Textile Care for Cycling Clothing and Sportswear – How to Care for Your Kit Properly

Your sports gear made of fabric is exposed to a great deal. Every time you move, the fibers rub together and wear and scuff over time. On top of this, we have the weather: Strong sunlight takes its toll on your cycling clothing just as much as regularly cycling in the rain. Flying dirt may leave signs of wear and tear and unsightly marks. Sweat and body odor also impair the highly functional fabrics. The results of such wear and tear become increasingly visible as wear time increases: the clothing loses its brightness and shape. The more the clothing is worn, the less functional it becomes. You can prevent sportswear from fading, roughening and deforming or at least delay the process. What’s more, you will also keep the unpleasant smell of sweaty cycling clothing at bay. The following tips will help you to properly care for your clothing and keep it looking and feeling great for a long time.

Special sports washing detergents are available for cleaning sportswear and cycling clothing. Furthermore, there are also textile care products on the market, which maintain and support the function of your clothing. Sports detergents differ in terms of their composition from conventional washing agents and fabric softeners – and the vast majority do not come cheap. They do, however, offer a number of benefits: they nourish the fibers and prevent clothing from becoming rough or faded. There is a wide variety of sports detergents available: for instance, there are specific detergents for outer membranes, cleaners for elastic fibers or all-round products for all performance textiles with and without membranes.

There is also a range wide of product categories for textile care products based on their intended use. Here, waterproofing sprays can help to improve the water resistance of sportswear. But also in terms of outdoor activities waterproof sprays for shoes or treatment with waterproofing spray for jacket is a widely recommenced solution. Special odor sprays are able to eliminate odors stuck in sportswear, while sanitizer sprays eliminate bacteria from shoes and similar. Care products are also provided for particular materials such as waterproofing way leather. BIKE24 offers a large selection of appropriate products – both for washing and taking care of your clothing.

One question, which often crops up in this context, is how frequently should it be washed?

The general rule of thumb for washing sportswear is: better too often than not often enough.

The more often you wash your clothing, the less odors can linger. What’s more, any contaminants which accumulate in the clothing, are more effectively removed. How often you wash your clothing of course also depends on the type of sportswear. Functional underwear, which is worn directly on the skin, should be washed after each use. Outer layers can usually be worn several times prior to being washed. Manufacturers typically provide washing recommendations for their products, which it’s best to follow.

Another often discussed topic is the removal of stains. Stains on sportswear are bothersome and impair how your clothing functions. When looking after your cycling clothing and sportswear, it is therefore crucial to eliminate stains as quickly as possible. As the longer they are stuck in your clothing, the trickier they are to remove. It is important to observe the manufacturer’s instructions when removing stains, particularly as not all stains can be removed with the same agents. For certain types of stains, it is advisable to first soak the clothing prior to washing it.

1. Proper textile care will allow you to wear your clothing for longer and maintain their proper functioning.
2. Be sure to observe the manufacturer’s instructions when washing clothing, as fibers and materials behave differently. A delicate cycle at 30°C tends to be sufficient when it comes to cleaning and at the same time protecting your clothing.
3. To prevent residual fibers from other garments from sticking to your sportswear, you should wash your cycling clothing in a separate cycle where possible.
4. There are also a number of points to consider when drying your items of clothing. Let your cycling clothing dry outdoors in the fresh air to avoid any unnecessary stress to the fabric. For functional wear, it is also important that the garment is thoroughly shook out prior to drying in order to ensure it keeps its shape. Tip: It’s best to hang up clothes in the shade to prevent them from fading.
5. You can get hold of special care products to properly care for your cycling clothing and sportswear. For functional clothing you should check that it is suitable for sportswear in the product information.
6. Picking the right place to store your cycling clothing and sportswear also plays an important role if you want your garments to be functional for a long time. You should allow your clothes to dry straight after exercise, for example, before throwing them into the washing basket.
7. Do you carry your sportswear in a bag, using a bike bag on your bike? These, too, should be washed on the inside on a regular basis, so that your bags don’t become too whiffy. 

Do you have any questions regarding textile care or need help choosing the right care products? Then please contact us; we would be delighted to help you.