How to wash gym clothes and keep activewear fresh

Functional wear is the collective name for garments designed to do something beyond the basics: move sweat away from your skin, regulate temperature, or keep rain out. Because these properties are built into the fabric itself, how you wash and store them matters more than it does with everyday clothing. 

Most activewear is made from synthetic blends: polyester, elastane, and their brand-name relatives like spandex and lycra. These fabrics have real advantages. They resist dirt, move with your body, and won't crease after a wash. But they also have trade-offs worth understanding. Synthetic fibers are oil-based and made from nonrenewable sources. Synthetic fabrics also trap odor readily, and unlike wool, they offer no insulating warmth when wet: a meaningful consideration if you wear them as a base layer in cold conditions. 

Wool is another story entirely, and we have written separately about how to care for it. 

When it comes to getting odor out of workout clothes, temperature is your first consideration. Most gym clothes made from elastane and polyester should be washed cool. A short eco-cycle at 86°F (30°C) is enough, since these fabrics rarely get visibly dirty; they mostly just need freshening. Use a liquid detergent formulated for activewear: our Active Laundry Detergent is made specifically for fabrics that attract and hold bad odors. Skip the fabric softener. Most fabric softeners coat synthetic fibers in a way that traps more smell over time, and they break down the stretch in elastane. Hang to dry after washing. Heat from a dryer degrades synthetic fibers and shortens the life of your gear.

Hard-shell garments rely on a waterproof treatment or membrane to keep water out. Daily wear puts pressure on that surface, and after roughly a month of regular use, you will notice the difference: water no longer beads and rolls off the way it did. Children's hard-shell pants and overalls see particularly heavy use and tend to lose their water resistance faster.

A clothing brush goes a long way before the washing machine ever enters the picture. Use the Clothing Brush on dried mud and dust, and you'll often find a full wash isn't necessary. When it is time to wash, choose a gentle cycle and keep the temperature at 40°C or below. Salt water and heavy sweat are the two triggers worth paying attention to: both break down a garment's protective abilities over time, so don't leave either sitting in the fabric. 

A few things to keep in mind when you do wash: 

- Use a liquid detergent. Active Laundry Detergent is formulated for fabrics that hold onto bad odors, making it a good fit for outerwear and activewear. - Skip the fabric softener. It coats fibers and reduces breathability and water repellency. - Dry in a drying cabinet where possible. The heat helps reactivate the DWR waterproofing. 

Airing works well for natural fibers: cotton, linen, viscose, wool. These fabrics breathe, and a good airing session can genuinely refresh them. Synthetics are a different story. Most outdoor gear and gym clothing is made from plastic-based materials that don't breathe in the same way. Hanging them outside won't do much. 

If you want to cut down on washing, Fabric Spray is a practical middle step. It's lightly scented, works across all fabric types, and can freshen up both hard-shell and workout pieces between washes.