Sportswear and Delicates: Know Your Basics
Laundry powder is a reliable option for regular laundry like t-shirts, towels and bedding, but when it comes to sportswear or delicate fabrics, we recommend specialty detergents in liquid form. Read on to learn why!
🎾 SPORTSWEAR
Sportswear is made of synthetic fabrics that are designed to be lightweight and moisture-wicking to keep you comfortable and dry during your workout. Use a detergent formulated for sportswear to preserve the fabric.
What's so special about sportswear detergent?
Sportswear detergent will remove sweat and bacteria from synthetic fabric, effectively neutralizing odor while preserving the special properties of your athletic wear.
We like Tangent Garment Care's sportswear detergent, which is clover scented—it's mild and grassy with a touch of citrus (like a field on a spring day). You can hand wash your sportswear with this detergent or machine wash on a sportswear cycle.
What's a sportswear cycle?
A sportswear cycle alternates between warm and cold water so that the specialty fabric is preserved while still getting sweat and odor out.
If your washer doesn't have a sportswear cycle, here's what you can do: choose a cold wash cycle and add a white vinegar rinse (1/2 a cup of distilled white vinegar poured in the fabric softener tray to combat odor).
Do not use fabric softener on sportswear. Fabric softener is designed to coat fabric to give it a "soft" feeling. The coating will trap odor causing bacteria and prevent your sportswear from coming out clean and fresh after each wash.
Air dry your freshly washed sportswear for best results.
🐑 DELICATES
Protein-based fibers like silk and cashmere have an elevated look and feel to them, so it's best to wash them with a detergent that will clean without causing damage or shrinkage.
Which detergent is best for delicates?
To extend the life of silk and cashmere, wash with a gentle liquid detergent. Tangent Garment Care, the Swedish brand we mentioned earlier, makes a yuzu detergent that is pretty heavenly! It smells light and citrusy, like mandrin orange and ripe grapefruit.
Use their yuzu detergent to hand wash (one bottle should last up to 50 hand washes) or machine wash your delicates. When hand washing, remember to be very gentle.
Which wash cycle is best for silk and cashmere?
When machine washing, choose the gentlest cycle on your washer. Wool or Hand Wash cycles are preferred, if available.
Don't fill up the drum. It's better to wash only 2-3 items at a time. Keep in mind that too much agitation, as well as hot or icy water, can shock cashmere and cause shrinkage.
Do not wring out a delicate garment after washing. Instead, roll up the garment in a clean towel and squeeze the water out, then lay it flat to dry.
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We also recommend using a mesh bag for delicates for extra protection for your delicate clothes!
Both liquid detergents mentioned above come in bioplastic bottles made from sugarcane. For more information, check out the product descriptions in our shop. Happy washing!
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Words by Mutia Adisoma
Photo by Gerald Riedler