If you train hard, your training suit will quickly become wet with sweat. Sports equipment and towels should be cleaned after training, as sweat has an unpleasant odor and can damage the fabric and color of clothing if left on the fibers for too long.
But it happened quickly: Expensive functional clothes for sports end up in the regular laundry room. In the worst case, the unique properties of the fabric are lost after a single wrong wash. In order for this not to happen and everything remains hygienic, you should consider the following tips.
1. For 30 degrees Functional wear and sports underwear
After wearing trousers, shirts, towels and underwear made of functional materials, they should be cleaned at low temperatures and, if possible, turned inside out as indicated on the garment label. 30 degrees and a liquid mild detergent are often recommended.
2. Mix with other ingredients
Under no circumstances should functional garments be washed with other fabrics: For example, the smallest cotton fibers that break during washing may adhere to the functional material. The fabric softener is also deadly for sportswear, as it covers the fibers and prevents the absorption and passage of sweat.
In trousers and training jackets, you should also make sure that the buttons and zippers are closed so that they do not break during washing or damage other clothes. If the washing machine has a sports program, it is best for this washing program. Otherwise, a low speed program should be selected.
If your training clothes still smell of sweat after washing, you can help the appropriate places with hand soap and water.
3. Fabric softener for sock
Training socks should be washed at temperatures as high as 60 degrees after each use to kill bacteria. A liquid mild detergent is sufficient because the softener can also cause changes in the material of the socks and increase perspiration when socks are worn.
4. Avoid ironing
Anoraks and outdoor coats are also washed from time to time in a maintenance program at 30 degrees. It is very important to check the impregnation after washing and replace it if necessary, because with the washing process this impregnation is reduced.
Sometimes, instead of repeated impregnation, it may be sufficient to reactivate the water-repellent property of the coating by ironing. Whether the material can withstand the heat of the iron should depend on the manufacturer’s recommendations.
5. Clean the sneakers in the washing machine
Shoes used for jogging or training in the gym should also be cleaned when necessary. But not in the washing machine, as many people do, but by hand. This keeps both the adhesive and the color of the shoe intact for longer. It is best to clean the inside of the shoe with just water and a small amount of vinegar, and then after drying, special shoe deodorant can be used to remove the odor.
6. Wear swimsuits and bikinis
In order for swimsuits, bikinis and swimsuits to retain their shape for a long time, they should be washed by hand as gently as possible. Swimming pools often contain large amounts of chlorine in the water, which leaves an unpleasant odor and must be rinsed off carefully. You should avoid wringing your swimsuit in the dryer so that it does not wear out.
7. Ignore the label
When working with all garments, what is written on the label applies. You can even dry some sports products in a low temperature dryer.
Not everything the manufacturer recommends is suitable for the dryer, including most swimwear, best hung on a clothesline. The exception is sneakers, which can be filled with paper and left to dry standing on the floor. Drying clothes should be protected from direct sunlight to prevent them from fading or losing their elasticity.