Best setting for regular washing of gym kit?

dllive

Hi,

Ive started going to the gym and running a lot. This means I have a lot of gym kit to wash.

Ive got various settings on my washing machine, and rather than put it on Cottons Eco mode (2.5+ hour wash) twice a week, I wonder if theres a more economical setting to have it on? It doesnt need to be 'summer fresh', it just needs to get the worst of the sweat/mud/grime of it.

I can post make/model of washing machine so you can see the modes if you like. Im interested to hear what others on here do.

Thanks

t0rt0ise

I do all my washing on what it calls a quick cottons wash. It takes one hour 5 minutes. All machines are different but there must be something quicker than two and a half hours which seems excessive.

lisyloo

I put our swmming kit of a 16 min quick risk most days and then in the wash when I'm doing a normal load
yes sure the costumes and towels will degrade eventually but that would happen anyway.

dllive

Ive just taken a photo:



Ive seen on other Beko washing machines there is a dedicated Programme for sportswear and gym kits https://ao.com/l/washing_machines-beko-654/1-6-20/1/

Its counter-intuitive, but I think the longer times are more economical than the shorted times (because of the reasons above). The Cottons mode is 2+ hours; whereas the Cottons Eco mode is 2.5/3+ hours.

Even so, 2.5+ hours for a few gym shirts and shorts seems excessive. Although I have to remind myself that it is counter intuitive!

Ill see if I can dig out the manual online for it. I noticed the Wash and Wear mode is only 20 minutes!

theoretica

Is your gym kit actually cotton?  Cotton often means a hotter wash and especially if your machine heats the water more energy.  I would just try a gentle cold wash. Sometimes I just give a quick rinse in the sink and that is all that is needed.  I find it very important for gym kit to try and let it dry as soon after wearing as possible, not leave it forgotten in the bag.

Aylesbury_Duck

As above, the standard eco programme at 40C seems to work for me and my sports kit.  I find the Lidl bio powder to be very effective, and I add a spoonful of soda crystals to the wash as well.

EssexHebridean

Fitness kit certainly shouldn't be cotton - you'll know if you're running in cotton t-shirts as you'll have awful chafing...! 

I chuck ours - MrEH's rugby kit and my fitness stuff (cycling, running, gym) in a pretty standard wash - 30 degree temp, usual amount of powder - and it all comes out fine, and again, I wait until we have a full load of it to make it worthwhile. There's also no reason why it can't just go in with any other load of the right sort of colour. 

dllive

Aylesbury_Duck said:

As above, the standard eco programme at 40C seems to work for me and my sports kit.  I find the Lidl bio powder to be very effective, and I add a spoonful of soda crystals to the wash as well.

Out of interest, how long does your Eco programme take to run?

Sea_Shell

My running/swimming kit just gets chucked in the wash basket and then split lights/darks and washed in with everything else at 40°

Some of my older whites (sports bras mainly) are turning orange !?!   I may need to bleach them.

We normally knock down the wash time too, maybe we shouldn't, but in the summer we just want it cracked on with, so we can get 2 loads done and out on the line.

Full time washes...life's too short!!

dllive

Sea_Shell said:

My running/swimming kit just gets chucked in the wash basket and then split lights/darks and washed in with everything else at 40°

Do you wash muddy/sweaty running stuff with... for example.. towels, nice clothes etc? Id be concerned that the mud/sweat would transfer to my (for example) bedding. 

EssexHebridean

Well it might, initially, but as it would then go through the rest of the wash cycle, that would then wash out again as it does if you put in a full load of muddy/sweaty stuff.