DS rugby kit saturated with mud ….

[Merguez]

… what is best way to wash? Think it needs a wash of it's own; should I do a pre-wash too in order to get it completely clean?

Almost all synthetic fabrics; mainly black …

Thank you expert launderers of Mumsnet.

Tbh just a routine wash. If you go too hot the colours run and it looks crappy.

No ones kit looks pristine. Just get it clean and stop it smelling. But do wash it alone.

Gosh - that read really bossy

I did rugby kit washes for 20 years. They don't care is my point really.

Let it start to dry and shake excess off the do a long wash with prewash.

The advantage of mud is that it's fairly uncomplicated -- not greasy or containing (too many) substances that stain badly. A regular 30 degree synthetic wash should be fine.

Thx - brand new kit worn for first time today so I'm being slightly precious about it; also some bits needed tomorrow so don't have massive amount of time ...

DH and DS are cyclocross rider (kind of like cross country running on skinny bikes). They regularly get covered in mud head to toe, front and back. They hose each other, and their bikes, down after each race. DH has a pressure washer just for this purpose.

I don't know how muddy it is possible to get a rugby kit, you've said "saturated" but that implies it's quite wet, thin mud, which should be fine in a washing machine.

I am more careful with really huge clumps of thick mud with grass in them, cos I think that probably could clog a machine.

What I do with my own extremely muddy stuff (from winter country walks, allotment etc) is chuck it in the bath first. I put a little plastic sieve thing in the plughole so that grass etc doesn't block it, then use the shower (which is over the bath) to hose off the big lumps of mud and grass. For boots I use a horses hoof pick to get the worst off the soles.

Having got rid of the most enormous lumps I then chuck it in a bucket to carry to the washing machine. The contents of the little sieve get flicked into the loo and flushed away.

Personally, I would try and hose/shake off as much excess mud outside as I could before putting it in the machine. I don't like the though of all that gunk getting caught up in the system, though it sounds like maybe it wouldn't from what others are saying. Still, I would still do it for peace of mind.

If it's dry, brush as much off as possible.

If not dry, pick off what to can, and consider hosing off bad debris (just in the interests of not wrecking the machine, and in loosening the mud a bit).

Then wash according to label instructions.

I let it dry, shake the worst lumps of mud off, put in washing machind on its own and let the wash start. After about 10 mins when everything is wet and shampooed, I stop the machine and let it soak for 1 hour or so, then continue. My machine picks up where I stopped it.

My son has white stripes in his rugby kit and if I don't soak it, it doesn't get clean.

Boots on the other hand - are a pita.

Hoofpicks with a small stiff nylon brush on them are really handy for cleaning muddy (human) shoes!

I'd hose it first. But, I never wash dh's kit, as I do enough washing during the week.

Get him to fill a bucket with hot, soapy water and send him outside with the instruction 'Get swishing'. Get him to change the water after a few minutes of swishing, then to swish again.
He can then wring out his kit and wash it in the washing machine according to the washing instructions.
Please teach your DS to do his own washing, if only to save his poor future wife from discovering he's plonked a load of vomit-covered bedding in the wash with her white linen shirts, washed them all together on a cold wash and left the resulting mess for her to sort out (Yes, DH, I'm looking at you! )