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How To Take Care Of Your Fitness Clothes When shopping for fitness clothes, many people spend hours weighing the potential benefits of dri-fit, dri-release, and moisture wicking materials, among other high tech, high performance fitness fabrics. However, few people pay as much attention to caring for these clothes once they get them home. To keep the bounce in your exercise garments for years to come, follow these simple tips. The safest way to clean your fitness clothes is by hand-washing them in lukewarm water with a gentle liquid cleanser. If you have a favorite workout garment that you want to keep in top condition for as long as possible, taking the extra time to wash it by hand can help prolong its life. However, it is not always necessary to give your workout outfits this much hands-on attention. The majority of exercise clothes are safe in the gentle cycle of your washing machine, so long as you treat them to the right kind of detergent, avoid damaging hot water, and keep them out of the dryer. Although workout clothes often end up with the toughest odors and sweat stains, your exercise garments are designed to shake these messes off easily. This means that you can prolong the life of your exercise outfits by using a lighter, less abrasive detergent than you would for your everyday wear. Chlorine-based bleaches interact badly with spandex, so avoid harsh detergents containing bleach. Choosing the right detergent for your fitness clothes can take the bite out of a potentially damaging spin in the machine. Regular laundry detergents are rough on synthetic materials, but a mild liquid like Woolite is a good choice for the spandex, elastic, and nylon blends that are the mainstays of fitness fashion. By running your clothes through your washer’s gentle cycle using the cold water setting and a mild liquid detergent, you are ensuring that your workout garments will stay in good condition. Heat can sap the elasticity from your fitness clothes, making spandex sag and elastic waistlines droop. To avoid this menace, wash your fitness clothes in cool water, and always opt to drip dry. Fitness clothes air dry quickly, so even if you only have a few hours until it is time to hit the gym, you still have time to clean and drip dry your favorite exercise outfit. Skip the potentially wilting heat of the iron: remember that the stretchy cling of fitness outfits helps make wrinkles disappear as soon as you pull your favorite exercise clothes on.
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