If you are obsessed with workout wear as I am, then this post is for you. Athletic wear is not cheap. At least not the one I like and buy. With investment purchases comes, investment of time and care. I have shared Basic Clothing Care Tips and How To Take Care Of Your Clothes but athletic wear is another ball-game all together. Below are some of the best things you can do to keep your workout gear looking and feeling fresh for longer.
1. Let your clothes breathe before washing
While your initial thought might be bury your smelly gym clothes at the bottom of your hamper, letting them air out before washing them will make them much easier to clean. When you take them off, hang your dirty workout garments somewhere they can dry out (away from clean clothes) to make getting the odors out at laundry time a breeze.
2. Pre-soaking in vinegar helps
A little bit of vinegar can go a long way when washing your gym clothes. For an especially foul-smelling load of clothes, soak your clothes in a half a cup of white vinegar mixed with cold water for at least an hour before washing. This will help remove unpleasant odors and break down sweat stains and buildup.
3. Wash your gym clothes in cold water
Believe it or not, hot water might hurt your dirty gym clothes more than it could help. Extreme heat can actually break down the elasticity of stretchy textiles, like the material of your yoga pants and running shorts, leading to shrinkage and a shorter lifespan for your clothes.
4. Don’t machine dry them
Just like hot water can hinder the longevity of your gym clothes, so can hot air. So instead of drying your workout gear on high heat in the dryer, consider air drying them out on a special hanger or clothes rack, or at least using the lowest possible heat setting.
5. Wash inside out
You probably already knew that washing your clothes inside-out will help safeguard colors, but it can also give your dirtier items—a.k.a. your active wear—a deeper clean in the washer, too. Considering that the inside of your clothes is where all the gross body bacteria accumulates (arm pit stains, anyone?) turning your workout gear inside-out before washing will give them a more direct and thorough clean.
