How To Care For Your Tennis Apparel And Shoes

January 27th, 2015 by Do It Tennis

How many times has this happened to you? You buy some new tennis apparel and can't wait to wear it… but first you must wash it. But how exactly is it you should wash it, compared to your regular clothes? The first important thing to remember is that the manufacturer always puts care instructions on the tag so you should try to follow them as best as possible. If you have ripped off the tag like I have done countless times before, or you’re not really sure how to wash it, we here at Do It Tennis have put together some tips for you. Your workout gear may require a few extra steps. One thing to consider when washing tennis apparel is what it is made of. Some materials require special care when handling them in the wash. Here are a few pointers about some of the most common materials used:

If the item is mainly spandex you would want to wash it on a cooler setting and hang dry.

If the item is mostly polyester it can be washed on a colder setting and tumble dried on a low temperature though they may actually dry better hung up.

If not already pre shrunk, cotton items should be separated and washed carefully. They may require hang drying so they don’t shrink or fade in color. Similarly, moisture wicking materials usually require being washed cold and hung dry, as well.

Womens Tennis Dress - Lotto

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Mens Tennis Shirt - Adidas

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A few other pointers to keep in mind:

Make sure to always wash workout clothes after you use them - don’t let the stink linger.

Some of the higher end materials will require washing separately and hang drying to prevent damage, such as fading and becoming pully.

Most clothing materials should not be washed with bleach and fabric softener.

To be on the safe side you can even hand wash to further prevent wear, and make your pieces last longer.

If you do wash, washing instructions also depend on the brand. Oftentimes brands have different washing instructions due to their trademarked materials. Dri fit material from Nike, for example, must be washed on cold with like colors, inside out, and either hung dry or on a low tumble dry setting.

Besides following the care instructions on the label there are other measures you can take while laundering your favorite tennis duds. Try using a special laundry detergent for active wear, such as Penguin Sports Wash or Tide Sport with Fabreze (pictured below).

Penguin Sports Wash - Great for Tennis Apparel

amazon.com

Tide Sport - Great for Tennis Apparel

tide.com

Caring for new tennis shoes are a slightly different story, naturally. If your battered tennis shoes contaminate your closet and you have no idea how to alleviate the smell, there are a few steps you can take. 1) Air them out after each wear. No point in making the smell hover around your house when a little fresh air outside can make a big difference. 2) Try odor eaters or even baking soda to extinguish the stench. Just sprinkle a little in your shoe on the insole and let it sit. Then pour it out when you’re ready to use them again. The baking soda will also help with the moisture, which is an additional contributor to the smell in your shoes.

Odor Eater - Great for Tennis Shoes

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Baking Soda - Great for Tennis Shoes

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3. Freshen them up with some odor balls made to keep a fresh scent instead of that fresh-off-the-court smell which you are used to.

Sneaker Balls - Great for Tennis Shoes

Photo: amazon.com

4. If there is any sweat or water in your shoes you can use newspaper to soak up the moisture. Just ball up your least read section of the newspaper and stick them in your tennis shoes, and let them sit until your next wear. 5. As a last resort you can actually wash your tennis shoes. Place your shoes in separate pillow cases and use your normal laundry detergent, or even Borax. To help protect the inside of you wash machine put some towels in with them. You can wash them on a normal cycle. Just DO NOT dry them in the dryer. To stay on the safe side, when drying the shoes use the newspaper trick above, and let them air dry.