Youth athletic clothes get washed differently from almost everything else in the laundry basket.
They deal with sweat, grass, dirt, repeated wear, gym bags and the occasional practice uniform that does not make it into the hamper until the next morning.
Performance fabric is designed to handle movement. Taking care of it properly helps preserve the stretch, fit and comfort that made it useful in the first place.
Always start with the care instructions on the garment itself, but a few habits can help performance apparel last through a busy sports season.
Do not let wet athletic gear sit in the bag
One of the simplest things a family can do happens before the washing machine ever turns on.
If shorts, shirts or other athletic clothes are damp after practice, take them out of the sports bag as soon as possible.
Leaving sweaty clothing compressed in a closed bag gives moisture and odor more time to settle into the fabric.
If the clothes cannot be washed immediately, letting them air out is usually better than leaving them balled up overnight.
Turn performance clothes inside out
The inside of athletic apparel is where much of the sweat and skin contact happens.
Turning clothing inside out before washing helps expose that side of the garment during the wash cycle while also reducing unnecessary abrasion on logos, reflective details and the outside surface.
This is particularly useful for performance shorts that are worn repeatedly through practices, school and training.
Use the garment's recommended wash temperature
Heat is not automatically better when cleaning performance clothing.
Always follow the garment's care label. Many synthetic performance fabrics are designed to wash effectively without extremely hot water.
Excessive heat can be hard on stretch fibers, elastic waistbands and certain finishes over time.
The goal is to clean the garment without unnecessarily stressing the materials that give it its performance characteristics.
Be careful with fabric softener
Fabric softener can leave a coating on some technical fabrics.
That may change the way the material manages moisture or feels over time.
If the care label advises against fabric softener, skip it. For performance apparel, following the product-specific washing instructions matters more than treating it like ordinary cotton clothing.
Use the dryer carefully
Again, the care label should make the final decision.
When a performance garment allows tumble drying, lower heat is often gentler on elastic and stretch components than repeated exposure to very high temperatures.
Air drying is another option when appropriate for the garment and your family's schedule.
The important point is that performance apparel contains materials chosen for movement and recovery, so laundry habits should help protect those properties rather than work against them.
What about odor?
Odor is one of the most common frustrations with youth sports apparel.
Young athletes sweat, gear may stay damp after practice and favorite clothes often get worn frequently.
Washing promptly, allowing damp gear to air out and following the garment's care instructions all help.
Some performance fabrics also include odor-resistant technology designed to help the garment stay fresher through active use.
CoreFlex, for example, uses odor-resistant performance fabric because repeat wear is part of how youth athletes actually use their clothes.
Do not confuse odor resistance with skipping the laundry
Odor-resistant apparel still needs to be washed.
The purpose of odor resistance is not to replace normal garment care. It is another performance feature designed around active use, just like four-way stretch or a secure waistband.
Parents should still wash athletic apparel according to the care label after use and whenever the garment needs cleaning.
Check high-stress areas regularly
Youth athletes are hard on clothes.
Occasionally check waistbands, seams, pocket openings and high-friction areas for early signs of wear.
Finding a loose thread or small issue early is easier than discovering it after another month of practices and washes.
This is especially true for athletes who wear the same favorite pair several times each week.
Performance clothing should survive real life
The best care routine should not be complicated.
Take damp clothes out of the bag. Follow the care label. Avoid unnecessary heat or treatments the garment does not call for. Let performance fabrics do the job they were designed to do.
At Eyrx, we build CoreFlex around the reality that youth athletic clothes will be worn hard, washed often and pulled back out of the drawer again.
