Practicing good hygiene to keep your surroundings clean is a sign of a disciplined person and it’s crucial for garments care as well, especially the gym outfits and towels to keep them fresh and free from sweat at any cost.
If you want, you can get the benefit of premium quality laundry and dry cleaning in Rotterdam to get your gym outfits and towels washed by experienced individuals.
What people usually do is when they come home after the workout, they just toss their towels and gym clothes aside and use the same sweaty material the next day which would not only damage the quality of the fabrics but ruin a good hygiene practice as well in the form of multiple skin infections.
But before moving towards the solution, it would be necessary for you to understand the science behind how sweat and bacteria can harm well-maintained hygiene:
The Science of Sweat and Bacteria
Sweat and bacteria are the two most harmful signs of ruining your health not just physically but mentally. If you don’t deal with the sweat on your gym outfits and gears, then a foul smell will come in your clothes until you wash them. So, first, learn the effects of sweat on exercise gear and the formation of odours by bacteria.
1. How Sweat Affects Exercise Gear
Keep one thing in your mind which is that sweating is a natural process, you cannot avoid it or stop it from happening, no matter how hard you try because the flow of sweat depends on how you work and operate your body.
For instance, if your job does not require any physical activity, then you won’t get very sweaty but if you’re doing a workout, then you should make up your mind to wash your gym accessories and outfit because there’ll be a lot of sweat coming out of your body.
Furthermore, sweat contains salt and urea which builds up unnecessary odours in your gym outfits and the residue of sweat left behind will damage your outfit from outside as well as inside.
2. The Role of Bacteria in Odor
The role of bacteria is to generate odours in outfits when sweat starts to appear and the more your body sweats, the chances of bacteria producing odours will increase. It’s not only a bad sign for your gym gear but can also damage your skin with a disease if you don’t maintain your hygiene.
If you don’t wash your gym essentials regularly, then these odours will stabilise themselves permanently and make your outfits and towels smell badly along with ruining the fabric from the inside which is not a good sign.
So, if you want to keep yourself protected from harmful skin infections and keep your gym clothes long-lasting, then washing them with an effective technique or an authentic method is the only way to go.
Best Practices for Cleaning Workout Clothes
If you’re getting stressed and tired of not finding an effective washing method for your gym essentials to maintain a good hygiene practice. Then, following the steps mentioned below is all you need to wash your gym essentials like they were never dirty:
1. Sorting and Pre-Treating
There’s a common misconception among people that when they return home from gym, they just toss their outfits in the laundry basket as they’ve already bought many in bulk and when the time comes to wash them, they just put all the clothes in the washing machine.
It turns out to be the worst decision for them because each outfit is of a different fabric and the colour transfer of clothes also plays a role in damaging other outfits. Furthermore, you must check the conditions of the outfits while sorting them, if some gym garments can be washed perfectly by hand, then don’t toss them in the washing machine.
2. Choosing the Right Detergent
After you’re finished sorting out your gym clothes according to the fabric type, now comes the most crucial part which is to choose the right laundry detergent. The best way to do it is to know your fabric type and read the instructions mentioned on the label of your clothes which provide you with all you need to wash your clothes with the right settings and laundry detergent.
For example, if your gym outfit is of delicate fabric, then opt for a laundry detergent free from harsh chemicals like bleach and has a light fragrance, so when you wear your outfit again, you won’t get irritation on your skin and the scent won’t bother you while breathing.
3. Proper Washing Techniques
Before you start your washing machine, a proper washing technique is required and the best way is to opt for a delicate washing cycle and pour in cold water instead of hot water. If you’re using fabric softeners for your normal outfits, then avoid them when you’re washing gym outfits.
In addition, turn your clothes inside out before tossing them in the washing machine for detailed cleaning. In short, get rid of the stain inside out if you want. You can use a mesh laundry bag as well to keep your clothes safe from unwanted stretching while washing your gym clothes.
4. Drying and Storage Tips
Now when the time comes to dry the gym outfits, the air drying method is the only preferable method you can follow as it’ll not only extract all the moisture from your clothes but keep the durability of your gym garments intact. Just make sure to set the dryer setting on low heat to reduce the chances of damage.
Check your clothes again before storing them in your closet because if there’s still some moisture and residues left on your gym clothes, then the molds and mildew will appear on the outer structure which will ultimately ruin your gym clothes for good.
Extending the Lifespan of Exercise Towels
Towels are the most used items that get sweaty after your gym outfits and the reason is that people wipe their face and arms to remove the sweat from their body which makes the towel dirty and can damage the quality from within if you do not wash them daily or weekly because the unnecessary odors will form. So, let’s have a look at the measures you can take to keep your towels clean.
1. Towel Materials and Absorbency
Towels used in gyms are more durable and long-lasting than the ones you use in your home. But keep one thing in your mind that these towels can only absorb the sweat of your body for a limited period and you must wash your towels with proper instructions to keep its quality the same just like the new one.
Towels manufactured from microfibers should be your ideal choice not only because of the high quality but also the feature of quick drying. In other words, you don’t have to wait longer for the towel to get dry and the interesting part of having these towels is that they reduce the growth of bacteria.
2. Washing Towels Effectively
Washing your towels is the most crucial part as you need to maintain their durability as well as remove all the sweat and odours appearing on them for that, opting for a mild detergent should be your choice and while using it, put away the fabric softeners as they can damage the fibres of your towel.
Moreover, check your towel after the first wash if it’s fine, then let it dry because overdoing the job would lead you to wear and tear off the towel which is not a good sign.
3. Avoiding Cross-Contamination
There’s no rocket science in understanding that using the same towel without washing can lead to many skin infections and most importantly, it’s against the rule of maintaining perfect hygiene. A simple solution is to have multiple towels, so when one towel gets dirty, you can use the other one and be safe from unwanted skin irritation.
To make your towel free from all the moisture, store them in a well-ventilated area and if you’re using the gym space, then choose a separate surface to place your towel, not in a place where another towel was already in place.
Additional Tips for Freshness
- Place your gym essentials and towels in an open area when you return home to let all the moisture out before placing them in the laundry basket.
- Getting odour-resistant gym outfits and towels should be your choice for long-term use.
- Have at least two to three gym outfits and use them in rotation to maintain good hygiene or simply as a backup while one outfit requires washing.
Conclusion
Having separate outfits for every job is perfect and the same is the case with gym essentials. To practice good hygiene, you must look out at each detail like how much sweat your towel and clothes are absorbing and when to wash them.
But don’t worry, your job has now been easier than ever because the above-mentioned steps and tips will make sure that you are one step ahead when it comes to washing your gym outfits and towels to enhance their durability.
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