How to Prolong the Quality of Your Favorite Workout Gear

1. Toss your sweaty clothes in a wash as soon as you can.

The unpleasant smell you experience after a good workout isn’t the sweat itself. The odor is a result of the body’s sweat mixing with bacteria on your skin and clothes. Imagine the lethal combo sitting and mixing for hours on end. Add in a sealed, steamy gym bag or locker, and you’re asking for an increase in bacteria, sweat, and in turn, potent stink. The best way to avoid this unwanted science experiment is to wash those dirty workout clothes ASAP.

2. Skip the fabric softener.

Workout clothes smell unpleasant because the fabric is typically clogged with sweat, dead skin, and bacteria. Fabric softeners on the market are usually laden with heavy artificial fragrances and fillers that clog your garments worse than before. This causes the fabric to hold onto to deep, unwanted grime and smell. Fabric softeners mainly mask the issue at hand; it doesn’t fix it.

Another downfall to the pseudo-snuggly detergent? Fabric softeners not only lock in dirt and toxins, but it also damages the fabrics’ sweat-wicking ability.

3. Wash your favorite workout pieces in cold water. 

We are all guilty of ignoring the wash instructions found on the inside tag of most clothes. It’s also safe to say you will more than likely find “wash only in cold water” on the majority of your activewear clothing tags. Washing delicate pieces in cold water helps to avoid shrinkage due to hot water temperatures. Hot water can also breakdown the high-tech fibers like Lululemon’s Luon or compression spandex. Choose a cold wash cycle or a “delicate” cycle if that’s an option. 

4. If possible, air-dry your workout clothes. 

Just as a hot-water wash can damage your clothes, a drier is a bigger enemy. Heat can compromise the quality of the high-tech activewear fabric. Over time, heat from the dryer can break down the materials altogether, leaving them with minimal elasticity, fading, and overall won’t perform as well. Skip the dryer entirely and hang dry all of your favorite yoga pants, gym shirts, and even sports bras to keep them looking fresh.

5. Use an all-natural activewear laundry detergent with plant-based enzymes.

The goal for activewear detergent is to be gentle with workout clothes while still having enough potency to banish stuck-on odor and grime. This balance is what keeps your clothes intact. To ensure the safety of your clothes (and your skin) skin, the chemical-laden laundry detergent and reach for a toxin-free option meant to clean workout clothes.

Our Platinum Series Activewear detergent uses plant-based enzymes and environmentally-safe minerals to bust through any stink, dirt, sweat, and gunk. Chemical fillers, brighteners, and other toxins can’t clean your clothes the way you need, that’s why an all-natural option is always advised.

Looking for a powerful, all-natural, odor-busting laundry detergent? We've got you covered! 

Browse our laundry detergent collections:
Everyday Detergents
Specific Use Detergents  

6. When clothes are extra stinky, treat them to a soak!

There are cases where the stink is just too much for a single wash cycle. That’s where our Activewear Soak comes in. When things get too gross to handle, a deep soak is what your workout clothes need to stay stank-free. Add your activewear clothes to a sink, bathtub, or right in your washer if you a “soak” option. From there fill with water, add two scoops of our Activewear Detergent and let the clothes sit for at least an hour, sometimes two depending on the grime.

After the time is up, wash clothes as you normally would, no detergent needed. This is a way for your clothes to get clean, leaving no bacteria, dirt, or odor behind. Plus, our detergent is made for high-tech fabrics so you can get a deep clean without worrying about ruining your clothes.

Keep your clothes fresher longer with Rockin' Green Activewear Detergent!

Set-in odor, built-up grime, and high-tech fabrics are no match for the power of our Platinum Series Activewear Detergent. By utilizing these six tips, next time, you need to wash your sweaty workout gear, and you can make those clothes through any work for years to come.