How to Take Care of your Workout Clothes

Your stinky gym clothes are fraught with natural oils and dead skin cells that your body sheds while you spin to the Oldies, and those substances, combined with your sweat (and maybe your tears, depending on your workout,) mean the whole pungent shebang needs some serious deodorizing between workouts.

But you paid good money for those moisture-wicking, breathable workout clothes, and on the one hand, you really hate to put them through the wash every time you peel them off, but on the other hand, you don't want to offend anyone's sensibilities by going to a workout class smelling like a wet dog.

Your workout clothes get much dirtier than your daily wear, but they're also far more delicate, and delicate fabrics call for delicate measures. The good news is that with a little careful attention, you can (and should!) wash your gym clothes after each workout. Here's how.

Do some prep work. As soon as you get home from the gym, take off your workout clothes and turn them inside out. Fill the sink, a tub, or the washing machine with enough cold water to cover them, and add a cup of white vinegar. Toss in the clothes, and let them soak for anywhere from a half hour to overnight. The vinegar will help break down oils and kill odors.

Wash 'em Cold. Cold water is perfectly sufficient for getting your workout clothes perfectly clean, especially if you've soaked them in cold water and vinegar ahead of time. Hot water will wear them out much faster by breaking down the textiles and fading the colors.

Go easy on the detergent. It may stand to reason that more detergent means cleaner clothes, but in fact, just the opposite is true. The washing machine is designed to handle a specific amount of detergent, and if you use any more than what's called for, the excess won't get washed out. Instead, it builds up in the fabric and actually traps dead skin cells and odors and creates a perfect environment for fungal growth, since mildew feeds off of both soap and skin cells.

You should actually use a little less soap than you do for your normal clothes, and compensate for it by adding a half cup of vinegar to the final rinse cycle.

Skip the Softener. Using fabric softener on your workout clothes is the best way to destroy them. Fabric softener damages stretchy fabrics, and it leaves behind residue that will trap odors and make it doubly hard to de-stinkify your clothes.

The vinegar you add to the rinse cycle will not only deodorize your clothes, but it will also soften them, making fabric softener entirely unnecessary.

Dry Delicately. Ideally, you should dry your workout clothes by hanging them up in a well-ventilated area, since the high heat of the dryer can wear them out, cause shrinkage, and cut their lifespan in half. Air drying helps maintain their elasticity and extend their life.

If you're short on time, you can put them in the dryer on the lowest heat setting, but be sure to check them regularly so you don't leave them in any longer than necessary.