Let’s Talk Cycling Laundry

• http://twitter.com/jogle2012 Alex Buckland

  Depends on how muddy I get really. Usually I just step straight into the shower with everything still on, including shoes and heltmet and just give it all a real good rinse while I take it off. Then wring it out and hang up over the bath, most of my stuff is quick dry material so its ready to go again in 2-3 hours.

  Also if I’m in a rush, I’ll take the bike in the shower with me too. Maximum use of water!

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    I think I need to install an outdoor shower. That way I can walk in with everything on like you mentioned and then put it right on the line to dry off. Then either run into the house quickly while I’m naked…..or make sure there is a towel or dry clothes close by.

• http://lovingthebike.com Darryl is Loving the Bike

  Thanks for your comments, Bob.

• http://twitter.com/dboyd22 Dave Boyd

  I do wash my stuff after (almost) every workout, ride or run. At home, sport laundry soap and no-heat dryer. When I’m on the road, I carry a small travel bottle of the same laundry soap. The washer is the hotel sink. The dryer is the shower rod or ironing board in front of the AC/heater. Side benefit is getting some moisture into the hotel air.

  • http://lovingthebike.com Darryl is Loving the Bike

    Speaking of traveling….are you in Texas right now? I hope we can hook up one of these days.

• luv2bike

  I use an autoclave to make sure nothing is growing on the bibs. I then use a centrifuge to get them dry. The last step is giving them one blast with Thermax 504802 Silver UV Light. I then hermetically seal them for freshness. Only the best for DZNUTS.
  

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    Nice video…..you continue to crack me up, Michael.

• http://twitter.com/icemanbb Bob Burpee

  Machine wash cold/warm water on gentle (knits) cycle, air dry.

• http://twitter.com/trimon29 Eric Hutchins

  Wash them with regular clothes but definitely want to keep them out of the dryer, hang and air dry for sure makes them last longer.
  My problem is my cycle shoes.
  Whew, I dont ride with socks, ever, because I want the calluses since I wont be wearing socks (transition time) in triathlons which is what I prefer to do.
  My shoes could kill small animals from 20 yards away, and no amount of powder helps.

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    Another great question…I wear socks so I don’t seem to have that problem. I hope someone comments with a good solution to making your shoes smell better…..for the sake of your family.

    I also hope someone comments with some good helmet cleaning suggestions.

• http://twitter.com/PedalmanTO PedalmanTO

  Wash?! I don’t know this word you speak of. I take my kit/clothes off and put them in a hamper. 2 days later they find their way to my cycling closet.

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    I hope to meet you and your mystery laundry person very soon.

• http://twitter.com/StevieDexter Stevie Dexter Wynn

  “How many days do you go with the same cycling clothes”!? Don’t know how to write the icky noise I just made but mine get washed each ride.

  Unfortunately though I’ve no idea on the washing procedure. I employ a small number of South American tribes women to first strip me from my sweat greased Lycra and chamois and then 5 Oompa-Loompas (one for each limb) carry me up stairs and bathe me for at least 2 hours. The laundry is always promptly finished by the forest dwelling ladies before I get out of the tub and it usually smells of a strange combination of burnt ogre beards and freshly harvested egg plant.

  I’ve no idea what they are doing to my kit but it’s making me go up hills really slowly!

  d8^D

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    Nice…I need to find myself something like that. But you European guys always smell so sweet even when you sweat, so I’m sure your jersey smells great.

  • http://twitter.com/trimon29 Eric Hutchins

    That was good stuff.

• Pedal2stiletto

  I said it the other night but I’ll say it again! GLOVES + Jersey = BAD….I try to get out of my shorts as quick as possible. I am guilty of sitting around in a jersey and RANDOM bottoms left in my trunk!
  How do you get the icky shooo smell out of your Jerseys? Maybe I shouldn’t sit around in them..point taken, but the special soap for athletic clothes is NOT doing the trick. Marketing GIMICK I SWEAR

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    Yeah, I don’ think the key is in the type of soap you use….but soaking them or washing them soon after sweating in them would likely help.

• Chad

  I wash my bib shorts in a Lingerie Wash Bag on delicate cycle with fragrance free liquid soap or soap for delicates. The Lingerie Wash Bag keeps the shorts chamie and bibs from pelting up and make them last longer, also hand dry.

  • Chad

    I ment hang dry, be impossible to hand dry it think….

    • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

      Interesting…thanks for the tip on the lingerie bag. I’ll check with my wife to see if she has one of those.

      • Chad

        My wife did not want my bib short in her lingerie wash bag so she purchased on just for me, LOL.

• Velonista

  I’m jealous to see them hanging outside. We’ve had a long winter and wet spring (still not fully upon us). Cold wash only and then hang to dry (outside when weather permits). We try to keep our laundry to a minimum until the weekend (lower rates, etc.), so depending on the week, I might wear the same shorts two or three times before surrendering them for a Saturday cold wash. I only have one pair of bib tights, though, and they’re continuing to see a lot of wear, and fewer washes. I usually just air out leg- and arm-warmers, and haven’t noticed any odors or anything.

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    Thanks Velonista, yes it is great to hang them outside for sure. I am very grateful for that. Really good comments…..thanks.

• http://twitter.com/tourpro Doug

  At home, I try to keep things in the laundry queue, especially my “lucky” shorts.

  Gloves, yes – the velcro is bad. I hook them together so they stay a pair and the velcro doesn’t do damage.

  My main concern re: shorts – gotta keep them clean to avoid saddle-sores. On vacation or on-tour, first thing after ride is rinse and dry the shorts.When we are in Spain during the Summer, lycra stuff in-the-sun dries almost immediately and is ready for afternoon session if needed. (Also, we do a swab of Listerine or such “down there” to kill bacteria. – possibly TMI).

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    Good stuff, Doug. I hadn’t heard of using Listerine before….interesting.

  • http://www.goingforthegreen.net Dave Krentz

    What a great use for Listerine … their marketing dept needs to know this

    • http://lovingthebike.com Darryl is Loving the Bike

      Yeah, I agree….I wonder if they know about it.

    • http://lovingthebike.com Darryl is Loving the Bike

      Yeah, I agree….I wonder if they know about it.

      • http://www.goingforthegreen.net Dave Krentz

        They must. Who’s gonna put that stuff in their mouth?

• Brandon Wright

  wash them in fragrance/dye/BS free detergent. Keep velcro (gloves) away! They’ll grab onto them and sometimes strip colors off of certain fabrics. My VOMax jerseys are especially sensitive to this. Hang them to dry. Thats it.
  Also, what about helmets? I personally believe that washing a helmet will keep it lasting longer. Once a month or so, take it into the shower and shampoo it up with your hair, and rinse. Just to get teh salts from your sweat out of the insides.

  • Azorch

    I have been known to ocassionally jump into the shower after a long ride, washing and rinsing my cycling kit at the same time. In the hot months, they’ll hang dry in a couple of hours.

    • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

      I’ve brought my cycling clothes into the shower to rinse off, but I haven’t worn them in there yet. Thanks for your comment.

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    Yes, thanks for bringing up helmets. I tend to let mine go for a long amount of time….then when I decide to take out the velcro pad inserts and wash them, I am totally freaked out by how dirty they are. I have started cleaning them much more often.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Tim-Starry/100000742238449 Tim Starry

  Cycling clothes are just clothes. I wash them like I would any other piece of clothing, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Nothing special.

  • http://twitter.com/lovingthebike Darryl

    Yeah, I wash them the same as anything…..but it’s the stuff before the washing that I would like to know more about.

  • http://bobaroderagbrai.blogspot.com/ Bob

    I’m w/ Tim on this. I wash them w/ my other clothes, though do air dry them. Haven’t washed, or even thought of washing, my gloves or the inside of my helmet. (Course, I kinda like the slightly salt stained brim of a baseball cap when it’s at that stage between new and just gross.)

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