Washing sportswear: 5 things you're doing wrong
This year has given us an exceptionally long summer, but now it too is coming to an end. The warm barbecues and long days at the lake are coming to an end, so there are no more excuses to avoid sport. With cooler temperatures just around the corner and a firm resolution to prepare for the coming swimming season, many of us are increasingly drawn back to the gym.
But while we're working up a sweat in our training sessions, we often forget how important it is to wash our sportswear properly. In this blog post, we want to look at the five biggest mistakes when washing sportswear so that you can ensure that your workout clothes not only smell fresh, but also last longer and maintain their performance. Let's take a closer look at these common but avoidable sportswear mistakes.
1. washing at too high a temperature
Do you wash sportswear at high temperatures to combat sweat and dirt? But that's exactly what you shouldn't do, as high temperatures during washing can impair the functionality and lifespan of fabrics. Many items of sportswear, especially leggings and sports bras, contain elastane or Lycra to ensure a good fit and freedom of movement. High temperatures can damage these materials and reduce their elasticity. High washing temperatures can also cause colors to fade or bleach.
A gentle wash cycle at 30 degrees maintains the quality of the clothing and ensures that it lasts longer and looks good. However, make sure you always follow the manufacturer's care instructions. Does your washing machine happen to have a specific sports program? If so, it makes a lot of sense to use this program. This program cleans your sports laundry in a particularly gentle way. But don't worry if your machine doesn't have such a cool program. Then use a delicate or gentle program at 30 or maximum 40 degrees.
The bluu silvertrooper helps you to successfully wash bacteria and germs out of your sportswear. The silver cloth has a strong antibacterial effect and eliminates bacteria, germs and odors from a washing temperature of 20 °C. Thanks to the freshness depot, the silvertrooper also ensures that your sportswear stays fresh for longer, leaving it clean and fresh. Discover the bluu silvertrooper now!
2. wash after every wear
Do your sportswear end up in the washing machine after every workout? No wonder they don't last as long. As always, the more often it is washed, the more worn it becomes. Ideally, sportswear should only be washed in the washing machine every third or fourth time. Of course, this doesn't mean that you have to ruin your training with bad-smelling sportswear - there are other tricks to freshen up your sportswear without a washing machine.
You can try hand washing instead. The bluu washing strips are the perfect choice for this: depending on the amount of washing, simply mix one or half a strip in a bowl of water, et voilà!
Click here for our washing strips.
If you haven't completely sweated through your sportswear, you can also air it instead of throwing it in the washing machine.
Take your sportswear out of the bag as quickly as possible after training and hang it up in the fresh air. Bacteria feel particularly at home in damp conditions and multiply rapidly - airing helps to prevent odor-causing bacteria.
3. use fabric softener
Even if you only meant well with fabric softener - it is an absolute no-go for sportswear. It can clog the structure of the fabric and cause your sportswear to lose its essential breathability.
So don't use fabric softener when washing your sportswear!
4. put sportswear in the dryer
A common mistake when washing sportswear is to throw it in the dryer after washing. And it's even worse to let them dry at too high a temperature. Whether it's synthetic fibers or merino wool, sportswear should not end up in the dryer. The tumble dryer can destroy the functional properties, rendering the sportswear unusable. Similar to fabric softener, drying can attack the microfibers of the functional material and thus impair the breathability of the sportswear.
Instead, hang your sportswear on a clothes horse after washing - ideally in the fresh air. However, be careful to avoid direct sunlight, as this can cause your sportswear to fade and damage the stretchy elastane fibers.
5. do not wash clothes separately
Last but not least: The fifth common mistake when it comes to washing sportswear is to wash sportswear in the same load as textiles made from other fabrics.
Functional clothing such as sportswear should never be washed together with other fabrics. Residues from other items of laundry, such as tiny cotton fibers, can stick to the sportswear and cause the functional material to stick together.
