Nothing motivates a trip to the gym quite like new workout clothes—until the dreaded smell arrives. The synthetic fibers used to make athletic styles can trap odor and bacteria, causing a buildup of sweat and body oils. The result? Stinky garments that do nothing to inspire a trip to the gym. But there’s hope: if you take the proper steps when washing your workout clothes, you can say goodbye to bad odor and extend the life of your items.
A close-up view of hands wringing water from wet clothing. Sudsy water soaking a garment.
Rinse Workout Clothes as Soon as Possible
The biggest hack for clean, great-smelling gym clothes is rinsing your athletic wear with cold water immediately after your workout routine. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you need to do laundry every time you exercise. If laundry day is later in the week, just drip-dry the items before you put them in the hamper to prevent mildew.
Practice Prewash Prep
When it comes to washing your workout clothes, prewash preparation is key. Following the steps below ensures your athletic attire will smell clean and last a long time.
Turn your clothes inside out before putting them in the washing machine. Sweat and bacteria rub off on the inside of workout wear—especially fitted styles, like your favorite sports bra. Turning the items inside out ensures detergent has direct contact with the odor-causing body oils.
Soak your workout clothes in a vinegar-and-water solution to combat odor that can build up over time. Distilled white vinegar works its magic by cutting through body oils, helping release bacteria and odor. Simply submerge garments in one part vinegar to four parts cold water and let them soak for 15-30 minutes. Then toss the clothing in the washer, or—if you aren’t doing laundry for several days—rinse the items and allow them to drip-dry before putting them in the hamper.
Buildup doesn’t just appear in the form of odor. If you notice yellowing or detergent stains on clothes, dip a soft toothbrush in detergent and scrub the stains to loosen the trapped particles before throwing the items in the wash.
Use the Right Products
When learning how to wash workout clothes, it’s important to understand which cleaning products—and how much of them—you should use.
The best detergent for workout clothes is a sport detergent formulated to address odors on moisture-wicking fabric and synthetic fibers. Another option is to use a laundry booster in addition to detergent. For a natural alternative, add a quarter cup to a half cup (depending on the load size) of vinegar or baking soda to the wash.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is using too much detergent. While many assume that more detergent will result in cleaner clothing, that isn’t the case. If you use too much, the soap won’t get fully rinsed away, and that buildup traps odor. If you suspect that might be your problem, use less detergent and consider running an extra rinse cycle on your washing machine.
Too much detergent isn’t the only culprit when it comes to trapping odor-causing bacteria. Fabric softeners leave a coating on your workout clothes; beyond preventing odor elimination, this coating breaks down stretchy, synthetic fibers, leading to faster deterioration of your athletic wear.
A cloth, brush, jar of water and a pair of dirty sneakers.
Use the Right Washer & Dryer Settings
Once you have the proper products, it’s important to know the best way to wash workout clothes in your laundry machine and dryer.
Washer Settings
Hot water and too much agitation shorten the lifespan of your workout attire by breaking down the fibers. Instead, opt for a gentle, cold wash cycle. (And don’t worry, cold water cleans just as well as hot water.)
Dryer Settings
Just as you don’t want to use hot water on your gym clothes, you also want to avoid using heat in the dryer. Air-drying workout items is ideal, but if you’d like to use a dryer, stick with a low- or no-heat cycle.
Wash Your Workout Shoes
Don’t forget about your sneakers or trail runners when thinking about how to wash athletic clothes. Just like the rest of your body, your feet sweat, and that buildup of bacteria can cause fungus and infection. Take the same care with your workout shoes as you do with the rest of your gym attire.
Wash your shoelaces with the rest of your workout wear. Pro tip: put them in a laundry bag to prevent them from getting tangled.
For the sneakers themselves, don’t put them in the washer. Instead, make a paste of baking soda and detergent and spot treat with a soft toothbrush. Then remove the paste with a damp, clean sponge.
After drying the shoes with a clean cloth, sprinkle the insides with baking soda to eliminate odors.
Let them air-dry, then shake out the baking soda and relace your sneakers—and you’re ready to go!
Now that you know all the right steps for cleaning your workout clothes, you no longer need to worry about smelly athletic wear and can start every workout feeling confident and clean.
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