’re battling particularly stubborn odors, a presoak in a mixture of water and vinegar can work wonders.
Drying Your Exercise Clothes Without Damage
Once your clothes are clean, drying them correctly matters just as much. Otherwise, you risk shrinkage, fraying, or a loss of elasticity. Here’s how to go about it.
1. Skip the Dryer
The heat from most dryers can wreak havoc on performance fabrics. Unless your dryer has a low-heat option that you’ve tested and found good results with, it’s better to hang your clothes on a drying rack or line-dry them in the shade. Whatever you do, try to avoid direct sunlight, as this can fade colors much quicker than usual.
2. Avoid Wringing Them Out
If your clothes are soaking wet right after a wash, resist the urge to twist and wring them dry. This bad habit can stretch out the material, causing sagging and compromising the fit over time. Instead, gently press out the excess water with a clean towel before hanging them up.
3. Use a Towel for Faster Drying
If you’re in a rush, lay your damp clothes flat on a dry towel, roll them up like a burrito, and press down firmly. This method absorbs much of the water and speeds up the drying process without compromising the quality of the material.
Storing Your Exercise Clothes the Right Way
Caring for your exercise clothes doesn’t end with washing and drying. Proper storage plays a key role in preventing odors, wrinkles, and unnecessary wear, so it helps to know how to do it right.
The first thing to keep in mind is you should avoid cramming everything into a single drawer. Tightly packed spaces cause wrinkles and also wear down the fabric over time. Instead, neatly folding your clothes can help maintain their quality.
It’s also a good idea to store your athletic apparel in a dedicated drawer or space separate from your regular clothing. This extra step protects the materials from unnecessary damage. For added freshness, consider using breathable storage containers to keep your gear in top condition.
Other Helpful Tips for Maintaining Exercise Clothes
Of course, there are yet ways to care for your exercise clothes that aren’t directly related to how you wash and dry them. If you want to extend the life of your gear even further, just follow these tips.
Take Care of Your Clothes After Using Them
After a workout, don’t leave your sweaty clothes crumpled up in your gym bag. Also, don’t throw your sweaty gear into the dirty laundry hamper and leave it there until the weekend. Putting your dirty clothes in a confined, unventilated space can lead to lingering odors and bacteria buildup that become harder to remove later. That’s why it’s best to wash them right away if possible. However, since that could lead to excessive trips to the washer, you can hang your clothes and let them air out instead.
Learn Techniques for Destroying Tough Odors
If you have tough odors that a standard wash can’t remove, soaking your clothes in a mixture of water and white vinegar for 30 minutes before washing can neutralize stubborn smells without damaging the fabric.
You may also want to consider detergents designed specifically for activewear. These products tackle odors and stains common in performance fabrics without using harsh chemicals. With these simple steps, your exercise clothes will stay fresh, clean, and ready for your next workout.
Cutting Down on Repeated Use
No matter how you go about it, regular use will be the thing that wears out your clothes the fastest. Since it wouldn’t make sense not to use your fitness clothes when you need them, the next best thing is to buy multiple pairs. Each set will last much longer than they would individually since they won’t go through as much wear and tear.
If you don’t have enough sets to rotate them out properly, then Oryx Outdoors is here to help. We have camo running shorts that’ll be the perfect addition to your clothing lineup.
