This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lysol®. The opinions and text are all mine. Welcome to another great Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up where Annmarie from The Fit Foodie Mama and I bring you workout ideas, motivation, inspiration and recipes to try. Join us each week by reading along, linking up and grab the button to proudly display on your blog/in your posts!
This is probably going to sound silly to anyone who isn't a New Yorker, but one of the best things to ever happen to me was getting an apartment with a washer and dryer IN UNIT. The chore of doing my laundry has become much more bearable now that I don't have to fight for one of three tiny washers in the creepy basement of a 60-unit apartment building. In New York, I desperately wanted to get outside and be active, but I couldn't do that when all my active wear was dirty. I was a slave to laundry, and it could take me all day. Knowing I had to do laundry gave me anxiety. I kid you not.
I could rant for hours about the horrors of doing laundry in New York City, but now I live in Austin, where laundry is a simple thing. I can wash my clothes whenever I please. I don't have to set a timer to get them out right when the load is done or risk some 'shmo dumping all my freshly clean clothes on the dirty basement floor. Having my own washer and dryer has given me so many hours back.
You know what else having a washer and dryer in my apartment unit (and soon to be house!) allows me to do? Actually do my laundry properly.
Because laundry used to be such a, for lack of a better word, chore, I would just dump all my clothes in the wash and wash them the same way. It didn't matter if they were wool, cotton, light or dark. This one-size-fits-all approach to doing laundry took a toll on my poor clothes, especially my workout gear.
But the fact is, the sports bra that fits me just right and all those sweat-wicking and performance fabrics need to be treated with care if I want them to last workout after workout. So, now that I have time to be a laundry pro, here are my tips and tricks for how to prolong the life of your workout gear.
1. Air out sweaty clothes
Sweat is smelly. It's also wet. Sweaty wet things are breeding grounds for mold and mildew. Since you likely aren't going to wash your sweaty workout gear the second you're done with it, the best thing you can do is air it out before throwing it into your gym bag or laundry basket. This will at least help it dry out a bit, preventing more bacteria from developing on your favorite Lulu crops.
A lot of fitness apparel is made with performance fabrics. These fabrics are usually sweat-wicking and odor resistant. To keep these fabrics in their prime, cold water is best. It is gentler on those special fabrics, so it keeps them performing better, longer. I know what you're thinking: but isn't hot water better for killing germs, bacteria and lingering odors? Yes, you're right, and that's where my third tip comes into play.
3. Use a sanitizing additive
Not all detergents are created equal. When it comes to eliminating bacteria and odors, you want something that both cleans and sanitizes, even in cold water. Lysol Laundry Sanitizer does just that.
Lysol Laundry Sanitizer is an additive that is specially designed to kill 99.9% of bacteria in laundry that typical detergent leaves behind. It doesn't contain chlorine bleach and even works in cold water, so it's safe to use on whites, colors, darks, and of course, your special performance fabrics.
I got the Crisp Linen scent from Target in the laundry aisle, and it makes my clothes smell SO GOOD. It's a light and subtle scent, but it's just... ahhh... so fresh!
Now that I have my own washer and dryer, I do a separate, cold wash for all my workout gear. And now that I use this stuff, I know for sure it's getting clean.
If you want to give Lysol Laundry Sanitizer a shot (which you totally should!), you can get a 20% OFF Cartwheel offer for a 41oz bottle at Target until 10/28.
Get yo'self some Lysol Laundry Sanitizer, wash your clothes on up and then...
Just like hot water, the heat of the dryer (mixed with all the tumbling) can also do damage to performance fabrics. To help your sports bras and other workout gear with elastic bands keep their shape and to keep fabrics from pilling and losing their performance capabilities, you should allow clothes to air dry on a line or drying rack.
Got any fitness tips? Share them in today's Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up!
Let's Chat:
What are your favorite laundry hacks?
Do you wash your workout gear separately?
