Athleisure and active wear have been having a moment for a while now. Active wear brands are producing styles and looks that are so trendy and multifunctional that we can (and do) wear them for all occasions, including, but not limited to, actual exercise. We wear our cute yoga pants to the grocery store, when we walk the dog, when we brunch (definitely) and in some instances, it’s not even incredibly difficult to pull them off at the office… depending on how casual your office culture is. We are not one to judge.

So, with lots of excuses to throw on active wear, the question arises, “how do I properly wash my active wear?” Let’s be honest — some of these active wear brands are not exactly friendly on the wallet. You know who we’re talking about… these non-disclosed brands are high quality clothing made with synthetic fibers that need to be washed a specific way so as not to compromise the quality of the fabric or how hard they work for you.

1.  WASH ACTIVE WEAR IN COLD WATER

Cold water takes special care of your workout leggings and shows our Earth a little love, too. It takes less energy to wash in cold water! And yes, cold water will clean just as good as warm or hot water. High quality workout clothing and yoga pants are created with synthetic fibers like Elastane, Spandex, polyester and nylon that are relatively sensitive materials, and washing them in hot water can actually damage and compromise that material over time.

2.  TURN GARMENTS INSIDE OUT

The majority of sweat and dead skin cells from our bodies (whether during exercise or not) stick to the insides of clothing, not the outside. To get the deepest clean for your active wear, turn everything inside out before washing.

3.  SKIP THE FABRIC SOFTENER

The formula of fabric softeners is outdated in regards to the updated, high-tech materials that active wear is made out of. It does more harm to the fabrics than good by clogging the fabrics and leaving residue behind — each and every time you use it. It sits in clothing and breaks down the high-quality material over time. Just skip the softener.

4.  AIR DRY ACTIVE WEAR

Don’t dry them in the dryer. Similarly to washing in hot water, the dryer is just another form of heat that can taint and deteriorate the fabric of your awesome yoga pants. Keep them lasting long by air drying them instead.

5.  WASH ACTIVE WEAR ASAP

Throughout the day, we sweat, we produce oil, we shed dead skin cells — and all of that can get trapped in our clothes. All of those things happen even without working out. Imagine the amount of yuckiness post exercise... cringe worthy. The longer we wait to clean workout gear, the worse the situation gets. Best practice: Wash them as soon as possible. They are full of bacteria that multiply and will clog the fibers if not properly removed in a timely manner. 

6.  USE THE RIGHT DETERGENT

Use a detergent that is specifically for cleaning workout gear and other synthetic fibers. Regular detergents aren’t exactly formulated to properly clean polyester, nylon, Lycra, Spandex or Elastane. But, Rockin’ Green Active Wear Detergent takes special care of your favorite yoga pants and workout gear. It’s gentle enough that it won’t fade bright colors, and it uses a powerful enzyme blend to attack stains that come from fat, starch and protein. It’s biodegradable, plant-based, paraben-free, cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free and contains no optical brighteners. It’s a gentle, yet powerful detergent that keeps high quality workout gear, high quality.

7.  WASH ACTIVE WEAR WITH OTHER ACTIVE WEAR, ONLY

Nice active wear is often relatively fragile and can pill or get snagged easily. Don’t risk a run in with zippers or embellishments on other laundry. Wash like with like, and you’ll be good to go.

ONE LAST TAKEAWAY — Just so we're very clear, this is what one of our very own employee's water looked like after soaking CLEAN active wear in Rockin' Green Active Wear Detergent. We'll let this photo speak for itself... 

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? TRY ACTIVE WEAR DETERGENT TODAY!