Life
For a lot of people, working out more is a big New Year's resolution. January can feel like the best time for a bit of a lifestyle overhaul and that might include putting on your trainers and getting moving. However, when the evenings are cold and dark, it’s hard to drag yourself away from the sofa. One of the best ways to get yourself to the gym on cold winter evenings is treating yourself to some new gym gear but it can come at a cost. So here's how to take care of your gym clothes so they last. When you’re spending serious cash on leggings you want them to last and still look cute after a lot more than a few sessions.
When you’re first starting out at the gym you don’t need to break your bank account buying all new kit. However, making sure you have a good sports bra and trainers to get you through is pretty key. You can spend anything between £5 and £50 on a pair of leggings, so you want to get your wear out of them. According to the experts, there are certain things you can do to ensure that you clean your kit well without ruining the way it looks.
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Invest In Good Sportswear
Expensive definitely doesn't always mean better. However, making sure that you have kit that will support you in the gym, hold you in, and let your skin breathe is so key. You need clothes that don’t hinder your performance and comfort while still looking cute. Gym clothes are often made of fabrics that dry quicker than others and are super stretchy so don’t inhibit your movements. According to activewear brand Sundried, gym clothes also now come with sweat-wicking as standard which means your sweat is drawn away from your skin to evaporate so that you can stay dry and avoid chafing. Also, the more you rotate your gym kit the longer it’ll last so, if you can afford to, it might be a good idea to get more than one pair of leggings and a few sports bras.
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Washing Your Clothes
Recent research from Tap Warehouse found that 44 percent of Brits wear their gym clothes more than once which includes the 10 percent of Brits who never wash their gym clothes.
Dr Abigail Short from Bark.com, explains that “gym clothes harbour lots of bacteria due to sweat.” What’s more, “touching fitness machines, wiping your sweaty hand on your t-shirt or sharing a barbell can transfer germs” so your gym clothes should be washed after every workout. It might seem that the more you wash your gym kit the more worn it’ll look. But when you’re working hard you sweat, so you need to wash it after every use.
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What To Wash Your Gym Clothes In
Washing your kit pretty much straight away is a must and what you wash it in is pretty key to keeping it looking fresh. While it might be the easiest thing to throw your sweaty gym clothes in with the rest of your washing, this won't help it look its best.
Sally Dixon from Every Second Counts told Cosmopolitan “when you get home from the gym take a few seconds to unpack your kit and hang it up to air dry the sweat until you're ready to pop it in the wash." Then when it comes to putting it in the wash she said, “fabric softener can damage the technical properties of a sports fabric and remove it's abilities to be sweat-wicking, anti-bacterial, etc." Think about using lemon juice or baking soda in your wash and wash your kit inside out as that’s where most of the oils are.
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Drying Your Kit
When you’re on the gym hype and have a favourite legging-sports-bra-trainer combination you want your kit out of the washing and dry as quickly as possible. However, resist the temptation to throw it in the dryer. Dixon said, “make sure you read the wash care instructions for the garment, gym kit usually likes to be washed at lower temperatures and always leave you kit to air dry." Leaving your kit hung up will keep it stretchier for longer.
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Storing Your Gym Clothes
Often when you get in from a big work-out there's nothing more appealing than flopping down on the sofa and having a scroll through social media for an hour. However, storing your used gym clothes in your gym bag for prolonged periods of time can cause issues. Research by Tap Warehouse found that 53 percent of Brits never wash their gym bag, making it a haven for germs. Dr Abigail Short from Bark.com said, “the likelihood of transferring germs and bacteria in your gym bag is high from the contents you put in it, such as damp, sweaty clothes and trainers.”
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Getting new gym wear can be the push you need to get moving and looking after it properly will keep it looking and smelling fresh for longer. When you’re spending good money on kit, you don’t want to have to repurchase within a few months. So make sure you help it work hard as you do.
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