Ahh, the circle of life (for your fitness gear). Like the milk in your fridge, even your favourite sports bra has an expiry date.<\/p>\n
Serious question\u2026 when was the last time you cleaned out your fitness gear? You really do put your workout wear through its paces. All that sweating, washing and vigorous wearing will ultimately compromise your comfort and performance. So, here we\u2019re giving you the tools you need so that you\u2019ll know when it\u2019s time to \u2018throw in the towel\u2019 \u2014 or, rather, your bra, tops and socks.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how to clean your fitness gear: <\/p>\n
Life span:<\/strong> Six months to one year<\/p>\n Designed to help increase circulation, compression tights, socks and sleeves may help speed post-workout recovery too, research suggests. Inevitably, though, they stretch over time and lose efficacy.<\/p>\n Time to toss Make \u2019em last<\/strong> Life span:<\/strong>\u00a0One year (or less, if you\u2019re doing high-impact workouts)<\/p>\n Supporting the girls is no easy task: the physical stress of stopping boob bounce degrades a bra\u2019s elasticity.<\/p>\n Time to toss Make \u2019em last Life span:<\/strong>\u00a0Six months to two years<\/p>\n Pool chemicals break down the fibres, making your cozzie lose shape; this creates drag, which can slow you down.<\/p>\n Time to toss Make \u2019em last Life span:\u00a0<\/strong>One to three years<\/p>\n That thin fabric can hold up to your stepping and sliding only so long, leaving you prone to painful friction and blisters when it gives out.<\/p>\n Time to toss Make \u2019em last Life span:<\/strong> Six months to five years plus<\/p>\n These shirts draw sweat away from your skin to help regulate body temp. Most synthetics are chemically treated or have technology woven in that lasts 25 to 50 washes.<\/p>\n Time to toss Make \u2019em last Life span:<\/strong> Five years plus<\/p>\n A good topper can protect you in two ways: the layers block moisture so it can\u2019t penetrate and they also prevent sweat from getting trapped. The result is breathability and dryness.<\/p>\n Time to toss Make \u2019em last By Gina Beretta<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ahh, the circle of life (for your fitness gear). Like the milk in your fridge, even your favourite sports bra has an expiry date. Serious question\u2026 when was the last time you cleaned out your fitness gear? You really do put your workout wear through its paces. All that sweating, washing and vigorous wearing will […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4394,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[971,988,1006,996,997],"class_list":{"0":"post-4391","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-style-beauty","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-fitness-advice","10":"tag-fitness-gear","11":"tag-style","12":"tag-style-tips"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4391","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4391"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4391\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5241,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4391\/revisions\/5241"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/strong>Compression clothes should have a super-snug, almost uncomfortable fit. If it\u2019s getting easier and easier to slide them on or if fibres are coming out of the fabric, you\u2019re probably not getting the full benefits.<\/p>\n
Wash after every (yes, every) wear, since body oils and dirt can compromise their compression. Don\u2019t machine-dry and avoid wringing and twisting.<\/p>\nSports Bras<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>You\u2019re starting to chafe, the bra rides up when you raise your arms or your boobs move more during workouts.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Cleaning by hand is ideal, but if you do use the machine, fasten hooks first, put the bra in a mesh washing bag, then drip-dry to avoid warping.<\/p>\nSwimming Costumes<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>Baggy crotch, faded spots or tiny white fibres popping out.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Rinse with tap water post-swim. Squeeze out excess water and lay flat to dry.<\/p>\nSocks<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>They\u2019re stretched out, you see holes in the heel or around the ball of your foot, or you get more blisters than usual.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Wear them only during your workout. Dry on low heat to prevent shrinkage.<\/p>\nMoisture-Wicking Tops<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>It can be hard to tell, but gradually they\u2019ll become less effective at keeping you dry.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Follow washing directions religiously to prevent wicking power from fading prematurely.<\/p>\nWaterproof Jackets<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>You\u2019re sweating up a storm (because the coat is trapping moisture and heat), water seems to seep into the fabric, or the jacket is starting to smell (even when clean).<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Ideally, wash no more than twice a year to keep the chemical finish intact (but if the coat is visibly dirty, more cleaning is okay). Tumble dry in heat, which reactivates the surface repellent.<\/p>\n
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