Gone are the days when your yoga pants were just for yoga class, or running shorts were just for running -- nowadays, people wear their workout clothes just about everywhere. Activewear has evolved from being what you wear to build up a sweat to an every-day essential.
As more and more people are grabbing their yoga pants over their jeans on a daily basis, we wanted to find out the best ways to care for the activewear items that are quickly becoming staples in every closet. James Joun, Rinse’s co-founder and resident expert, gave us some advice on how to keep activewear in great shape.
“Your activewear stands up to your toughest workouts and all day use, so it can be easy to assume it doesn’t need any special attention when laundry day rolls around,” James stated. “But most athletic gear is made out of synthetic materials that don't mix well with the high heat of a dryer.”
James advised that the best thing you can do for your activewear is to hang dry them, both before and after washing.
Here are 5 reasons why James recommends hang drying your activewear:
Keep them in great shape
Since most activewear is made of moisture-wicking material that keeps you dry, it is likely to be damp after a workout or all day use, which can create an environment for mildew and mold. To avoid this, James advised hanging these items up to dry before placing them in your hamper.
Maintain their fit
The simplicity of wearing your activewear on a daily basis has a lot to do with the consistency of their fit. To ensure your activewear stays looking and fitting like new, you should keep your garments away from the dryer. The high heat of the dryer can warp individual strands of fiber of your activewear and permanently alter their shape, flexibility, and ultimately how they fit.
Avoid damage
Exposing your activewear to the heat and friction of the dryer can be harsh and potentially damaging. The heat wears away on any elastic properties that your garments may contain and weakens the material, which can lead to tears and holes. Hang drying is a great alternative to dry your activewear that avoids the unnecessary wear and tear of the dryer.
Get a better clean
If you’re using your activewear all day, every day, chances are your garments could always use another cleaning. If you can hang your activewear to dry in the sun, you can not only keep it in great shape since it avoids the heat and tumble of the machine dryer, but also get a better clean. The sun’s UV rays contain bacteria-killing properties, which can give your activewear an additional cleaning process beyond the washer.
Save money & help the environment
If keeping your activewear in great shape isn’t enough to convince you to hang dry them, saving money and helping the environment may do the trick. Hang drying your activewear, and the rest of your clothes, can help you bring your electrical bill down and reduce the amount of energy you use -- that sounds like a great deal to us!
At Rinse, we provide a Hang Dry service, which is the best service to use to take care of your activewear. We optimize the cleaning process by washing your activewear in cold water, and hang drying them in order to maintain their fit and integrity. To try our Hang Dry service schedule a Rinse by visiting rinse.com.
