One of the most common questions I hear is "how do I take care of my new gear"?
There are many schools of thought on care of your gear but before we discuss how...let's discuss the gear itself.
What makes the gear stretch...makes it the one factor to take into consideration as to how to clean it. Is it magic? Not likely...its a form of rubber actually for lack of a better term.
What is it exactly? The FORMAL description according to Wikipedia is...
Spandex, Lycra or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable than natural rubber. It is a polyester-polyurethane copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia.
Great words but in a nutshell...it's a man-made fibre that makes fabric stretch. Simple as that. Spandex is a play on words based on "EXPAND". Catchy huh!
However cool the fabric is...the one thing that can damage it is heat. Which brings me to the first and foremost rule when taking care of your gear. NO DRYER! Heat damages the fibres and destroys the ability for them to return back to their normal state. In other words...It doesn't stretch anymore! It stretches out but doesn't stretch back. This causes sagging...loss of shape...and all in all destruction of the fabric.
So...now what? How do you take care of this stuff? Leave it in your gym bag? Ya...that ain't pretty!
The quick and easy way of cleaning your gear and retaining color and shape is hand washing and leaving it to air dry. Simple as that!
Step 1---Don't let it sit!
We sweat...pure and simple...and it ain't pretty. It stinks and it's gross but it cleans up well. If you can't wash it right away...for heaven sake let it air out and dry. Don't leave it in a bag...in the trunk of your car. Let it air dry.
Step 2---CLEAN IT!
The easiest way to clean it is hand washing in a sink. Easy peasy! Fill the bathroom sink with some cold water...add some liquid laundry detergent or a liquid detergent made for fine washables and swish it around! That's it! Give it a good swishing around in the sink...then drain it. Fill the sink with fresh cold water and rinse it out well. A couple of sinks full of cold water and some swishing around and it's good to go!
Step 3---Don't make it smell pretty!
With all the fabric softeners and additives that are available, you might be tempted to make your gear "smell pretty"...DON'T!
Why you ask? Fabric softeners do just that...they soften your fabric by breaking down the fibres and make them unstable. That process will damage the spandex fibres and the gear will lose its elasticity. May smell pretty but when it sags and looks like heck...what good does it do you? It can smell clean by cleaning it but doesn't have to smell like wildflowers and sunshine and rainbows. Leave the fabric softener for your other clothes
Step 4---Let it dry!
As I mentioned above...the first and foremost cardinal rule is NO DRYER...so how do you dry this stuff.
The easiest and least harmful way is lay it flat to dry on a couple of towels. No hanging as the gear will stretch and you don't want to distort the fit. Out of the sun...because the heat can harm the fibres AND the sun can fade the colours
There you have it! That wasn't so difficult now was it. You spent good money on your gear...perfected your look...a little extra effort on taking care of it will pay off in the long run!
If you have any questions about the gear...either about its care of if you need a "refresh" as to your current look...let's talk. You are a Champion...let me help you look like one!
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