ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Athleisure is a new fad that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. This sports leisure style features clothing designed to be worn for both exercising and general use. But with this trend, comes the difficult task of keeping these clothes fresh and clean.
How do you wash your workout clothing?
Did you know using too much detergent or products like fabric softener could actually trap odor-causing bacteria in your clothing? Next time you wash your athletic gear, use a half dose of detergent and add a cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle. The vinegar eliminates those lingering odors and breaks down any bacteria buildup. Try turning your workout clothes inside out before washing. This gives the water and detergent better access to the source of the smell. Also avoid using any heat cycles! Elastic clothing doesn’t do well when exposed to heat, and it will also amplify any odors. Wash your gear in cold water, stick with no-heat dryer settings, or even let them hang dry. If you’re a fitness enthusiast, consider investing in a better detergent brand. Try Hex Performance Advanced laundry detergent, Win Sports detergent, or Sweat X Sports laundry detergent. These are all designed with stinky, smelly workouts in mind.
Fitness magazine also has steps you should take for cleaning your workout sneakers! Take out the laces, soap up and brush off the outsides, place them in a mesh bag, and wash them on your machines cool cycle. Be sure to take out the insoles. You can let them air dry, or if they are really stinky let them sit with a sprinkle of baking soda overnight!
Contributors to this news report include: Gabriella Battistiol, Producer; Angela Clooney, Videographer and Editor.
To receive a free weekly e-mail on Medical Breakthroughs from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk
