How to wash your workout clothes

Unfortunately, it is the case that for some clothes, especially activewear, unpleasant odors can cling a little extra, even if it has just been washed. Your activewear can "fool" you by starting to smell again as soon as you start moving. We can give you some good tips on how to wash and preserve your activewear in the best possible way.

 

Your activewear is functional in such a way that it keeps you dry and makes you feel fresh and sporty. After an intense workout, many find that they do not smell quite optimal, and sweat can become well-established in your clothes. Washing activewear incorrectly can cause the washing not to remove the smell, and in many cases, they can smell worse than before. Regardless of whether the activewear is expensive or cheap, sweat odor should not linger in the fabric, and it is only a matter of washing the clothes correctly.

 

How often should I wash my activewear?

Hopefully, you have some extra energy left after your workout to start a load of laundry, as this is the best thing you can do to avoid that the unpleasant and sour smell gets stuck in your clothes. In other words, it is very wise to wash activewear as quickly as possible after use. If for some reason you cannot wash them right away, you should try to avoid placing them with the rest of the laundry, and instead hang them up to air out a bit.

We strongly recommend washing your activewear separately to avoid discoloration and prevent the smell from transferring to your other clothes.

 

What detergent should I use?

The type of detergent used can greatly influence how long the quality of your activewear lasts. First and foremost, it is important to mention that you should definitely avoid powder detergent, and it is recommended to use liquid detergent for your activewear. There is a risk that the powder does not rinse out properly, which can damage the fabric. That being said, there are various detergents developed specifically for washing activewear. Today's detergents can clean leggings at lower temperatures, so you don't necessarily have to worry about the clothes not getting rid of the sweat odor. If the activewear contains wool, it should be washed with a special detergent like milo.

It may be wise to rinse the activewear in cold water before washing to remove salt and other residues that have accumulated.

 

What wash program should I use?

Most washing machines have a sports program, and it is recommended to use this as it is fine-tuned for sportswear, and in this way, the garment is washed more effectively. Some washing machines do not have such a program, and in that case, we recommend using the synthetic cycle, as its function is quite similar.

 

How many degrees should I use?

One reason why activewear still smells sour after washing is that it is often washed at too low a temperature. It is always recommended to check the care label and follow washing instructions on your activewear. Fitted garments such as underwear and leggings should ideally be washed at 60 degrees for a hygienic wash. The problem is that this can damage the fabric, and some pieces of activewear are labeled for lower temperatures. You will often find that it says 40 degrees on the leggings, with some models only tolerating 30 degrees. Despite this, the safest option will always be to choose the sport program at 40 degrees or a synthetic program at 30 degrees with a detergent specifically chosen for activewear.

 

Fabric softener and tumble dryer?

Fabric softener or rinse aid is not recommended for use on activewear as this clothing is usually made from more technical and functional materials that are water-repellent and breathable. The breathable material consists of finely woven fabric fibers, and any fabric softener may risk impacting both the breathability and the water-repellent properties of the garments. While it works perfectly fine on regular clothes, it is not a good idea to use on activewear. The biggest mistake people make when washing activewear is using fabric softener, as it enhances the smell of sweat. Unless otherwise stated on the washing instructions of the garment, we do not recommend the use of fabric softener on activewear.

Activewear should not go into the tumble dryer. Technical garments usually have materials that breathe, are water-repellent, elastic, and stretchy. These properties make such clothing very vulnerable to improper treatment, and it does not take much before you risk damaging the functionality of the activewear. In other words, high spinning and use of a tumble dryer can ruin the stretch of the activewear. For that reason, we strongly recommend that you do not put your activewear in the tumble dryer, and instead let them hang on a clothes rack or clothesline.

 

How to get rid of sweat stains?

Do you need help removing sweat stains from your activewear?

Here are some stain removal agents you can use:

• Acetone - This removes grease, lacquer, and plastic. Make sure not to use this on acetate and triacetate and remember that it is highly flammable.
• Vinegar that is five-seven percent - This can help in removing sweat stains
• Lemon juice - Can be used as a rust remover and bleaching agent, dissolve one teaspoon of lemon juice per deciliter of water.
• Water - The simplest thing you can do is just use water. If it is a type of bodily stain, which can range from sweat to egg white, it dissolves with cold water. If it is grease stains you wish to remove, use hot water.

 

Washing sour activewear

If the activewear still has a sour smell, you can use vinegar as a rinse aid to eliminate the sour odor from the clothes. You can also soak garments that smell bad in water with vinegar overnight, and then wash the garment in the washing machine with regular detergent afterward.

 

How to wash leggings?

You should wash leggings after a maximum of one day's use. This will reduce bacteria and eliminate odor. You can also assess based on the workout you had. Was it a session of high intensity and a lot of sweating? Or a one-hour walk? If you sweat a lot during the workout, it is clear that the leggings should go in the washing machine. The leggings can actually become stiff if you sweat a lot. When it comes to low-intensity workouts with little sweat, you may make a judgment about whether to wash them or wear them one more time.

Despite that, even a little walk can make the leggings begin to smell. There are good detergents available, and it is recommended to use something specifically developed for sports and leisurewear, which effectively removes unpleasant odors in leggings.

Something important to remember is not to mix any activewear with other textiles. This can damage the synthetic fabric and increase the likelihood of the clothing losing its technical properties, as seen in our Vortex 2 Leggings with compression and a higher level of elastane. To read more about our leggings, you can read here.

If you need help figuring out which leggings fit you, you can read our ultimate legging guide.