General Cycling Discussion - What do you wash your shorts with?

I hand wash my cycling jersey and shorts in the sink - I'm not a laundry snob - I just don't want to have it wrapped around the washing machine.

Can I use plain shampoo in the sink? I have used kids shampoo a few times and not noticed any ill effects.

what do you use?

I just throw them in with the wash and have never had any problems at all.

With my wife being a runner and me cycling on a daily basis, we have a full load of workout clothes. We just wash them in the washing machine on gentle cycle with no fabric softner. Hang to dry.

I wash all my cycling stuff in the machine, gentle cycle, cold water with a cap of woolite, or in the sink, with a couple of changes of water to rinse. DO NOT use fabric softener, it affects the ability of the material to wick moisture away. I let them air dry in the shower. A good tip is to turn all the stuff inside out before you wash it, help prevent any little pulls or nubs from forming. If you want to machine dry them keep the heat really low and check a bunch.

Hope this helps,

Steve W

Another vote for regular machine wash without softener. I even wash them on regular cycle with other clothing. Just make sure the zippers on the other stuff are closed. Otherwise they might make holes in the jerseys. All the cycling stuff comes out of the washer almost dry and you are not supposed to put it into the dryer, therefore I also line dry it. :)

I've got a big bowl that I keep in the bathroom. After a ride I throw some regular soap powder in the bowl, put it in the tub, fill it with water and the cycling duds, and have a shower and after I'm done, I just rinse it out and hang it up on the shower rod. A couple of extra minutes and I always have fresh, clean duds.

Regular machine wash, regular detergent, extra rinse cycle, no fabric softener. Do the zippers up on the jersey and maybe turn it inside out.

If you're really worried about them put them into a one of those webbing/netting/silk/whatever garment bags first (the kind my wife bought for washing her bras).

Hang dry.

I just toss them in the wash with whatever laundry detergent is available.

Woolite. Gentle cycle. But, they're wool.

Washer and dryer with all of the family's laundry. I would probably hang dry, but I don't do the laundry and I'm not going to tell my wife how to wash my clothes ;) . I'm just happy they get washed and there's always clean bibs in the bike clothes drawer.

Regular laundry, cold water and hang dry. Didn't think about turning inside out and zipping up the zipper. Will from now on.

Err.....In da washing machine. When touring, I rinse em out in hot water, without any soap

Simple Green on the armpits of the jersey and pad on the shorts, scrub a bit, then let soak in warm water in the sink, a but more Simple Green in the water, then whem I remember about them rinse and hang up, over the sink first until they stop dripping then elsewhere - not outside as anything left outside gets stolen around here.

Hand wash only, in the bathroom sink, before my shower. I use anti-bacteria soap, second and third rinse in cold water. Hang to dry is shower stall over-night.

I have a water miser washing machine; I pop my stuff in there on quick 30 minutes with a tiny amount of detergent, no softener, it hardly uses water, comes out fresh and almost dry.

In the washer with the other stuff, but not on the outside line, inside draped over the bike or nearby chairs.

a

4 cyclists in this house; there will be no hand washing. Machine wash gentle with liquid laundry soap, no softener. Machine dry on delicate. We all have at least two pairs of shorts and jerseys, I actually have more since I get to ride more, so we end up with a full load without any trouble.

Machine wash with Delicare/Ivory Snow/Dreft (or any gentle detergent) in cold water then just air dry it. Haven't had any problems.

I have been riding since the late 70's. My first shorts were wool, with real chamois. (yes, I also rode with cleats that were nailed on the bottom of my shoes.) I hand washed everything and hung it to dry. About 1996 I began washing everything in the normal wash. Putting everything in the dryer too. No difference as far as I can tell. The shorts and jerseys all last about the same amount of time hand washed or machine washed. I do turn everything inside out before washing.

Hand wash only, in the bathroom sink, before my shower. I use anti-bacteria soap, second and third rinse in cold water. Hang to dry is shower stall over-night.

I do the exact same thing.

- Don

Washing machine, and dryer on low. My cannondale shorts get washed like this every week and look and feel brand new.

regular laundry. Dryer on low.

You're supposed to wash your shorts? Can't say I've ever done that. Now I know why people don't like to draft off of me.

You're supposed to wash your shorts? Can't say I've ever done that. Now I know why people don't like to draft off of me.

:eek:

That is just gross.