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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:
catfunk · 21/02/2023 22:10

If it passed the sniff test it'd be fine by me.
But I used to do a gym class with guys who'd turn up STINKING clearly wearing heavily sweated in gym clothes again...

dementedpixie · 21/02/2023 22:11

I couldn't reuse any of my gym wear as I sweat too much

lljkk · 21/02/2023 22:11

I'm unhygienic & I'd do it thus probably not what you want to hear...

thing about synthetic fabrics, which is probably what your items are made of, gets stinkier a lot faster than natural fabrics. So... up to you. If you can't smell them, then you're fine.

Btjdkfnn · 21/02/2023 22:11

I don't think so - it's bacteria isn't it? Airing won't solve that, they need washing out.

C1N1C · 21/02/2023 22:17

I do, and largely rely on sniff test.

The smell comes from bacteria, and most of the smell comes from under your arms... so a quick way of minimising the chance of being smelly is a squirt of hand sanitiser under the arms before you work out. If you're smelly before you use it, the smell will stay, but if you're clean, you'll find you won't smell after.

rookiemere · 21/02/2023 22:19

If I have just done a short morning run, I'll rewear the stuff for my outdoor gym class.

CampervanKween · 21/02/2023 22:30

I do this but I really don't sweat much. Mainly do yoga and the like.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 21/02/2023 22:32

Only if you want to find out halfway through a workout that the sniff test doesn't apply when body heat increases...

Just wash them.

EarringsandLipstick · 21/02/2023 22:32

Walk yes, run no.

Also, you tend not to notice a smell initially, it's a while after.

Airing does nothing.

However, if you haven't sweated much & aren't going to wear them in close proximity to others, I guess it's ok.

Personally I couldn't but I do work out intensively & would be sweaty.

PartingGift · 21/02/2023 22:33

I soak my gym clothes in a bucket of water with a bit of vinegar in it, before washing them on a 30/40oc cycle. I used to leave them a while before washing them all together, and some of them still stunk after they'd been in the washing machine 😳.

If I'd just been for a walk and not got sweaty, I would rewear leggings and a top, but everything else gets soaked and then washed.

Original poster
TowerStork · 21/02/2023 23:09

OK. I leaning towards changing my habit. After the first week of couch to 5k I should be getting sweater during a workout anyway.

For those who say airing does nothing, I was thinking that being left on the line overnight and then getting the sunshine afterwards would break down sweat.

OP posts:
BogRollBOGOF · 21/02/2023 23:13

I'll re-wear clothes from less sweaty class workouts for solo runs the next day if they pass the sniff test. Certain long-sleeved tops inevitably dont because they sit on my arm pits, but vests and leggings are often fine.

Washing everything for the sake of it costs money, resources, time and wears gear out sooner.

megletthesecond · 21/02/2023 23:14

I'd wear running leggings twice outdoors in colder weather. I always wear a fresh top though. I aim to line dry gym kit inside out as much as possible.

BogRollBOGOF · 21/02/2023 23:14

TowerStork · 21/02/2023 23:09

OK. I leaning towards changing my habit. After the first week of couch to 5k I should be getting sweater during a workout anyway.

For those who say airing does nothing, I was thinking that being left on the line overnight and then getting the sunshine afterwards would break down sweat.

Airing can be enough for some items if the workout wasn't very sweaty.

stevalnamechanger · 21/02/2023 23:28

I re wear all the time If pass sniff test also . No issues with it here

InTheMiddle23 · 21/02/2023 23:30

Another who rewears a lot. Home workouts though

bookmarket · 21/02/2023 23:43

Put them in the freezer.

EarringsandLipstick · 22/02/2023 06:56

TowerStork · 21/02/2023 23:09

OK. I leaning towards changing my habit. After the first week of couch to 5k I should be getting sweater during a workout anyway.

For those who say airing does nothing, I was thinking that being left on the line overnight and then getting the sunshine afterwards would break down sweat.

No it wouldn't - where did you get that idea from?! Re sunshine & sweat!

BooksAndHooks · 22/02/2023 07:00

I wouldn’t. Even if it doesn’t smell leaving the sweat on the clothes will allow bacteria and then wearing again to exercise. I wouldn’t want to risk ruining the clothes, sweat smell is stubborn and can be hard to get out completely.

LolaSmiles · 22/02/2023 07:06

I'll rewear sports leggings if it's been a low intensity workout. I'll air out my tops if I'm wearing my merino wool ones as I have them precisely so they don't smell if I'm away camping for a weekend.

I won't rewear any synthetic sports tops though because they always end up smelling a bit.

tulips27 · 22/02/2023 07:08

So what's the truth about natural fibres like cotton vs. manmade? I was just about to buy a bunch of long-sleeved cotton tops to run in when I read that it gets smellier than man-made on here, but someone above is saying the opposite.

devildeepbluesea · 22/02/2023 07:08

I rewear all the time. My washing load would increase exponentially if I didn’t, which is a bit crap both for me and the environment!

yoshiblue · 22/02/2023 07:22

I rewear gym clothes twice before a wash, after a run no.

thirstyformore · 22/02/2023 07:24

I rewear, but I run so I'm usually outside and by myself. If I do a rare indoor class I would probably wear a fresh set.

More difficult in summer when I arrive home a sweaty mess.

I run at least 5 times a week (as does DH) and from an environmental perspective I feel I should at least attempt to rewear otherwise we'd be constantly washing.

bookmarket · 22/02/2023 07:26

Really, the freezer thing works. I put a lightly worn sports top or leggings in a bag, in the freezer overnight. Any hint of odour disappears. The below zero temp apparently kills the bacteria. Try it. You'll be amazed.