Washing gear

[bighit8]

I got this idea from the protection thread.How come when I wash my clothes,gear ect it is ok. But when my mom or a girl wash it for me ( if im lucky) it always smells so much better and is way softer?

[Vickie]

Because they probably take the time to use Fabric Softner.....

Originally Posted by bighit8

I got this idea from the protection thread.How come when I wash my clothes,gear ect it is ok. But when my mom or a girl wash it for me ( if im lucky) it always smells so much better and is way softer?

[COLEKO]

Originally Posted by Vickie

Because they probably take the time to use Fabric Softner.....

Just be careful about using fabric softner with Jerseys, Pads,Gloves, Nylon stuff. It can degrade them.

[bighit8]

This was more of a joke, but hey I can use some washing tips anyways!

[project_d]

How do you wash them? What cycle, what water temp, what detergent, how do you dry them? Also, how do they do it?

As for me, I wash on cold, use liquid detergent, and wash on a normal cycle (not short or long). Afterwards, I absolutely do not throw them in the dryer. Gloves, jersey, shorts, shoes; I let them all air dry. They come out smelling oh so clean.

Originally Posted by bighit8

This was more of a joke, but hey I can use some washing tips anyways!

Then your joke sucks. But take my washing tips anyways.

[jasonmason]

You can wash gear?

[COLEKO]

Originally Posted by jasonmason

You can wash gear?

Speaking of washing gear. When it comes to washing my stuff I wash my gloves and shin guards once a week. My Helmet gets washed with just water about every two weeks. and my Hydration pack gets thrown in the washer once a month. I like keeping my stuff clean.

[sdyeti]

Do not dry anything with spandex unless you need to. This, in addition to fabric softener, will degrade the elasticity.

Fabric softener will also kill the water-resistance and wicking properties of some fabrics.

[bighit8]

Man I slack, I wash my shirts,shorts, socks, underwear............. But gloves helmet and pack never.My straps on my helmet are stiff from all the salt.

[Jman]

I'm with Big, I hadly ever wash gloves or helmet parts. They work better dirty....right????

[graves.z]

Originally Posted by sdyeti

Do not dry anything with spandex unless you need to. This, in addition to fabric softener, will degrade the elasticity.

Fabric softener will also kill the water-resistance and wicking properties of some fabrics.

If your clothes wear out from washing than your not riding enough.

But seriously, do you hang them outside to dry? And how long does it take to dry shorts, packs, etc.? I've never hung clothes out to dry.

[sdyeti]

Well if you ride all the time, then you would wash more, right?

They won't be as stretchy...how many times have you seen someone with baggy-spandex-ass syndrome?

I hang them up overnight and they are good to go. Nylon and spandex dry much faster than cotton. I don't have an outdoor clothesline...I just use a cheapie rack or the shower curtain rod.

Originally Posted by graves.z

If your clothes wear out from washing than your not riding enough.

But seriously, do you hang them outside to dry? And how long does it take to dry shorts, packs, etc.? I've never hung clothes out to dry.

[COLEKO]

Originally Posted by graves.z

If your clothes wear out from washing than your not riding enough.

But seriously, do you hang them outside to dry? And how long does it take to dry shorts, packs, etc.? I've never hung clothes out to dry.

I wash my stuff often because I ride just about everyday. Things just get dirty when you ride a lot.

I hang dry my gloves, Hydration pack, Guards. They take about day to dry or even faster. Things made from Nylon and stuff dry fast.

[dutch]

As all of you probably should, I wash my shorts and jerseys after every ride.

I wash my gloves after maybe a couple weeks of riding (especially my commute FF gloves).

I wash everything in the regular cycle with my other clothes, and pull all my cycling gear (except the gloves) out before drying. i hang the gear over the shower rail in my bathroom.

My helmet gets its pads cleaned maybe every month and a half, when i notice the straps getting crusty (i'll clean the straps, too).

I can't remember the last time I rinsed out the bladder in my deuter pack. In fact I'd say it was probably only a few times after I bought it, when I still thought it'd grow mold like a camelbak bladder or water bottle.

[BrewMaster]

We (read: Linda) hang all of our riding stuff to dry, no dryer. But then again Linda hang dries almost all of my polos and dress shirts so they don't shrink and get short...pet peeve of hers.

I don't wash my gloves often enough. I take the pads out of our helmets and Linda throws them in the delicates wash bag. The rest of the helmet we wash by hand.

[Pugz]

Originally Posted by graves.z

But seriously, do you hang them outside to dry? And how long does it take to dry shorts, packs, etc.? I've never hung clothes out to dry.

I washed my pack, gloves and shorts when I got home from riding yesterday. I hung them up around 4 and they were mostly dry before I went to bed.

[firemedic85]

I use rain water all natural and wont harm fabrics

[Waldo]

Considering that most riding gear is made of synthetics that are made to wick moisture, it stands to reason they'll usually dry quickly.

I'm pretty meticulous. I wash gloves after every ride, just because they're often near my face (wiping sweat, adjusting glasses, etc), and I can't stand having glove funk in my face. Same for headbands, knee & arm warmers, etc. Besides, those small pieces can be rinsed with Woolite in the sink with minimal effort if I don't want to run the washer. Normal routine is to use the washer on delicate with cold water, no softener, and air dry everything.

And I never ride in shorts that haven't been washed: That's a bad science experiment waiting to happen.

My helmet gets a rinse every few weeks, and the Camelback gets it every few months when I can't tell what color it was due to the salt buildup.

One last tip I learned from motocross days: Gear bags, shoes, and other items that don't often get washed can at least smell a little better if you store them with a dryer sheet inside.

OMG, I think I just turned into the Martha Stewart of STR! Sooo, how about them Chargers? (burp)

[foofighter]

im at a lose with my helmet straps...i cant take them off and i tried filling up a bucket w/a touch of bleach and set my helmet so the straps dangle and soak in the water...it helps it but not by much

[Bryguy17]

i would guess for helmet straps, just getting the straps wet and rubbing them a bit would at least help soften them (washes away the salt from the sweat)

everything else excepting my pack and shoes gets thrown in the washer and air-dried. the gloves especially need cleaning cause they smell like arse after a few rides. but they do come out super comfy and soft