washing your chest strap

katg73 · November 2012

Polar recommends washing their fabric straps after every five uses in the washing machine, but in a detergent that contains no bleach and without any fabric softener. That doesn't fit in with my normal clothes washing cycles.

I've found that if I simply rinse it and don't wash it, it works only intermittently and gives strange readings, but if I wash it by hand in dishwashing liquid and rinse it carefully afterwards every week it keeps on working just fine.

I've had it for over a year now, so this seems to be an effective long term solution.

When I used to have my old Polar HRM with the enclosed rubber strap (ie not the one with the wearlink transmitter that pops on with press studs) I'd just wipe it over with a damp cloth after using it.

I know this is almost 8 months later, but I just got my FT40 and was wondering how I should wash it, googled it, and found your response. My instructions recommend the same thing, but let's be honest, my clothes washing doesn't fit in with that either. And I live in an apt complex where we pay to do our laundry and I'm not about to spend $1.75 per week washing only this thing - I don't even wash my clothes that often! In case you're wondering, it's coz I have enough clothes to get me by for a while

THANKS AGAIN!

foleyshirley · November 2012

I rinse it under the tap every day once I get back from the gym to make sure there is no salt buildup from the sweat. There are specific instructions on the Polar chest strap of not putting it in the washing machine or using chemicals to clean the strap.

I have a polar FT4, and it specifically says to wash every 5 uses in the machine with detergent (no fabric softener). It also says to use lingerie bag. I wash mine by hand. But you should wash it.

Mokey41 · November 2012

I have a Polar FT4 and I rinse it after every use. I've never put it in the washer. The instructions were a bit confusing because it says not to put the transmitter in the wash but that means the black transmitter that you snap on not the strap itself. Another thing to save battery life is to always take the transmitter off the strap and store them away from each other.

AnjaZ89 · November 2012

I rinse it under the tap every day once I get back from the gym to make sure there is no salt buildup from the sweat. There are specific instructions on the Polar chest strap of not putting it in the washing machine or using chemicals to clean the strap.

my instruction thingy tells me to wash it 40°C in the washing machine at least after every fifth workout, its a Polar FT4

dogacreek · November 2012

I have three straps to rotate out. I rinse mine good after each use and wash them in the machine about every 10 days. Hubby put the laundry in the dryer once and all three straps went through the dryer cycle. Fortunately, no damage was done and the readings are still good. I about had a heart attack when I realized where they were. I don't want that to happen again though.