How Often Should Workout Leggings Be Washed

person Gearbunch Blog Team
calendar_today Jan 05, 2022
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If you are like us, working out frequently, you will admit that doing laundry sucks. Leggings, sports bras, and sweat-wicking tops far outnumber anything else in your life that needs washing. No matter what fabric your activewear is made of, you should always change into dry clothes after getting super sweaty, and wash it after every single wear.

If you were wondering how often should leggings be washed and if you really have to wash them every single time, keep reading and find out how sitting around in sweaty gym clothes can not only make you feel uncomfortable, but cause some hygiene infections too.

When you hit the gym, you will be working up a decent sweat anyway (well you better be). Get ready for soaking your clean outfit in no time, so the only workout rule is: whatever you do, don’t pull yesterday’s gym clothes out of the hamper. Leggings, T-shirts, capris, workout pants and anything else that gets soaked in sweat should get washed after every wear. However, if your sport of choice includes light workouts like yoga, walking, and more low impact, you can stress less about the daily washes, and stretch it to 3,4 wears.

Even though leggings can seem deceptively clean the next day because they dry quickly and without odor, please don't let this trick you. Anytime you want to reuse the same pair of leggings, just remember that they are teeming with bacteria leftover from your previous sweat session. Unwashed leggings can cause uncomfortable conditions and infections down there, especially if you tend to wear them without underwear.

Taken in consideration that leggings are not cheap, the best way to prevent sweat and bacteria to build up, and make them last longer in general, is to care for them in the right way. And guess what? You don’t have to do anything intense to defend against infection — just use quick, cold wash on the gentle cycle and skip the dryer to freshen your workout clothes.

Even though our skin naturally has good bacteria living on it, the workout clothes that trap the sweat against our skin create the perfect environment for yeast and bacterial infections. Added the fact that so many people visit gyms, where same equipment and fitness machines are used, gyms are practically germs paradise, where the risk for infection increases x10 times. Plus, areas where the clothes are tightest, like the butt, groin, and thighs of workout pants, are particularly vulnerable and can cause acne-like rash called folliculitis if you don’t wash your workout wear often.

Did you know that the latest researches have shown the average pair of pants has 76 times more bacteria than a toilet bowl? When you are exercising hard then it's a fair bet that you would have worked up a considerable sweat. And of course, sweat doesn't smell particularly nice once it gets stale, especially if you exercise in a gym, where the sensitivities of other gym users should be taken in consideration too. Exercising next to smelly people is not very pleasant, and can have a negative effect on anyone’s workout.