If you're anything like us, you basically treat your leggings in the same way as your favorite pair of jeans. Between workouts and lazy Sundays spent in your activewear, we hold our favorite leggings close to our heart and want to make sure they last forever. The key to taking care of your leggings? Making sure you're cleaning them correctly.
To ensure that you're taking the best care for your beloved leggings, we reached out to the experts at Rinse, a full-service garment care company, for insider tips. The dry-cleaning and laundry service informed us on the dos and don'ts of washing all types of athletic pants, making your next laundry day much, much easier. Scroll down to see what Rinse had to say about washing your leggings.
"Since most activewear is made of moisture-wicking material to keep you dry, it is likely to be damp after a workout or all day use. This can create an environment for mildew and mold. To avoid this, Rinse advises hanging your leggings up to dry before placing them in your hamper, and the sooner you wash them the better!"
"To ensure your activewear stays looking and fitting like new, you should keep your garments away from the dryer and hang-dry them instead. The high heat of the dryer can warp individual strands of fiber of your activewear and weaken the material. This can lead to tears, holes, and permanently alter their shape, flexibility, and ultimately how they fit."
"If you're using your activewear all day, every day, chances are your garments could always use another cleaning. If you can hang your leggings to dry in the sun, you're not only keeping them in great shape by avoiding the machine dryers heat, but you're also getting a better clean. The sun's UV rays contain bacteria-killing properties, which can give your leggings an additional cleaning beyond the washer."
"Most softeners contain silicone, which can create a coating on the fabric that weakens its breathability and wicking functions. If you accidentally wash your leggings with softener, don't stress; wash your items again without softener, and they should return to the normal wicking level."
"Leggings with mesh panels are a popular style we're seeing a lot of activewear brands doing. These types of garments, while great for breathability and design, are more susceptible to damage during wash and dry as these mesh panels can be easily snagged by other pieces of clothing. We recommend that you (or Rinse can do this for you) place these items inside of a mesh bag during cleaning and then hang-dry to minimize contact with other garments."
Opening Image: Free People
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.