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the datlas super fun and efficient post-ride laundry system

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the datlas super fun and efficient post-ride laundry system

Old 07-04-13, 04:22 PM
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the datlas super fun and efficient post-ride laundry system

I figured I should share with the 41 the system I have developed, over DECADES of riding, to clean my shorts/bibs and jersey after a long ride.

I know most of you just throw your kit in the washer and dryer, and if that works for you, that's great. I think your cycling clothes will last longer if you wash them by hand (or in my case, by foot).

So you come home all sweaty and stinky from a ride. You need a shower. Kill two birds with one stone.

1. Throw bike clothes in the shower. Be sure to cover the drain (with the clothing) if you use a stall shower, or better yet put the plunger down like you are taking a bath.

2. Turn on water and once you have desired temperature, hop in the shower.

3. Stomp on your bike clothes for 20 seconds (prewash)

4. Shampoo hair and after rinsing, stomp on bike clothes again for approx 30 seconds (wash cycle #1 ).

5. Wash body with soap and rinse, after rinsing stomp on bike clothes yet again for 30 seconds (wash cycle #2 ).

6. Pick up bike clothes and wring out, hold under running shower, repeat rinse/wring 3 times. (rinse cycle)

I then let them hang on the shower bar for a few minutes while I get dressed, then wring out one last time and air dry.
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Old 07-04-13, 04:40 PM
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1) throw in hamper

2) spritz with Febreze

3) do laundry when out of clothes
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Old 07-04-13, 04:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Bah Humbug
1) throw in hamper

2) spritz with Febreze

3) do laundry when out of clothes
4) waste money to replace clothes that are worn before their time.
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Old 07-04-13, 04:51 PM
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You just have to be confident that no other person in the household has tinea or athletes foot and has left spores in the shower bay... and your wife doesn't have super-long hair

I am with Hummer on this -- I do have 15-odd pairs of bike shorts to choose from, and more than 20 jerseys, so the wear from washing gets passed around. And we use a front-loader these days, which is gentler on clothing than top-loaders.
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Old 07-04-13, 05:04 PM
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And, all my tri gear says no hot water and no wringing.
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Old 07-04-13, 05:08 PM
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Originally Posted by datlas
4) waste money to replace clothes that are worn before their time.
5)
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Old 07-04-13, 05:09 PM
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I do pretty much that when I'm training a lot so I don't have to do ridiculous amts of laundry.

Even simpler (but essentially the same)
- Throw clothes in shower.
- At some point, get a bunch of soap or shampoo on 'em and briefly lather them. Takes like 20 seconds
- Rinse them (important - I've forgotten to rinse a few times and wasn't good!)
- Hang dry on a hook in the shower

I don't even bother to wring them. Just drip dry, and they're usually dry by the next day, or at least dry enough that I'm not bothered if I re-use them.

I'll put 'em in the laundry after one of these cycles though.
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Old 07-04-13, 05:30 PM
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Great advice @datlas.
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Old 07-04-13, 05:31 PM
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I follow a similar procedure, but only with bibs. Jerseys go in the washer.
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Old 07-04-13, 05:42 PM
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Nachoman washes on the gentle cycle and hang dries.
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Old 07-04-13, 05:54 PM
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I have a load of jerseys in the wash right now. Gentle cycle. Cold water.
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Old 07-04-13, 06:22 PM
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I sometimes hand wash my kits in the shower as well. I used to hand wash them after every ride but have been using the washer as of late due to time restraints and now that I have more kits its not such an urgent matter anymore.
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Old 07-04-13, 06:26 PM
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I was washing my cycling stuff in the shower. I think I'm going to go back to the machine with a wash bag.

The main issue with the shower is that you want to wash most stuff on cold. I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of cold showers. So really there are 3 options:
1) Hand wash in hot water (shower).
2) Machine wash cold.
3) Dedicated washing in a bucket or tub.

#3 is the easiest on clothing, but not exactly time efficient.
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Old 07-04-13, 06:38 PM
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+1 On the front load gentle cycle, cold water & hang to dry.
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Old 07-04-13, 07:02 PM
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Originally Posted by areFish
+1 On the front load gentle cycle, cold water & hang to dry.
+2
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Old 07-04-13, 07:14 PM
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with most newer washers (especially the front loading ones since they dont have an agitator) you dont really have to worry about them damaging your cloths. The cycles are pretty gentle and shouldnt decrease the life of your clothing.

I still choose not to dry my clothes though, as extensive heat probably isnt good for them.
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Old 07-04-13, 08:49 PM
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Just gotta add-

I've been using 3 pairs of bibs and 1 pair of shorts for the past 4 years, and I pretty much throw them in the spincycle dry weekly.

There is zero damage to any of them, and they all look pretty much completely intact - no frayed threads from the dryer. I thought they'd get beat up after awhile in the dryer, but no such luck - the fibers are as tight and intact as they were when I got them. Since then I've never been afraid to cycle dry any of my bike/run clothes. All of them have done great.
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Old 07-04-13, 09:11 PM
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Originally Posted by areFish
+1 On the front load gentle cycle, cold water & hang to dry.
+3
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Old 07-04-13, 09:25 PM
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This stomping you're doing is more stress on the clothes than a proper hand wash. (And if you're going to be anal, that's what they want you to do. Hand wash. Not foot wash.) Also, what exactly is in your shampoo? Or your conditioner? How do you know those chemicals are not damaging the properties of your clothes? Further more since you're not really soaking things with a proper detergent then I'd be wary of bacteria on the chamois.

Call me +4 for gentle cycle, front load, hang dry.
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Old 07-04-13, 09:30 PM
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I'm a serious biker, my legs are too shot to do all that 30 sec stomping.

I'll let Kenmore do the wash for me, thankyouverymuch.
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Old 07-04-13, 09:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Nachoman

Nachoman washes on the gentle cycle and hang dries.
ditto
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Old 07-04-13, 09:57 PM
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Originally Posted by cmc0108
with most newer washers (especially the front loading ones since they dont have an agitator) you dont really have to worry about them damaging your cloths. The cycles are pretty gentle and shouldnt decrease the life of your clothing.

I still choose not to dry my clothes though, as extensive heat probably isnt good for them.
Originally Posted by hhnngg1
Just gotta add-

I've been using 3 pairs of bibs and 1 pair of shorts for the past 4 years, and I pretty much throw them in the spincycle dry weekly.

There is zero damage to any of them, and they all look pretty much completely intact - no frayed threads from the dryer. I thought they'd get beat up after awhile in the dryer, but no such luck - the fibers are as tight and intact as they were when I got them. Since then I've never been afraid to cycle dry any of my bike/run clothes. All of them have done great.
From what I have read, and my experience, spin drying lycra/elastin/spandex is good because it shortens the fibres again and restores the clothing's tightness and support.

Certainly, I have three or four pairs of Pearl Izumi shorts that are around 10 years old and have seen thousands of miles of riding, and are still wearable. Some are thin in the fabric admittedly, but still able to be worn and still providing the required support and comfort under long pants or over shorts.

Much does depend on the quality of the fabric from the get-go.

I have to add that we don't have a dryer at home, and we air dry all our clothes. However, the method outlined by datlas in the thread-starter has been used by touring cyclists for as long as there have been touring cyclists. We do use dryers when on tour...
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Old 07-04-13, 10:12 PM
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Originally Posted by datlas
4) waste money to replace clothes that are worn before their time.
I call BS on this statement. I have been washing any and every kit then hang drying them, they come out the same as if hand washed.

Originally Posted by RT
5)
Eaxactly

Originally Posted by Nachoman

Nachoman washes on the gentle cycle and hang dries.

Exactly
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Old 07-04-13, 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by datlas
I figured I should share with the 41 the system I have developed, over DECADES of riding, to clean my shorts/bibs and jersey after a long ride.

I know most of you just throw your kit in the washer and dryer, and if that works for you, that's great. I think your cycling clothes will last longer if you wash them by hand (or in my case, by foot).

So you come home all sweaty and stinky from a ride. You need a shower. Kill two birds with one stone.

1. Throw bike clothes in the shower. Be sure to cover the drain (with the clothing) if you use a stall shower, or better yet put the plunger down like you are taking a bath.
It is more fun to get into the shower with someone of the opposite sex. Rub them with shampoo hands. Let them rub you with soapy hands. Remove cloths. Rub them with shampoo hands. Let them rub you with soapy hands.......

cloth get washed.
I get washes. (I feel so dirty.)
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Old 07-04-13, 10:38 PM
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Laying the clothes over a box fan (on low) speeds up the drying process. I sometimes have to do that to have dry clothes by ride time.
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