Lipstick Powder N Paint

By Karen Kwan

You put your fitness apparel through a lot—all of that sweat from pushing yourself through some serious workouts, and since you’ve invested some good money into this gear, surely you want to make sure it stays looking and smelling as good as it did when you bought it. Here are some ways to keep your workout wear looking great:

Wash your fitness gear right after your workout. If you leave that gym outfit in the dirty clothes pile until next laundry day, all of the perspiration is weakening the elastic fibres, shortening your apparel’s lifespan, and you’ll have a harder time getting any odours out of it. It may be a drag but your best bet to keeping your pieces looking their best is to hand wash them as soon as you get home—simply fill your sink or a basin with your favourite detergent and water and soak the items for 20 minutes and then rinse and air dry. (If this is too much trouble, then maybe reserve this routine for caring for your favourite gym gear).

Check the label for laundry instructions. Every brand has its version of technical fabrics so be sure to carefully read the directions for washing. In general, though, you might want to turn your gear inside out when washing in the machine, and wash your gear separate from your regular laundry to help prolong the technical fabrics appearance. Most should be hung dry or laid out to dry (the heat of the dryer can weaken technical fabrics).

Keep those running shoes smelling fresh by using some of the shoe deodorizer balls on the market, or you can also sprinkle some baking soda into them to absorb odours. Spraying some Febreze or tucking a dryer sheet into each of your shoes will also help keep bad scents at bay, too.

Tackle stubborn stains and scents with some tried and true methods, such as white vinegar on perspiration stains (add a cup when washing your machine or soak in some vinegar) and a bleach product to fight particularly stinky clothes. Although for gear that’s reached this point of wear and tear, you may want to consider it time to invest in a few new pieces—consider the new outfit motivation to keep active!