The Best Ways to Clean All Your Sweaty Sports and Training Gear
Spring is the best time for sports. Children go to football and baseball fields, and adults try to spend as many pre-summer workouts in the gym as possible. You should include your sports gear in this year’s big spring cleaning, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. How do you safely (and effectively) wash protective pads, sports belts, hats, and even a gym bag that fits them all? Let’s look at all the best ways to wash various sportswear.
sweaty clothes
To really clean your sweaty clothes, you have to start planning long before you even touch the washing machine. Always rinse your clothes immediately after a workout , especially if they are made from synthetic materials that can trap bacteria. Even if you can’t do this, you should hang your clothes somewhere and not rumple them with other dirty fabrics. When you ‘re ready to wash, soak them in a mixture of one part vinegar and four parts water for half an hour, then turn them inside out so that the side that touches your sweaty body is most thoroughly cleaned before tossing them into the wash. .
Body pads
The other day my boyfriend and I started cleaning the rubbers he wears on the job as a judge. This turned out to be more difficult than we expected because we didn’t want them to stay damp and moldy, but we also weren’t sure if the giant pads could be dried in the dryer. We were right: according to Clear Gear , a sports cleaning company, you should simply spray the pads with disinfectant between each use. Remove them from the plastic backing or holders and spray disinfectant on both components. If there is any visible dirt on the pads, first use a mixture of soap and water to remove it, but only wipe it down according to Active , and then immediately dry the area with a paper towel to prevent mold. You can also rub the outer surfaces of the pads with rubbing alcohol for added germ-killing power, but make sure you do all of this while there is still enough time for them to air dry completely before wearing them again.
Sports belts
According to Active , you should wash your sports belts by hand, ideally after removing the bowl from the fabric and filling the basin with warm water and a little detergent. If you can’t do that, you can wash the fabric part in the washing machine as you normally would, but you should still use soapy water to wipe down the cup and then use a small amount of a disinfectant such as Lysol. Never wring them out as many of them are made of rubber and they will eventually lose their shape if you do so. Instead, let him air dry and blot him with a towel from time to time to help him with this.
Sports bras
Sports bras should also be hand-washable, according to Nike , or at least fit in a small mesh bag in the washing machine. Soak the bra in water with a little detergent or soap for about half an hour before agitating the fabric with your hands. Rinse it in cold water and lay it flat to dry. (If your sports bras have annoying removable pads, check out our washing guide here .)
Headdress
Washing baseball caps is easy: you just need to put them in the dishwasher . But what about helmets? Light Helmets recommends removing the padding from the inside of the helmet and then washing the outside of the helmet with something soft, non-abrasive and dipped in soapy water. A microfiber cloth or even an old T-shirt will do. You don’t want to scratch the look. The pads are small inside so they can be soaked briefly in warm soapy water, but if they don’t need it, don’t. Instead, simply wipe the surface with a cloth dampened with this substance. Again, make sure they can dry completely before using; it helps to place them somewhere spacious and well ventilated. Finally, spray the helmet and pads with a disinfectant spray.
Sports bag
First, toss a few packets of silica gel into your gym bag so it doesn’t stink. But even then , wash it regularly , either by removing the insert at the bottom and tossing it in the washing machine, or using warm soapy water and a cloth to clean inside and out. Wipe this insert especially well as you can’t put it in the wash and it takes the brunt of your heaviest and stinkiest items. Read the bag care instructions if you can find them, but let it air dry rather than in the dryer. Wipe it with a dry cloth and, when it is no longer wet, treat it with a disinfectant spray.