You put your workout clothes through the wringer every time you hit the gym. While the clothes are designed to handle tough conditions, they still require special care. Without the right care, they won’t last as long, plus they won’t smell fresh when you put them on. Find out how you can care for your workout clothes at home. Also, learn how a laundry drop-off service can handle this job for you, saving you time and stress.
Wash After Every Wear
If you don’t have a very strenuous workout, you might want to toss your workout clothes back in the closet and wear them again. However, bacteria will build upon the clothes, so they’ll smell when you put them back on. You can avoid this if you wash your workout clothes after each use. If you don’t have the time, you can search for a “pickup and drop-off laundry service near me” to handle the task for you.
Let Your Clothes Breathe After Workouts
Do you tend to put your clothes in a gym bag or a pile on the floor when you’re done working out? This can lock in the odors, making it harder to clean your clothes. Instead, run some cold water over the clothes and place them on a flat surface to dry. Let them air out until you’re ready to wash them. You’ll find that they come out much cleaner with this simple trick. Plus, your bedroom will smell a lot better when you don’t have a pile of dirty workout gear.
Measure the Detergent
You might find yourself adding a little extra detergent to the washing machine after a particularly sweaty workout. The idea is that extra detergent will increase the cleaning power, so your workout gear will be fresh. However, using too much detergent can actually make your clothes smell worse. In fact, this is one of the most common laundry mistakes for workout clothes and other garments.
If you use too much detergent, your washing machine won’t rinse off all the soap. Instead, some of the soap will still be on the fabric when you take it out of the washing machine. Bacteria will build up in soapy areas, creating bad smells. That means your workout clothes could start smelling at the beginning of a workout well before you start sweating. Thus, measure your detergent so your clothes will come out fresh and clean.
Wash Your Workout Clothes in Cold Water and Air Dry
If your workout clothes are made of stretchy textiles, you need to wash them in cold water. Warm or hot water can destroy the fabric’s elasticity, so your clothes won’t fit as well. They also won’t last nearly as long as they would if you used cold water.
Then, when they finish washing them, remove them from the machine and hang them up to dry. The hot air of the dryer can also break down the fabric, so air drying is important.
Don’t Use Fabric Softener
As much as you love how soft fabric softener makes your clothes, you should skip it when laundering workout clothing. The fabric softener can build up on the fabric, preventing the detergent from penetrating down and getting rid of the odors. Plus, the filmy buildup can prevent your workout clothes from performing as they should.
Avoid Using Bleach
Bleach is also hard on the fabrics used to make workout clothes. You could damage the fabric, causing your workout clothes to wear out faster than normal. Also, bleach doesn’t do a good job of fighting odor-causing bacteria. Thus, your clothes can still have a foul smell when you finish laundering them.
Turn Workout Clothes Inside Out Before Washing
Most of your sweat ends up inside of your workout clothes. You can keep the clothes much fresher by turning them inside out before washing. Then, the inside will be covered in the soap needed to clean away the nasty odors. Also, when you wash your workout clothes inside out, you’ll protect the colors, so your garments last longer. Then, you’ll look sharp every time you go to the gym.
Wash the Same Types of Items Together
Your workout clothes are likely made of lots of different fabrics. Separate the clothes and wash the same types of fabrics together. If you don’t do this, the different fabrics can rub against one another, causing rips and tears.
Eliminate Odors With White Vinegar
After undergoing a strenuous workout, consider adding a half cup of vinegar to the washing machine when laundering the clothes. Vinegar does an excellent job of eliminating odors caused by sweat and bacteria.
Consider Using a Sport Detergent
If you just go for walks, regular detergent is fine. However, if you push yourself and sweat a lot, consider using a sports detergent. These detergents are specially formatted to attack the bacteria that form on clothes when you work out. Once you switch to this type of detergent, your clothes should smell fresh after each wash. In fact, sports detergent does such a great job that you can skip the vinegar if you use it. As a bonus, it smells a lot better than vinegar, which is why so many people choose it.
Let a Laundry Drop-off Service Handle Your Activewear
Now you know how to care for your workout clothes. However, you might not have the time to dedicate to the process. After all, working out takes up a big chunk of your time. Thus, it might be too hard to find even more time to wash your activewear.
Fortunately, you can use a laundry drop-off service for your activewear. Just download the laundry service app or use the website to schedule a pickup. Then, you can rest and relax while the valet drops your clothes off at the facility and the staff cleans them. When you use a laundry service, you can rest assured that your activewear will be properly cared for and smell great. Then, you’ll feel confident and ready for your next workout.
Sources:
https://tidecleaners.com/en-us/blog/How-to-Care-for-Workout-Clothes
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-best-way-to-wash-gym-clothes-263490
https://www.maids.com/blog/10-tips-for-getting-workout-clothes-clean-and-fresh/
https://www.rinse.com/blog/care/how-prolong-life-your-workout-clothes/
