Do you want your cycling kit to last longer?  This can be achieved, by following a couple of simply guidelines when it comes to washing it.

Obey the Instructions

Always follow your clothing manufactures instructions. This will ensure its longevity. Most instructions will tell you to use a cold setting and not to use a tumble dryer. In some cases clothing may only be hand washed.

No Nonsense Wash

If your clothing allows it to be machine washed, use a delicate setting. Cycling clothing are delicate items, so threat them that way.  When you are picking a detergent try to use one without dyes, perfumes and softeners. Cycling clothing is made of high performance fabric meant to channel moisture away from your skin. Any residue from fancy detergents will clog up your high performance fabric meaning it will no longer be able to channel the moisture away. As you will be washing you clothing at cool temperature, try and find a detergent that works at low temperature. Some clothing manufactures have produced their own washing detergent, which they claim is designed specifically for technical athletic clothing. Two such examples are Assos Active Wear Cleanser (€16) and Eurostyle Sports Kit Wash (€15.59).

Zipp It & Bag It

When washing your cycling clothing try to wash it separately from your regular clothing. If this is not possible only wash it with other delicate items.  A pair of hard tumbling jeans in a washing machine can cause damage to your delicate cycling clothing. Before putting your clothes in the washing machine, zip them up and turn them inside out. Doing this will help protect the print on the jersey and prevent loose zips damaging the rest of your cycling clothing. Finish up, by putting your items in a mesh washing bag. This will help protect the clothing further.

Drying Out

Once your clothes have been washed, the next step is drying them. Always try and let your clothes dry naturally.Don’t use a tumble drier to dry them. Heat from a tumble drier can be a dangerous place for high performance fabrics. If you hand wash your cycling kit a handy trick to help dry them would be to get a large towel. Place the wet garment in the middle of it and fold the edges in so the garment is covered. Ring the towel out just as you would if it were full of water.