Have you ever wondered why your gym clothes smells? Have you ever wondered what to do with gym clothes after workout? Gym clothes are prone to sweat, stains and odors and needs to be washed frequently. In order to ensure your gym gear and clothes are always clean and fresh, you need to wash them every time after you use them. Even if you hardly broke out sweat, it is recommended to wash your gym clothes after each use of wear. But before you wash them there are few things to consider. Let’s jump into what to do with gym clothes after workout and explore more about it.

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What to do with gym clothes after workout?

Of course, you need to wash your gym clothes and gears after workout but follow these steps in order to avoid smelling. If you workout on regular basis then you know how high maintenance gym clothes can be. Perform one or two sweat session then you are left with grueling smell which make how to get smell out of gym cloth, a biggest workout of all.

Air your gym clothes out

Most of us bury our gym clothes in a laundry basket after we are done with them and wash them over the time. As gym clothes are prone to sweat and smell, it will make your whole laundry basket smell. It is recommended to leave your gym clothes in air and hang them somewhere they can dry out. Turn it inside out and leave it in open place to avoid smelling.

Pre-soak gym clothes

Sweat released from your skin has natural bacteria which causes an odor when mixed with sweat causing smelly stuffy odor. Pre-soak your gym clothes using a vinegar solution on detergent to minimize the smell. Simply mix a cup of detergent or vinegar with cold water and soak it for 30 minutes before washing them.



Wash gym clothes

Most of us dump our dirty cloth into a laundry basket and leave it for a couple of days and wash it. While this idea saves your time and utility bill but far in future you need to buy a new gym gear. Gym clothes are one of the clothing that attains most of our sweat due to an intense workout we do. Fragile fabrics in gym clothes can be damaged when they are in contact with sweat for long time. We recommend you to wash your gym clothes daily but even if you cannot then air dry your gym clothes before you leave it in a laundry basket.

What to do with gym clothes after workout

Skip the dryer

Dryer uses heat to dry clothes and stretchy fabrics can shrink or melt when exposed to heat repetitively and for long time. Do not use dryer until it is really urgent. Let the sun do its magic and dry your clothes. In addition, sun rays are more beneficial when it comes to clearing natural bacteria present in your clothes.

Add baking soda to wash

Baking soda is the best idea to get rid of unpleasant odors from your gym clothes. It masks bad scent like detergent does. It is an alkaline compound which eliminates the acidic odor that comes from sweat. Baking soda is also good at absorbing oil that come with the odor. Pour a cup of baking soda to your washing machine or use baking soda to pre-soak the gym clothes.

Avoid fabric softeners

Gym clothes and fabric softener are worst combination. Despite making clothes softer and cleaner, it creates a barrier that locks more stinky smells in. Fabrics softener cab trap bacteria in your clothes which you do not want. It also prevents the sweat on your clothes from evaporating which makes it more stinky.

With all these tips on hand now you should know what to do with gym clothes after workout. Lets talk further more about what to do with gym clothes after workout if you are using natural fibers instead of synthetic fibers.



Natural fibers vs Synthetic fibers in Gym clothes

Exemption applies when you use natural fibers as they are made from strong components and stretch more wears between your wash. But synthetic fibers in other hand are specially made to wick away sweat and keep you cool. But it is worst when it comes to harboring bacteria. Synthetic fibers are hostile for bacteria plus all the sweats in it makes it more perfect.

Natural fibers like cotton and wool breathe better and do not attract bacteria like that of synthetic fibers. Because of this natural fiber will sidestep when it comes to stinking. We recommend wearing natural fibers not more than 2 times before you wash them.

Here’s what to do with gym clothes after workout in short:

  • Let the cloth to air dry after workout as nasty bacteria love damp and moist environment.
  • Do not dump them into laundry basket right away.
  • Pre-soak them before washing.
  • Wash them after every use.
  • Skip using fabrics softener, dryer.
  • Use baking soda, lemon juice as they help to get rid of odor.
  • Stop sitting around in your workout clothes after you are done working out.
  • Alternate your gym clothes, have at least 3 or 4 pair, we recommend having 7, every day a new one.

Offensive odor can only be good for one reason i.e. you have done pretty good job in your workout. But getting rid of them is not as simple as we all think. Plus, over the time it can damage gym clothes as they are made up from synthetics. Not to forget about the stinky sneakers. After every workout, remove your shoelaces and throw them in wash. Use an old toothbrush/ sponge to remove dirt from your soles of a sneaker. Now hand wash roughly and let it dry. Once dried put laces back on and good to go. But once in every couple of days wash it perfectly.

What to do with gym clothes after workout

We hope we have helped you for what to do with gym clothes after workout. If you still have any question or need more idea, then do let us know in comments.

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