How to wash activewear the right way: get the most from your gym kit with 5 simple tips

Anyone who enjoys an active lifestyle will be familiar with a common problem: how to remove the smell of stale sports sweat from gym & sports kit.

Frequent washing at high temperatures can quickly fade colours & stretch fibres, making garments transparent or ruining their shape. It can be especially annoying when those expensive Nike running leggings start sagging at the knees, or that super cute Gymshark sports bra starts letting you down in all the wrong places.

The simple truth is we could make our clothes last a lot longer if we knew how to get rid of the smell caused by stale sweat. Phil Taylor, founder of Gymspin, knows how to kill sweat without ruining your clothes, just follow these five simple tips.

1) Let it breathe

Letting dirty clothes sit in your kit bag or buried at the bottom of the wash basket will bring on the stink. Bacteria will linger for longer & become harder to wash out, so give your damp kit room to breathe if you don’t intend to stick it promptly in the wash.

2) Wash your activewear on cool or cold temperatures

We’ve had it drummed into us that we must use a hot wash to successfully kill bacteria. Modern advancement means that a decent detergent will still be able to kill bacteria, even at 30℃.

Hot temperatures can also fade colours & ruin elasticity, whereas cool temperatures will help maintain the integrity of the fibres.

3) Use a dedicated sport wash detergent

Regular detergent often uses fragrance to simply mask the problem of stubborn odours. If you are struggling to get your gym kit smelling fresh, use a dedicated sports detergent such as Gymspin.

Gymspin is a dermatologically tested, bio detergent with a deep cleansing enzymatic complex that removes bacteria, even on a cold cycle, & it contains a unique Phytofocus scent that gives long lasting freshness & enhances performance. Optical brighteners keep colours vibrant & remove tell tale stains - especially in the armpit area.

4) Avoid fabric conditioner

When your kit gets a persistent stink, it’s tempting to throw everything at it, but fabric softener is not a friend to your gym clothes. The waxy residue can actually prevent the sweat-wicking properties of performance fabrics & break down the fibres meaning they won’t last as long.

5) Dry your gym kit naturally

Seeing as most activewear is made from quick-to-dry, sweat wicking, technical materials - it should be easy to dry clothes without the tumble dryer. However, sometimes needs-must.

Put the dryer on a low heat, as high temperatures can cause the elastane to break down & reduce the stretch in the material.