How To Wash Gym Wear For Professional Results
Most gym wear is made from breathable synthetic fabrics that stretch to allow the body to move freely. Nylon, polyester, and acrylic fabrics are favoured for their super-durable ability, and this makes them highly compatible with gym work and exercise.
In contrast, regular everyday clothing is likely to be made from cotton, rayon, silk, and wool fabrics, which are unsuitable for the gym or for exercising in. This is because these fabrics don’t have fibers that stretch and rebound back into shape like elastane, and they tend to hold onto water and moisture unlike synthetic fibers that are hydrophilic, which means they repel water and moisture. These qualities are, of course, ideal for gym wear. However, on the downside, when it comes to sweat caused by gym and exercise workouts, synthetic fibers have a habit of retaining odours, even after washing.
Moreover, because gym wear tends to have a high content of elastane, this means that washing these items on hot temperatures is not recommended as this can damage the elasticity of the fabrics, leading to shrinkage and a shorter lifespan. Therefore, care and attention need to be given when washing and laundering your gym wear to help keep it in pristine condition.
CAN WEARING GYM WEAR MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Appropriate gym wear that has been designed for workouts can positively impact on your workout regime in various ways. For example, it can provide support to muscles and joints given it is made up of specially designed panels that support specific parts of the anatomy during exercise. It can help to prevent chaffing and discomfort during exercise sessions. It can also boost and promote confidence and improve motivation levels during exercise as you tend to look the part when wearing well made and well supported gym wear.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND GYM WEAR FABRIC
Gym wear fabric is typically a type of material that is designed to keep you nice and dry during exercise and workout sessions. It does this by ‘wicking’ away sweat and moisture build-up from the skin.
With fitness and exercise becoming more popular over the years, this has led to more people seeking out comfortable and effective gym wear.
Moisture ‘wicking’ fabric is popular and works by pulling sweat and moisture away from the skin and transferring it to the surface of the fabric where it can evaporate more freely. Moisture wicking relies on ‘capillary action’, which is the movement of a liquid; usually sweat, through tiny spaces within the fabric due to the molecular forces between the liquid and the fabric’s internal forces. Wicking is, therefore, the absorption of a liquid by a material in the manner of a candle wick. Typically, moisture wicking alongside anti-odour is achieved by adding a chemical coating to the fabric.
Moisture wicking fabrics contain certain synthetic fibers and natural fibers. Synthetic fibers include polyester, polypropylene, nylon, spandex etc. Natural fibers include bamboo, wool etc.
HOW TO WASH AND LAUNDER GYM WEAR
Gym wear requires special cleaning, care, and attention. This attire is usually made up of moisture wicking fabrics, such as lycra, spandex, polyester etc. The items are put through their paces throughout each gym workout and more often than not they end up up drenched in sweat that can lead to awful odours. We have put together a list cited below on how to wash and launder your gym wear to solve your stinky gym wear problems!
i) TAKE TIME TO AIR OUT YOUR GYM WEAR AFTER USE
After each gym workout and exercise session, remove your gym wear, but instead of throwing it straight into the bottom of the wash basket, hang it up to allow it to air out as this will safeguard it from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria as a result of all the sweat that has accumulated from your gym workout. This method will make it much easier to clean.
ii) PRE-SOAK YOUR GYM WEAR
To pre-soak your gym wear, you’ll need to place the items in a bucket of cold water with half a cup of white vinegar for at least half an hour before washing them. This will break down sweat and any other build-up and will remove any odours that have embedded into the fibers of the fabric, leaving your gym wear fresh, clean and ready for your next gym session.
iii) USE COLD WATER TO WASH YOUR GYM WEAR
As your gum wear is made up of a high percentage of elastane, using hot water can damage the elasticity of such fabrics, leading to shrinkage and a shorter lifespan of your gym wear. Therefore, to safeguard against this we would highly recommend washing your gym wear in cold water.
iv) AIR DRY YOUR GYM WEAR
Similar to using hot water, we would advise against using this and using hot air from a tumble dryer to dry your gym wear, as hot air can also hinder the longevity of your gym wear and cause damage to the fibers.
v) STEER CLEAR OF USING FABRIC CONDITIONER ON YOUR GYM WEAR
While you might consider using fabric conditioner or sheets to freshen up gym wear, it’s best that you steer clear of using these products on your gym wear as they will only form a coating on them that will trap smells and odours making matters much worse than you intended.
vi) WASH GYM WEAR INSIDE OUT
As well as serving to protect the colours of your gym wear, turning them inside out before washing and laundering will expose the dirtiest areas to the washing process to ensure that the side that accumulates all the bacteria will be washed thoroughly. This method will achieve a more direct and targeted clean.
vii) USE SPECIALLY FORMULATED SPORTS LAUNDRY DETERGENTS TO WASH YOUR GYM WEAR
Sports formulated laundry detergents exist for a good reason, they contain natural odour fighting neutralisers and enzymes to deep clean moisture wicking fabrics and synthetic materials. They also target bacteria that grow on gym wear.
viii) USE CORRECT DOSAGE OF LAUNDRY DETERGENT WHEN WASHING GYM WEAR
It may be tempting to add extra laundry detergent to your wash cycle to freshen up your gym wear, but we would recommend you refrain from this practice and only use what the manufacturer instructs. This is to minimise any soap or suds build-up that can affect the ability of your washing machine to rinse properly and thoroughly. This will leave your gym wear bearing the residue of an ineffective wash cycle and with odours still remaining.
We hope you find this Blog content helpful when washing your gym wear. For professional laundry and ironing services, contact us, we are open from 7am- 9pm all week to answer your enquiries and to take bookings. We operate in Chester-le-Street and surrounding areas.
