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Original poster

Is it OK to air gym clohtes instead of washing them after light exercise?

70 replies

TowerStork · 21/02/2023 22:09

After a very light run/walk this evening I hung my gym shorts and sweatshirt on the line to get air overnight instead of putting them in the laundry. I'll use them again Thursday and then put them in the wash. Is this normal/reasonable?

I'm not completely unhygienic in case you are wondering. I showered when I came in and put the socks and sportsbra in the wash. It just seems wasteful to wash gym clothes when I wasn't even that sweaty.

OP posts:
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Reddahlias · 01/03/2023 20:09

Drying clothes drenched in sweat and reusing them is a sure fire route to infection.

What sort of infections do you mean?

Composed almost entirely of water, with only 1-2% being ingredients like salt, protein, fats and acids, perspiration is entirely odorless.

Shitfather · 23/02/2023 13:01

katepilar · 22/02/2023 19:28

Infection? Why do you think so?

Rinsing sweaty clothes and wearing them again is fine.

Show quote history

I imagine bacteria in the sweat, but as I said, I’ve never had a single infection. I walk through puddles of sweat and use the studio yoga mats every day when I do hot yoga and am yet to get ill. I’m not advocating people reuse sweaty gym gear, but mine does not smell after it’s dried.

welshpolarbear · 22/02/2023 22:15

Gwdihooooo · 22/02/2023 19:17

Darked on! 🙄

Ha ha! Great minds.

lljkk · 22/02/2023 21:32

I find how synthetic fabrics feel on my skin slightly creepy. Anyway, evidently I don't do 'normal' exercise since I'm so comfortable exercising in cotton items.
*wondering what "normal" is now

HeadNorth · 22/02/2023 20:57

I rewear my work out gear, but I am a strictly solo exerciser. Never had an infection or any such nonsense and I’ve been doing it for years.

emmathedilemma · 22/02/2023 20:44

I’m a pretty sweaty person but my laundry pile was getting out of control so I might wear leggings for a walk and then for the gym or running, and I’ll wear a sports bra or T-shirt to walk to work and then for more vigorous exercise, but anything more strenuous and it needs to go in the wash.

Sunsetintheeast · 22/02/2023 19:39

Sniff and rewear here. Fuck I workout 5 times a week, it would be endless washing. My running buddy and I sometimes apologise, but I’ve never smelt her either!!

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 22/02/2023 19:36

Artisticpaint · 22/02/2023 07:53

i run outside, i rewear several times, after I’ve left the clothes over the bannister to dry they go back into gym bag. I only have one set of running gear and I have a shower after every run though.

Exactly what I do!

Emptycrackedcup · 22/02/2023 19:32

It probably has bacteria from your sweat on it even if you can't smell it yet, I'd wash it

katepilar · 22/02/2023 19:28

daisychain01 · 22/02/2023 08:11

I can only hope you have a good lymphatic system @Shitfather

Drying clothes drenched in sweat and reusing them is a sure fire route to infection. And it's gross.

Infection? Why do you think so?

Rinsing sweaty clothes and wearing them again is fine.

Lcb123 · 22/02/2023 19:22

I think that’s fine I often rewearing my running clothes especially in the winter

Gwdihooooo · 22/02/2023 19:17

welshpolarbear · 22/02/2023 17:53

I think it's fine if only lightly exercised.

However, they'll get darked on outside all night! Surprised no one else has mentioned this Grin

Ha, i didn’t rtft

Gwdihooooo · 22/02/2023 19:17

Darked on! 🙄

Gwdihooooo · 22/02/2023 19:17

But they’ll get darked by n!

welshpolarbear · 22/02/2023 17:53

I think it's fine if only lightly exercised.

However, they'll get darked on outside all night! Surprised no one else has mentioned this Grin

Shitfather · 22/02/2023 17:50

daisychain01 · 22/02/2023 08:11

I can only hope you have a good lymphatic system @Shitfather

Drying clothes drenched in sweat and reusing them is a sure fire route to infection. And it's gross.

Yep I realise this sounds utterly gross, however, my stuff doesn’t smell and I’ve had no infections to date. I drink a lot of water during yoga, so maybe my sweat isn’t as concentrated. I dunno.

purpledalmation · 22/02/2023 10:45

Sniff test always.

audemoray · 22/02/2023 10:15

I don't change out of them after yoga, if I'm doing something else afterwards, as that's quite gentle and I never break a sweat. Reuse another day, or after another activity, then no.

BlueHeelers · 22/02/2023 10:10

It rarely stinks

That's what you think @Shitfather I wonder what those near you experience ...

BlueHeelers · 22/02/2023 10:08

If you're going to be wearing your gym clothes again without washing in the close vicinity of others, please think again. The smell of stale sweat really is nausea-inducing (well, it is to me, at any rate).

Natsku · 22/02/2023 09:53

I do this, even after heavy exercise, but I only exercise at home so no one else has to smell me if they get stinky Grin

Taswama · 22/02/2023 09:52

I rewear yoga clothes multiple times. Running gear gets washed after every use. (Although I might fish a sports bra out of the washing basket if absolutely necessary to reuse on a run)

rookiemere · 22/02/2023 09:17

I'm beginning to think I'm really skanky between this thread and the one where people are saying OP must wash her hair after swimming before going to hairdressers.

NB I wash my gear after parkrun as I'm sweaty and if it's got wet in the rain, like this morning. Also two wears is my max.

GOODCAT · 22/02/2023 09:07

I re-wear. I don't have enough clothes or laundry baskets to not do that unless I wanted to massively increase our wash load and I want to keep that down for climate reasons. I am nowhere near anyone else when I exercise.

I get through multiple changes of clothes during the course of the day so no way would I wash it all after a few hours of use.

LikeMindedLady · 22/02/2023 08:58

I rewear if possible, save the planet and all that! Seems a huge waste to wash something if I've only jogged around the block for 30mins or been wearing to a gentle yoga class.