Laundering your workout clothes

If you've invested in some nice technical clothing for your workouts ( clothes that wick away moisture or may even be waterproof while wicking away moisture), caring for them properly is important.

When you wash them, AVOID fabric softener. Don't add it to the washer or the dryer. If your technical gear is waterproof and breathable, this is especially important as this fabric has 'pores' that are large enough to allow sweat to evaporate while being fine enough to block water like rain or snow. Fabric softener plugs those 'pores' and means that the garment will lose its breathable quality. Fabric softener also breaks down synthetics and elastics like spandex over time. The wicking function of breathable gear is also impaired by fabric softener as it coats the fibers that SHOULD be absorbing your sweat and moving it to the garment's surface, keeping you dry and cool (or warm, depending on the garment).

It's best to air dry your technical gear to extend its life. It will be dry in less than a half hour on the line, so it's not a major hardship. Heat is not a friend to elastics and spandex.

Good quality gear is meant to withstand thousands of washes, so don't worry about washing frequently. Avoid fabric softener and avoid the dryer as often as you can--you'll get years of function and use out of good quality gear.