How often should you wash your workout gear? Bondi Beauty investigates.
By Fashion Contributor Narissa Moeller
Finding the time to chuck on a load of washing is a battle in itself for most women, and when you’re working out everyday, your laundry basket can really build-up. Not cool, or hygienic.
So is it really bad to not wash your gear after every workout? Well, just as forgetting to brush your teeth causes bad breath, not washing gym clothes after working up a sweat causes bacteria and fungus to cling to, and eventually smell out your gear. However, interestingly enough bacteria actually clings to certain fabrics more than others. Let’s investigate.
Cotton for example, is an absorbent fibre. This basically means that it absorbs odours without releasing them into the environment. So because we can’t smell these odours, cotton clothing doesn’t need to be washed as often. Polyester on the other hand, isn’t very good at absorbing moisture, so it will need to be washed after every use if you want to remain stink-free. Although spandex is hands down the gyms go-to fabric, the chemical make-up in the elastic can be blamed for nasty smells. Whilst this may be the case, spandex is found in many active wear pieces, so we suggest looking for those with a cotton/spandex blend.
Clothing containing silk or silver compounds are great at masking odour and can often be found in yoga wear brands like Lululemon. Lululemon’s Silverescent technology inhibits the growth of odour-causing bacteria making it especially useful for sweaty workouts. Our personal favourite however, is Lululemon’s signature fabric Luon, designed to handle serious stretch and sweat. With its cottony feel, breathability and sweat wicking features, it is used in a lot of their tanks, tops, pants, jackets and bras, perfect for busy girls who have zero time to throw on a daily load.
Fitness fabrics have come a long way so if you’re wondering what the hell moisture wicking is, you’re not alone. Moisture or sweat wicking fabrics are available for athletes who want to stay dry during their workout. Wicking fabric pulls moisture from the body to the exterior of the shirt, allowing it to evaporate more easily. Although most moisture wicking fabrics are made from polyester blends, they are woven in a way that forces the moisture through the gaps of the weave so it can find the outer of the material. Interesting hey?
Bottom line is, no one enjoys working-out next to someone who smells bad no matter how hot their bod might be.
Here are three tips to say goodbye to bad odour:
- Keep a separate bag inside your gym bag, so that your sweaty clothes don’t contaminate the good. Try not to let them stay in this environment for too long.
- Wash dirty clothes as soon as possible, preferably in hot water. Sport detergents are available and are great for getting smells out.
- If you’re not washing them straight after use, try to hang your wet clothes up to air-dry as soon as you get home. This also makes it easier to find them the next morning when you hit the gym.
Tell us, how often you wash your workout gear?
