Step 1: Pre-wash
If your cycling clothing is very dirty, for example after a gravel ride, give your dirty clothes a good shake after the ride. Rinse off the dirt and, if necessary, use stain removers on stubborn dirt before washing. You don’t want the dirt to damage your washing machine.
Wash your clothing as soon as possible after riding to prevent unpleasant odours and to stop bacteria from developing in the damp conditions. Sort your clothing and read the care labels.
Wash your cycling clothing at no more than 30 degrees! Hot water can damage elastane, reducing its elasticity, and can also affect the moisture-wicking properties. Cold water prevents shrinking. Choose the lowest spin speed to prevent damage.
Before putting your clothing in the washing machine, turn it inside out to protect the fabric, close the zips and fasten any Velcro to prevent damage. For a little extra protection, you can use laundry bags.
Step 2: Washing
Modern washing machines often have a ‘Sport’ programme, which is ideal; but for the fabric of your cycling clothing it’s better to use the ‘Delicates’ programme, because the spin speed also affects how your clothing is washed. In the ‘Delicates’ programme the drum turns less intensively and spins at a low speed.
Use cold water (max 30 °C) to protect the fibres. Add an extra rinse at the end to make sure all the detergent is gone. Use only a small amount of detergent for delicates and avoid fabric softeners and bleach.
Step 3: Dry with care
Let your clothing air-dry, so not in the tumble dryer. But be careful with wet clothing in direct sunlight! When it’s really hot, the temperature of the freshly washed clothing can rise so high that the elastane gets damaged after all, outside the washing machine.
Gently stretch your cycling clothing while it’s turned inside out to prevent creases.
Impregnated clothing
Fabrics that have had a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) treatment can go in the tumble dryer at a low temperature, because this reactivates the water-repellent layer.
