How to wash workout clothes?
1. General tips on washing workout clothes:
- Don't leave workout clothes in your gym bag. Turn them inside out, hang them and let them air dry as soon as possible. Leaving moist clothes in a bag can cause mold and mildew development.
- Freezing workout clothes helps to get rid of bacteria. After drying, put your gym clothes in a plastic bag and leave them in a freezer. Freezing shouldn't replace washing used workout clothes!
- Before washing, you can soak your gym clothes in a mixture of water and white vinegar. This will help with removing bad smell.
- Remove the stains from your gym clothes before washing them. You can use water with vinegar or baking soda. Rub the mixture on the stain and leave it for 10 to 20 minutes. After that blot the spot with a damp towel.
Important: Keep in mind that none of these methods can replace washing gym clothes. These are the steps that you can follow before washing workout clothes to ensure the best possible outcome!
2. Hand washing workout clothes
- Always dry your gym clothes before washing.
- Wash your workout clothes inside out. This way the colors will be protected and it is easier to reach areas that especially need cleaning.
- Use cold water to wash training clothes. This will prevent shrinkage of synthetic fabrics.
- Add a small amount of gentle laundry detergent.
- Workout clothes are designed to absorb sweat, so make sure that you wash them thoroughly.
- Bacteria and germs are more likely to develop on polyester clothing than cotton ones. If your gym equipment is made of polyester or other synthetic fabrics, you should take special care while washing it, to make sure that all the bacteria has been removed from clothes.
- Rinse thoroughly to ensure that there aren't any leftovers of detergents, as they can cause irritation on your skin.
3. Washing workout clothes in an Electrolux washing machine:
- Always check the instructions provided by a manufacturer on the label. There are a lot of differences between washing cotton and synthetic fabrics. For example, cotton clothes will clean the most effectively in high temperatures, whereas polyester and other syntethics should be washed in lower temperatures, as hot water can cause damaging to these fabrics.
- Enable Sports programme on your Electrolux washing machine. It is designed to wash your gym clothes, as well as care for the fabric.
- If your washing machine doesn't have Sports programme, use Syntethic or Cotton cycle.
- Use a small amount of laundry detergent. It is recommended to use liquid detergent or capsules instead of traditional one, that can get stuck in the creases of gym clothes and cause irritation while in contact with your skin.
- You can also add an anti-bacterial detergent directly into washing machine's drum. This will ensure that all bacteria and germs will be killed.
- Do not use fabric softener with gym clothes! This can cause serious damage to synthetic fabrics!
- See the video below for more information on washing workout clothes in Electrolux washing machine.
4. Tips on washing gym equipment:
- Gym towel:
- Always air dry your gym towel before washing it.
- Wash your gym towel after every use. If you workout often, it is best to have more than one towel for the gym.
- Wash your gym towel using hot water, above 60°C, to kill bacteria.
- Gym bag:
- Gym bag can become a breeding ground for bacteria. If you don't wash it regularly, bacteria and germs can spread onto clean clothes.
- Remember to take dirty gym equipment out of the bag as soon as possible.
- Turn your bag inside out and let it air dry.
- Clean your bag thoroughly with an anti-bacterial wipe or spray. If you don't have one, you can mix water with alcohol and white vinegar. You can use this mixture to wipe your gym bag.
- Always wash your gym bag in hot water, above 60°C, to kill bacteria and germs.
- Workout shoes:
- If you work out often, you should consider having more than one pair of training shoes. While exercising we create a perfect environment for bacteria and fungus to develop inside the shoes.
- You should wash your workout shoes as often as possible.
- Between the washes, you can remove the insoles and wash them with cold water and white vinegar or a little bit of laundry detergent and let them air dry.
5. Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the best way to wash workout clothes?
- If you follow instructions on washing workout clothes, both hand and machine washing will be effective. Remember to use the right detergent and skip fabric softener!
- How to remove odours from workout clothes?
- To ensure that all bad smells will be removed from your gym clothes, soak them in water with white vinegar before washing. Vinegar helps with getting rid of all smells.
- How often should you wash your workout clothes?
- Workout clothes should be washed after every use. Alongside sweat, gym clothes can absorb dirt and bacteria, that can transfer onto your skin if the clothes are not washed.
- Is it better to wash gym clothes in hot or cold water?
- It is recommended to wash cotton clothes in hot water and synthetic ones in cold.
Do:
- Soak your workout clothes in water and vinegar
- Use gentle detergent
- Wash your gym bag and training shoes as often as possible
Don't:
- Add vinegar into washing machine's drum - this can cause rust!
- Use fabric softener
- Leave dirty clothes in your gym bag
