Oxwash: The 7 Step Guide to cleaning your gym kit the right way

17th February 2022

Think you know how to clean your gym clothes? Think again.

We always start the year with the best intentions and even if we’re not working out as much as we said we would, activewear seems to have become a regular part of our wardrobe. With frequent use comes frequent laundry, and it can be quicker to chuck it into the drum with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. While this is arguably more convenient, it’s not the best way to care for any of our clothes over time.

For instance, gym wear is often made from blended synthetic materials such as polyester, acrylic or nylon containing spandex, lycra and elastane to make them stretchy. Unlike cotton, which is highly absorbent and needs lots of heat to dry, these textiles have specific moisture-wicking properties that help to keep you cool and dry. Moisture-wicking simply describes the process of moving the liquid away from the skin to allow it to evaporate quickly when you’re working up a sweat. When it comes to natural fibres, bamboo, viscose and rayon are also a good option for workout wear because the fibres are soft, breathable and dry quickly too.

With these differences in mind, we can better understand how to launder our activewear with care, and increase its lifespan with these seven essential, planet-saving tips from Oxwash, the eco-laundry service.

1. Timing is everything

According to one of our laundry experts, Jacob Leyland, the first step to cleaning your sports clothes is to make sure they get a proper wash. Unfortunately, for the time-pressed, this means a full wash cycle – try not to cut corners with a quick spin.

Short cycles are designed to just freshen up, whereas sports clothes need a deep clean and the washing detergents need enough time to effectively work through the garment. Patience is a virtue when it comes to washing your sporty smalls.

“Use a synthetic washing cycle as sports clothes are typically made from mixed fabrics. A cooler temperature setting of 30℃ or 40℃ will allow enough heat to lift the bad odours and dead skin cells without damaging the fibres. It will also allow the detergent enough contact time before being rinsed away,” says Jacob Leyland.

2. Don’t just chuck them on the pile: Let your gym clothes breathe

Luckily, gym wear is designed to dry quickly so this step can be achieved with relatively little hassle. When you get changed, make sure to pick your dirty clothes off the floor and hang them up so they can air. Once dry, you can add them to the pile to be washed.

Why is this step important? Gym clothes are often damp with sweat and sweat contains bacteria. Scrunching them up in a ball gives this bacteria a chance to multiply, meaning smellier clothes for longer. Not only will this increase the likelihood of any stinky aroma rubbing off in the pile, but it can also make bad odours harder to remove during the washing process.

Get in the habit of hanging your garments as soon as you take them off, and they will thank you for it by being easier to clean.

3. Turn inside out to live longer

You sweat into the inside of the garment, so it makes sense to make sure that this side is getting fully cleaned during the wash. It’s also important to remember that washing can also cause your clothing to wear more quickly and the subsequent friction can cause ‘piling’, the tiny bobbles of fuzz that appear on clothing. To preserve the garment it is best to reverse it during the wash, so any wear and tear is on the inside. In addition, pop your items into a mesh laundry bag for use in the machine to help protect them from snagging on any velcro or sharp fastenings.

Finding an item of clothing is starting to pill? Before you give up and buy something new, try investing in a lint remover or lint comb. These affordable devices shave the bobbles from the garment, restoring the fabric to its original condition and extending its potential wear.

4. Reduce the detergent

Less really is more. It can seem like a logical solution to load up the soap tray with detergent in order to neutralise smelly laundry, however, this can actually make your clothing more clingy to bacterial build-up. Even if your clothing comes out of the machine smelling fresh, this build-up can cause it to start smelling sooner than it would have.

It may seem counter intuitive, but your clothing will get just as clean with half the manufacturer’s recommended amount. Plus, think about how much further a standard bottle of detergent will last, saving you money.

We have been conditioned by the big brands to believe that lots of suds = clean. However, this chemical reaction is just the soap molecules trapping air in spherical pockets. So, what does this mean? It’s not indicative of the actual cleaning process. Interesting fact – excess detergent can also lead to a waste of water, energy and time.

5. Forget the fabric conditioner

Using fabric softener on gym wear is a no-no. Gym wear is designed to let the body breathe when exercising. Fabric softener leaves a residue that is designed to coat the fibres of the garment, to make them feel softer. When used on gym clothes this creates a barrier that traps the moisture in the fabric, so it cannot evaporate, which encourages odours to form.

Instead, Oxwash recommend using Oxi Advance 0% powder fabric stain remover from Vanish. This will help ensure your clothes are odour free and stain free without damaging the fibres.

Prefer an all-natural alternative? Oxwash Sustainability Manager, Michelle, has been anti fabric conditioner for some time. She finds using a couple of tablespoons of white wine vinegar, mixed with a few drops of essential oil, just as effective at cleaning and deodorising her gym kit.