# Washing your Kit



## mikiek

I hope this one doesn't go south, I am seriously wondering. I bought a couple of high end bibs a few months back, my first experience with apparel that I care about. 

Both of them are cold water wash, drip dry which might lead one to believe they don't dig the laundry room. I'm guessing washing after every ride would not be a good thing so - how often do you wash your bibs/shorts? I've been going about every 3-4 rides.


----------



## MMsRepBike

You really should wash your shorts immediately after riding.

Amazon.com - Delicates Laundry Bags, Premium Quality: Lingerie Bags for Laundry, Set of 4 Garment, Blouse, Hosiery, Stocking, Underwear, Bra & Lingerie Wash Bag. Protect Your Fine Clothes In The Washer With Luxurious, Robust, Zippered Mesh. Extend Ga
Those are the mesh bags I can recommend you put your cycling clothes in. 
I just use the big black one and put everything from the ride in, zippers closed.

Cold water
Gentle cycle
Medium spin
Very mild soap, like Ecos or an athletic wash

Here's the key: hang dry in the sun. I suggest turning inside out and making sure the chamois gets full sun exposure.

Also try to get yourself into the shower immediately if you can.

Bacteria, yeast and fungus are things to keep in mind with athletic apparel like this.


----------



## Srode

The only cycling apparel I don't wash after every ride is my PI AmFibs without a chamois because I only wear them when it's well below freezing and have shorts and a liner under them - My expensive bibs go in one of the garment bags MMSBikeRep mentioned, everything else is zipper closed and washed on gentle cycle WITHOUT fabric softener with warm wash and cold rinse. Bibs are all hung to dry, everything else goes in the dryer on permanent press cycle which is lower heat.


----------



## ibericb

DO wash them after every ride! 

I don't fool with bags, cold wash, normal spin, put the jersey and bibs on hangars afterwards, and they are totally dry by the next day.

The enemies for durability and wear are salts, body oils, etc - all the stuff that's in sweat. Then there are all the living things, mostly bacteria.


----------



## looigi

My method: Machine wash and dry, infrequently, no softener or chlorine bleach. I use borax or Oxiclean to remove stains, odors, and microbes.


----------



## love4himies

I machine wash cold and dry on warm, not hot, NO fabric softener as it will create a coating over the threads of the fabric so they won't be breathable after a time.


----------



## kbwh

I machine wash after every ride. 30C, delicate cycle, no spin, athletic wash detergent, wash bags.

It has happened that winter tights without chamois, non-sweaty jackets, not dirty gloves and shoe covers have been utilized twice between washings.


----------



## mikerp

Unless have very short rides and never break a sweat, you should be washing after every ride. My experience with washing machines and bibs is that washing machines don't tend to get the soap all out. For a time I hand washed (manufacturers suggestion) at this point I use a MobileWasher I do a spin dry on delicate with bags to speed up the drying.


----------



## PBL450

I hand wash immediately after every ride. Mostly because my labels say to do that... I'm re-thinking that after some of these posts though... At the moment, I put a dollop of Dreft (the white bottle super gentle detergent) in with cold water. Tumble around in that, wipe off the chamois and re-fill once to get the soap out and a seconded time to be sure the soap is all out. Wring them out and hang the in the shower to drip dry. Takes about 5-10 minutes. Both my Santini and Cavalo bibs say to hand wash. If I can machine them I will... I will say, I have 2K on one pair of Cavalo bibs and they look and feel like new. A little thinning over the ass, but not much.

And don't wear dirty bibs.


----------



## .je

Wash after every ride you actually sweat on, even a little.

Ive found the machine works well, but the machine needs to be sort of full, so they sit for a while and are all washed together, sometimes with light fabrics like socks, which don't need fabric softener in the wash like towels etc. Air dry separate from the dryer. Beware, the mass in the washer can stretch it, or even pull the stitches apart.. maybe if it`s cheapie stuff, maybe I should get some of those bra bags like people are talking about here

However, they sit for so long that the urea and bacteria in the sweat are really gross, so if I need the kit the next day for a club ride, I hand wash, then cold rinse, in a small wash tub with a few sprinkles of Oxy-Clean, which washes out the sweat and urea, and kills the bacteria. You`ll have to try and err to see how little you can actually use, but it`s really very little.

I've tried vinegar as an antibacterial acid too, but it wasn't effective enough, and the vinegar smell never really evaporated, and it feels gross to be cycling in vinegar-soaked clothes next to your sweat. 

It seems to me that it's either the machine, or the oxy-clean, since washing with only soap doesn't kill the bacteria and the kit really stinks


----------



## Jay Strongbow

mikiek said:


> I hope this one doesn't go south, I am seriously wondering. I bought a couple of high end bibs a few months back, my first experience with apparel that I care about.
> 
> Both of them are cold water wash, drip dry which might lead one to believe they don't dig the laundry room. *I'm guessing washing after every ride would not be a good thing *so - how often do you wash your bibs/shorts? I've been going about every 3-4 rides.


Bad guess. I'm far from a germphobe and hate doing laundry so have learned the hard way that when people say you should wash them after every ride that they have good reason to say that.

Hand washing is another option. Not that they are so delicate that you need to do that but just because it wouldn't seem to make sense to run the washer for a pair of bibs alone if that's all you have to wash using the gentle cycle.


----------



## Scar

ibericb said:


> DO wash them after every ride!
> 
> I don't fool with bags, cold wash, normal spin, put the jersey and bibs on hangars afterwards, and they are totally dry by the next day.
> 
> The enemies for durability and wear are salts, body oils, etc - all the stuff that's in sweat. Then there are all the living things, mostly bacteria.


This is the best reply here.

We wash our cycling and gym clothes together, but separately from other clothes. We use the hand wash cycle on the automatic washer with cold water Woolite Darks detergent and no fabric softener ever. After the wash, hang on plastic hangers in a spare bathroom to air dry.

As iberich wrote, the real enemies of your cycling clothes are the things your body deposits on them, not soap and water washings.


----------



## Oxtox

warm water hand-wash using shampoo...or throw them in the machine on cold water / delicate setting and minimal detergent.

air dry (not in the sun).


----------



## BikeLayne

Immediately after the ride. Cold wash, gentle cycle, drip dry outside but not in direct sunlight as the colors will fade.


----------



## robt57

Warm/cool rinse water gentle cycle in machine all inside out, 1/2 soap amount if Free And Clear type detergent. When done, I run the last spin cycle on the regular setting being the clothes are already packed out to the drum sides from the gentle spin. This gets a little more wet out of them before it all goes on one of those Fred Meyers folding clothes drying racks to air dry. Done...


----------



## mikiek

Great information! Not exactly what I expected but I learned something. Every ride it will be. I'll probably stick with the machine, hand washing is where I have to draw the line. The bags are a good idea and I had never heard of athletic detergent. Both are on order.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Drew Eckhardt

mikiek said:


> Both of them are cold water wash, drip dry which might lead one to believe they don't dig the laundry room. I'm guessing washing after every ride would not be a good thing so - how often do you wash your bibs/shorts?


Every training ride (I re-wear the next day after a few easy commuting miles), although I have enough that's a load once a week.



> I've been going about every 3-4 rides.


My chest gets zits and balls itch if I don't wash things often enough. Even without any offensive smells every 3-4 rides is not often enough.


----------



## ibericb

A couple of added thoughts:

- Follow the care label sewn in the garment and you can't go wrong.

- most washing machines have a delicate cycle, which is a generally a good alternative to hand washing (that's what they're designed for)

- Woolite is a good gentle detergent, works well for spandex (i.e., no need for anything like an athletic detergent).


----------



## milkbaby

+1 on washing bib shorts after one ride. I don't wash my cycling kit right away but hang them up for about 24 hours to dry and air out. Then when I have enough for a load in the washing machine I wash them in a delicates bag with detergent for wicking athletic clothing. Atsko Sport Wash in the 64 load size bottle is relatively inexpensive and works as well as any of the other ones I've tried (Penguin Sport Wash is just Atsko relabeled but more expensive).

I hang all my cycling as well as running kit to air dry after going through the washing machine. They last longer when not exposed to the heat of a dryer.


----------



## amicus

After a ride I wash my bibs in my kitchen sink using clod water and 'Sport-Wash' which is applicable to cycling gear because it's not harsh among other things.

Nathan Sport Wash at Road Runner Sports Am not associated in any way with this product but just know from feed-back that it's very good. Then hang outside to dry.


----------



## tlg

mikiek said:


> I've been going about every 3-4 rides.


Ewwwwww. 

And what's up with people re-wearing bibs if they "don't sweat"? Do you re-wear your underwear too if you don't sweat?


----------



## ibericb

tlg said:


> Ewwwwww.
> 
> And what's up with people re-wearing bibs if they "don't sweat"? Do you re-wear your underwear too if you don't sweat?


Don't you remember Jr. HS / HS gym class days?


----------



## Fignon's Barber

Lots of good advice here. One thing to add: never hang wet lycra from a hanger (it will stretch, especially the braces of bibs). Lay flat, and not in direct sunlight.


----------



## Tig

I wash my pricey bibs, base layer shirt and jersey when I'm *in the shower *after every ride. A generous amount of *antibacterial hand soap* keeps everything clean and odor free. I let them drip dry from hangers and have never had anything stretch out. 

This has worked for almost 30 years without any issues.


----------



## JCavilia

Waiting for Andrey (JK).


----------



## junior1210

Read this thread. It'll give you every reason why you should wash your kit after each ride, and some great washing tips. Make sure you have the popcorn and beverage of your preference handy. Serious entertainment here.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/ap...ny-rides-before-you-wash-your-kit-328156.html


----------



## MR_GRUMPY

Of course a wash after every ride, and I even throw them in the dryer, under a very low temperature setting. If fact they come out of the dryer just a little too damp to wear. They are dry after hanging for an hour or two.
Been doing this for 30 years. My bibs last 4-5 years (unless I crash on them)


----------



## BikeLayne

Governor Jerry want's cyclist to just scrub their kit's with sand as we need the last few gallons of water for important stuff like golf courses.


----------



## DaveG

mikiek said:


> I hope this one doesn't go south, I am seriously wondering. I bought a couple of high end bibs a few months back, my first experience with apparel that I care about.
> 
> Both of them are cold water wash, drip dry which might lead one to believe they don't dig the laundry room. I'm guessing washing after every ride would not be a good thing so - how often do you wash your bibs/shorts? I've been going about every 3-4 rides.


Wash after every ride! This should not even be an option. Besides grossing out your fellow riders, you also raise the risk of saddle sores from bacteria in the chamois. I wash my stuff in the washer on gentle and hang dry.


----------



## Neolithic

Like Tig I hand wash by tossing everything into the shower and hop in with 'em. Hang them over the shower door to drip dry. Kill two birds with one stone.


----------



## Tig

Neolithic said:


> Like Tig I hand wash by tossing everything into the shower and hop in with 'em. Hang them over the shower door to drip dry. Kill two birds with one stone.


And here I was thinking I was alone in the shower all this time!


----------



## mikiek

One thing - I washed a bib yesterday and hung it out to dry. 24 hours later the outer was dry so I put it on to go for a ride. SQUISH. Kind of a nasty surprise. The chamois was still soaking wet.

So, squeeze out the chamois and then hang out to dry.


----------



## ibericb

mikiek said:


> So, squeeze out the chamois and then hang out to dry.


It might also help to turn them inside out before hanging.


----------



## MMsRepBike

mikiek said:


> One thing - I washed a bib yesterday and hung it out to dry. 24 hours later the outer was dry so I put it on to go for a ride. SQUISH. Kind of a nasty surprise. The chamois was still soaking wet.
> 
> So, squeeze out the chamois and then hang out to dry.


I hang dry everything inside. I have ceiling fans and such, things dry pretty quick. 

For bibs, I do turn them inside out and set the chamois out in the sun. I will do this at least once for every few rides with a pair. The inner chamois is the only thing that needs to be in sunlight. Anything else will break down and fade over time.

Washing your sweat laden shorts in cold water and hang drying them will not kill the bacteria, yeast and fungus in the pad. You need heat or UV light or something, you know, the stuff that kills bacteria.


----------



## NJBiker72

Mine always dry overnight. No problem. Indoor drying rack. I have plenty (cant turn down a good deal on a pair) that I could grab another pair if they did not.


----------



## tlg

mikiek said:


> One thing - I washed a bib yesterday and hung it out to dry. 24 hours later the outer was dry so I put it on to go for a ride. SQUISH. Kind of a nasty surprise. The chamois was still soaking wet.
> 
> So, squeeze out the chamois and then hang out to dry.


Did you hand wash or machine wash? A washing machine should spin them mostly dry. Even if you hand wash, you can throw them in the washer on a spin cycle. 

I have washlines in my basement and hang all my clothes. I've never had wet cycling clothes the next day. Even if I wash them at night, they're usually dry in the morning.


----------



## Got Time

Is that one of those thick seat pads?
Thin seat pads usually dry reasonably fast.


----------



## ParadigmDawg

I wash mine the same way I clean the house or cook dinner.

As I am leaving to have drinks with the boys, I tell my wife what needs to be cleaned and what time I will want dinner...

I wish...lol...

I throw mine in the washing machine on cold and air dry under ceiling fans after each use.


----------



## mikiek

tlg said:


> Did you hand wash or machine wash? A washing machine should spin them mostly dry. Even if you hand wash, you can throw them in the washer on a spin cycle.
> 
> I have washlines in my basement and hang all my clothes. I've never had wet cycling clothes the next day. Even if I wash them at night, they're usually dry in the morning.


Machine wash gentle - with spin cycle. I hang them inside out to dry. Here in Texas we are already running the AC so the inside air is reasonably dry. The outside was completely dry, just the chamois.

I don't normally wear the ones I just cleaned. I put them in the closet and try to rotate. Hope I haven't been putting them away with the chamois still wet. Eehhh.

That's a good point about the cold water not killing bacteria. I think once and a while in the sun might be a good thing.


----------



## ibericb

mikiek said:


> ...
> That's a good point about the cold water not killing bacteria. I think once and a while in the sun might be a good thing.


It's not the water temp that kills the bacteria, it's the detergent. Use detergent, even a gentle one. Sun won't do much either - it can only affect what sees direct sunlight, and it can damage the fibers. Wash 'em cold, with detergent, rinse really well, and dry. All will be well.


----------



## looigi

Has anyone suggested a kit washing stickie yet?


----------



## tlg

ibericb said:


> It's not the water temp that kills the bacteria, it's the detergent. Use detergent, even a gentle one. Sun won't do much either - it can only affect what sees direct sunlight, and it can damage the fibers. Wash 'em cold, with detergent, rinse really well, and dry. All will be well.


Or vinegar. It works quite well and is cheap. I buy it in gallon jugs. You can put a cup in with your laundry. 
I don't use it all the time because regular detergent usually does the job. But if my clothes ever start to smell, or if I don't get to wash them right away I'll pre-soak them in a bucket with some water and vinegar.


----------



## ibericb

looigi said:


> Has anyone suggested a kit washing stickie yet?


Not that I've seen. But if it ever comes to that I would hope it would be pretty simple. Something like, _Read and follow the Care label instructions attached by the manufacturer,_ as the main point.


----------



## ibericb

tlg said:


> Or vinegar. It works quite well and is cheap. I buy it in gallon jugs. You can put a cup in with your laundry.
> I don't use it all the time because regular detergent usually does the job. But if my clothes ever start to smell, or if I don't get to wash them right away I'll pre-soak them in a bucket with some water and vinegar.


Yep. Other than chlorine (bleach), acidic pH (e.g., vinegar) is about the most effective sanitizing agent you can use.


----------



## atpjunkie

cold water wash, delicate cycle and hang dry
it ain't rocket science


----------



## Camilo

The only thing I want to emphasize is using a roomy mesh garment bag for bib shorts. Why? The straps get tangled up with other stuff and/or the agitator and get stretched out and/or cause other problems.

I won't argue with the people who hand wash, but it's not necessary. I also have found that tumble dry at the extra low or air setting does not harm the materials and might get them dry faster than hanging, if that's important.


----------



## Tschai

MMsRepBike said:


> Washing your sweat laden shorts in cold water and hang drying them will not kill the bacteria, yeast and fungus in the pad. You need heat or UV light or something, you know, the stuff that kills bacteria.


My guess is that sunlight is not good for the fabric. It certainly will not kill anything. See this:

Cold Water and Regular Soap Kills Germs Just as Well as Hot Water

Also, you don't need to sweat to have bacteria. Indeed, as we are all reading this, our taints and the like are filled with the stuff. Wash after every ride, sweat or no sweat.


----------



## ibericb

MMsRepBike said:


> *Washing your sweat laden shorts in cold water and hang drying them will not kill the bacteria, yeast and fungus in the pad.* You need heat or UV light or something, you know, the stuff that kills bacteria.


Yes it will and does. It's been studied to death in numerous micro labs everywhere to set standards for sanitation, test products, etc. Hot water makes the process quicker, but it's not necessary. If the water is hot enough, it can do it alone. But you won't be getting that hot in your home laundry. The soap/detergent does the job quite well. Ordinary household hot water temps are typically about ideal for growing a bunch of those organisms you want to kill. Without the soap you can avutally make matters worse.


----------



## Oxtox

ibericb said:


> It's not the water temp that kills the bacteria, it's the detergent.


well, yeah...actually temperature does kill some bacteria. that's why you're instructed to boil water to make it safe for consumption.

but, household water heaters don't normally produce temps of 212F. and you really don't want to boil your expensive lycra duds, so, use some detergent...


----------



## ibericb

Oxtox said:


> well, yeah...actually temperature does kill some bacteria. that's why you're instructed to boil water to make it safe for consumption.
> 
> but, household water heaters don't normally produce temps of 212F. and you really don't want to boil your expensive lycra duds, so, use some detergent...


Those are pretty much the points I tried to make elsewhere in this thread a few minutes ago.

But let's back up a tad. We're talking about washing a sweaty kit after riding. We're not talking about control of infectious disease, or pathogens, which is pertinent for laundry in certain specific situations. But generally not a rider's kit unless it's being mixed in with other laundry items that have been contaminated.

The microorganisms you want to remove from a rider's kit are those that are ever present on your skin and mucosa, as well as airborne microorganisms. They are organisms with which we are in constant contact. The real need for normal care is to reduce their numbers so they don't accumulate to undesirable levels, which often is about odor. We really don't need to enter the domains of sanitation or disinfection (different, but related). It's about control, not sterilization. Cold water with ordinary laundry detergent, in this case, works perfectly well, as it has for centuries. To boost the effectiveness for microbial control a reasonable amount of peroxide type bleaching agent (oxygen bleaches) can be added. Warm to hot water wash temps (~100-120 °F) don't do much to increase the effectiveness of microbial control above cold water temps (~65 °F).

Where you don't want to rely on cold water/detergent washes are when there is a need to control infectious disease organisms. In those cases specific disinfection agents need to be added to the mix. If faced with that in the home laundry (sick person in the house), keep your kit out of the mix.

So for washing your kit cold water is fine, use a detergent, if you're still concerned about microbes of various types add some oxygen bleach, and do your kit (and other cold water wash items) separate from those that need sanitation or disinfection.


----------



## Oxtox

ibericb said:


> We're talking about washing a sweaty kit after riding.


yep, that we are...

I've been hand-washing bike stuff in cold water with whatever shampoo I brought home from the last motel visit and letting it air dry for years. never had a problem with any kind of cooties.

this stuff is as simple as you want to make it.


----------



## Pirx

ibericb said:


> We're not talking about control of infectious disease, or pathogens, which is pertinent for laundry in certain specific situations. But generally not a rider's kit unless it's being mixed in with other laundry items that have been contaminated.
> 
> The microorganisms you want to remove from a rider's kit are those that are ever present on your skin and mucosa, as well as airborne microorganisms. They are organisms with which we are in constant contact. The real need for normal care is to reduce their numbers so they don't accumulate to undesirable levels, which often is about odor.


Some excellent points here. It may be worth pointing out that those scare-stories about those terrible deadly infections and fungi you might catch if you don't wash your kit after every ride are mostly just that: Scare stories and old-wives' tales. Unless we are talking about extreme neglect (and I hope we're not), under normal circumstances your body is perfectly capable of dealing with those supposedly frightful bacteria on its own. So, no, you're not going to die, nor, in all likelihood, are you going to succumb to any infectious disease or other ailment if you were to wear the same kit a second time before washing it.

Having said the above, what we are really talking about here is cultural norms regarding personal hygiene and body odor. Now, not to be misunderstood, I am certainly not going to argue for ignoring such norms (and, yes, I do wash my kit, too). However, there are no _objective_, _health-related_ reasons to wash your kit after every ride. Nevertheless, doing so is just as advisable as it is to follow any number of other cultural norms that are expected of you in a given society. Bottom line: Just be a good citizen and wash your stinky stuff.


----------



## springs

I sometimes splash some isopropyl alcohol on my chamois before washing.


----------



## ibericb

Pirx said:


> ...
> Having said the above, what we are really talking about here is cultural norms regarding personal hygiene and body odor. Now, not to be misunderstood, I am certainly not going to argue for ignoring such norms (and, yes, I do wash my kit, too). However, there are no _objective_, _health-related_ reasons to wash your kit after every ride. Nevertheless, doing so is just as advisable as it is to follow any number of other cultural norms that are expected of you in a given society. Bottom line: Just be a good citizen and wash your stinky stuff.


Yep, all true. I'll add the other big reason for washing your stuff after every ride , and it's not about hygiene. It's about fabric preservation. The salts, acids, etc, that come with sweat are not real nice to the fabrics we wear. As the water evaporates on drying, if left in the fabric they concentrate and that will increase the likelihood for damage to the fabric and sewing. So cleaning your kit is not only about hygiene, and how that plays out socially, but it's also about preserving your kit. Proper laundering doesn't hurt the fabrics, it helps preserve them.


----------



## NJBiker72

springs said:


> I sometimes splash some isopropyl alcohol on my chamois before washing.


Try it afterwards.


----------



## Tschai

Pirx said:


> Some excellent points here. It may be worth pointing out that those scare-stories about those terrible deadly infections and fungi you might catch if you don't wash your kit after every ride are mostly just that: Scare stories and old-wives' tales. Unless we are talking about extreme neglect (and I hope we're not), under normal circumstances your body is perfectly capable of dealing with those supposedly frightful bacteria on its own. So, no, you're not going to die, nor, in all likelihood, are you going to succumb to any infectious disease or other ailment if you were to wear the same kit a second time before washing it.
> 
> Having said the above, what we are really talking about here is cultural norms regarding personal hygiene and body odor. Now, not to be misunderstood, I am certainly not going to argue for ignoring such norms (and, yes, I do wash my kit, too). However, there are no _objective_, _health-related_ reasons to wash your kit after every ride. Nevertheless, doing so is just as advisable as it is to follow any number of other cultural norms that are expected of you in a given society. Bottom line: Just be a good citizen and wash your stinky stuff.


Cultural norms are interesting. For example, it seems that showering daily is a cultural norm. However, from what I can tell, many experts say that daily showers are unnecessary and may actual be harmful to your skin. To this end, unless someone can smell me from two or more feet away, I'm not going to shower.


----------



## tlg

Tschai said:


> To this end, unless someone can smell me from two or more feet away, I'm not going to shower.


So how do you know when that is? Obviously you can't smell yourself from 2ft away. Do you want for someone standing 2ft away to say "Hey you stink"? Or do you wait until you notice no one will come into your 2ft zone?


----------



## surfinguru

Geez, why so complicated? Wash cycling gear separately from your everyday clothes. Gentle detergent (no fabric softener), delicate cycle, cold water, tumble dry low. Fold the jersey's and put them away. Hang bibs chamois side out. Done! (Just don't forget to close the velcro on your gloves. That's done more damage than any wash cycle, detergent or dryer setting.)


----------



## ibericb

surfinguru said:


> Geez, why so complicated? Wash cycling gear separately from your everyday clothes. Gentle detergent (no fabric softener), delicate cycle, cold water, tumble dry low. Fold the jersey's and put them away. Hang bibs chamois side out. Done! (Just don't forget to close the velcro on your gloves. That's done more damage than any wash cycle, detergent or dryer setting.)


Pretty much it, except I don't use a dryer. It's not complicated at all. They are just clothes made with finicky fabrics.

I'll add - like Velcro, close any zippers. My tights and leg warmers both have zippers.


----------



## Camilo

surfinguru said:


> Geez, why so complicated? Wash cycling gear separately from your everyday clothes. Gentle detergent (no fabric softener), delicate cycle, cold water, tumble dry low. Fold the jersey's and put them away. Hang bibs chamois side out. Done! (Just don't forget to close the velcro on your gloves. That's done more damage than any wash cycle, detergent or dryer setting.)


It is simple and this stuff is not fragile. Wash it, dry it. But....

I don't know why you'd bother to fold any bike clothing - it doesn't take wrinkles. I have a basket I keep my cycling clothes in, in the corner of the bedroom. I just toss the dry clothes in there and rummage through when I need them. I don't know if I'd fold it even if I were keeping it in a drawer. Yea, probably would, but my seasonal recreational stuff is kept in a basket because my dressers are over full with my regular clothes.


----------



## Father Guzzi Obrian

I never used the "delicates" cycle on my wife's fancy washin machine. But it works great for the bike gear. I use a bit of the no additive detergent, put them in, on cold, run delicates, hang them up to air dry when done. No hassles. If I am in a hurry, I will dry everything but my bibs as they seem to suffer more in the dryer and will wear a different pair. So far, all is good. But washing after every ride is key


----------



## pittcanna

One thing i do is get a woolite delicate's bag.

Woolite Mesh Sweater and Sox Wash Bag, 2 Pack - Walmart.com

It protects your kit from zipps and other abusive surfaces.


----------



## Scar

BikeLayne said:


> Governor Jerry want's cyclist to just scrub their kit's with sand as we need the last few gallons of water for important stuff like golf courses.


Yes, and to water the lush lawns and grounds on estates of celebrities such as Barbara Streisand, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Jessica Simpson and other well connected Californians. 

Laws are for little people.


----------



## PBL450

Snce his thread re-emerged I tried an experiment. I hand wash my bibs in the bathroom sink, wring them out and hang in the shower to dry. I decided to scale back the detergent little by little and see if it made a difference. Turns out, you can use very little and your bibs will turn out perfectly clean. I got to zero but wouldn't wear the bib, I re-washed it. It was crunchy and, although it didn't seem to smell (my wife refused help here, haha) I wasn't pushing it that far. But the smallest amount of detergent does a great job and makes washing my bib faster, and I mean small, like a drop the size of the swab on a cotton swab. There was no perceptible difference between that and a tablespoon other than the amount of time it took to get the suds out of the sink between stages (I do 3, soap, rinse and rinse again). This may be blitheringly obvious but I figured I'd post it. Maybe save a buck or so.


----------



## JasperL

mikiek said:


> One thing - I washed a bib yesterday and hung it out to dry. 24 hours later the outer was dry so I put it on to go for a ride. SQUISH. Kind of a nasty surprise. The chamois was still soaking wet.
> 
> So, squeeze out the chamois and then hang out to dry.


When I'm on cycling trips, I wash cycling clothes in the shower using shampoo, wring out just a little, then lay the bibs flat on the towel I'm using (or floor mat) and roll the towel and bibs into a 'tube/cylinder.' A little squeeze on on this 'tube' and it gets most of the water out - enough to dry bibs overnight unless the room is very cool and/or very humid.


----------



## Father Guzzi Obrian

Throwing the suckers in on delicate on cold/cold with no half amount of no additive detergent and hanging up the bibs after washin seems to work well, still dry my jersey's, but I am lazy and this works for years


----------



## berserk87

I use wash bags with my bibs because the straps tend to get wrapped around the agitator in my washer. The wash bags are cheap and we have a zillion of them, so it's easy for me. I hate untangling bib straps from the agitator. Plus it may overstretch them a bit when it does happen.


----------



## LostViking

I wash in delicate cycle and hang to dry (Chamie out on shorts and bibs). Simple.

Re velcro on gloves - yup, seal 'em up - they get caught on my socks!


----------



## jbinbi

when i was reading this thread, it really got me thinking....I am a scientist, but not a microbiologist, but know a bit about biology....

Most bacteria need warm moist places to grow. take that away, and it doesn't do well at all.

So I got to wondering, assuming you have 7 pairs of shorts, and ride each day. After day 1, you take your shorts off, you let them dry out out, you brush them off, etc., and don't use them for 6 more days. Maybe even leave them in the sun, so the UV rays kill them. How much bacteria is left.

So I asked a microbiologist, and here is what she had to say,

"I'm not sure if I can give you a 100% "This is what you must do!" sort of answer, but some things to take into account...

-You're right that the moist, body temperature environment is a great breeding ground. The thing is that the likelihood is that the bacteria that would be having a field day replicating in the shorts (while they're on and while they're still moist) is the same as what's normally on your skin, which overwhelming is not "bad" bacteria. The smell that may be accompanying your shorts is probably from bacteria breaking down sweat into different acids. So, practically, while washing the shorts does get rid of bacteria, it's more useful purpose is to get rid of the smell-inducing compounds. But hanging to dry and then shaking it out, probably also helps get rid of some of the smell (speaking from personal experience with running clothing) 

-If you completely dry the shorts, then it's really difficult for bacteria to grow (in which case, without a real "food source" the bacteria would die). But if you're hanging them outside and there's still some humidity in the air and they're not totally dry, bacteria can still hang around. There are a few types of bacteria that can thrive better without moisture because they can kind of be inert, but these would not likely be on your skins/shorts, and wouldn't be dangerous to wear or anything. 

-UV light does kill bacteria! However, it needs direct contact. So if you dry your shorts in the sun, some of the bacteria on the outside of the shorts would likely die, but that UV light probably doesn't make it through to the inside. 

-A caveat with this is that I'm assuming all the biking is being done on your own bike outdoors...if you're biking in a gym with lots of people using the equipment, the risk of MRSA exposure increases, so you'd want to try and extra precautions to kill those bacteria, so washing with hot water would probably be preferable to just drying in the sun. 

So, if it were me, I think I'd be fine washing them every few uses! Save water and detergent, and it doesn't seem necessary to wash them every time. "


----------



## ibericb

I agree 100% on the bacteria. An efficient way when washing to get better kill is to add an oxygen bleach. But, all of that ignores the issues for fabric/thread durability, and that is salts, acids, etc. that come with sweat. While they don't pose a health concern, they are detrimental to the fabric and stitching. The salt accumulation can be impressive -- when they dry it can leave a white residue of salt crystals behind, which can to some people be irritating. 

So choose your poison - short lived gear by comparison, or a few more washes.


----------



## Pirx

Yep, both you and I and that microbiologist seem to see things eye to eye. There's no objective danger to your health in washing your shorts, say, once a week even when riding daily, but a) you really don't want to expose your company to the resulting smell (well, unless you don't have any company, which may happen... ), and b) it's better for the health _of your shorts_ to wash them more often.

But, yeah, all those people who have in their mind these horror pictures of bacteria-infested shorts, with their tender parts being attacked by legions of evil microorganisms, are just paranoid. Think about it: If that's what you're afraid of, then you should probably take a dozen bibs with you if you're planning on riding for a few hours, so you can change once every dozen miles or so. Make sure to bring a box of baby wipes, too.


----------



## ibericb

Pirx said:


> But, yeah, all those people who have in their mind these horror pictures of bacteria-infested shorts, with their tender parts being attacked by legions of evil microorganisms, are just paranoid. Think about it: If that's what you're afraid of, then you should probably take a dozen bibs with you if you're planning on riding for a few hours, so you can change once every dozen miles or so.


Or you could just wash or spray yourself with a Clorox solution, or a similar chlorine bleach, every hour or two, because that's where those worrisome bacteria are coming from.

BTW - you could use the odoriferous effect to encourage unwanted company to leave.


----------



## Pirx

Yeah, but I hear spraying yourself with chlorine bleach is bad for your skin.


----------



## ibericb

Pirx said:


> Yeah, but I hear spraying yourself with chlorine bleach is bad for your skin.


Depends on dilution. But at best you'll smell like a swimming pool. To some I know that's worse than the eu de fermented locker room option.


----------



## PBL450

ibericb said:


> Depends on dilution. But at best you'll smell like a swimming pool. To some I know that's worse than the eu de fermented locker room option.


My pool has no smell at all. Neither do bathers or their suits when they come out. Any pool, properly cared for, will not smell like the sanitizer. I'm a big fan of good old sodium hypochlorite. It's cheap, effective and doesn't increase or decrease ph. And it will effectively kill your surface bacteria. Indoor pools are a different animal of course, because, well, they are enclosed. 

A chamois may may not be a Petrie dish, and it may dry between uses... May. If it isn't exposed to UV light and doesn't completely dry it does risk a live bacterial presence. Harmful bacteria? Maybe not? But it is in a bacterially rich zone and one that does tend toward more harmful varieties. Not superficial skin bacteria but groin... 

Now, I'd put 1K miles on my speed skates in a season and I'd be nuts to loosen the laces and pull out the tongues to dry them after every workout and they don't even smell. And I've never washed them. But they are essentially un-padded carbon fiber shoes. So not much to stay damp. A chamois? In that region? If allowed to completely dry and left that way for a while maybe bacterially sound... But I wouldn't do that. Does lotion keep it moist enough? How much moisture is needed? How dry is it where you live? If employees must wash hands before returning to work I'd really, really prefer a little extra insurance in my crotch.


----------



## DaveG

jbinbi said:


> when i was reading this thread, it really got me thinking....I am a scientist, but not a microbiologist, but know a bit about biology....
> 
> Most bacteria need warm moist places to grow. take that away, and it doesn't do well at all.
> 
> So I got to wondering, assuming you have 7 pairs of shorts, and ride each day. After day 1, you take your shorts off, you let them dry out out, you brush them off, etc., and don't use them for 6 more days. Maybe even leave them in the sun, so the UV rays kill them. How much bacteria is left.
> 
> So I asked a microbiologist, and here is what she had to say,
> 
> "I'm not sure if I can give you a 100% "This is what you must do!" sort of answer, but some things to take into account...
> 
> -You're right that the moist, body temperature environment is a great breeding ground. The thing is that the likelihood is that the bacteria that would be having a field day replicating in the shorts (while they're on and while they're still moist) is the same as what's normally on your skin, which overwhelming is not "bad" bacteria. The smell that may be accompanying your shorts is probably from bacteria breaking down sweat into different acids. So, practically, while washing the shorts does get rid of bacteria, it's more useful purpose is to get rid of the smell-inducing compounds. But hanging to dry and then shaking it out, probably also helps get rid of some of the smell (speaking from personal experience with running clothing)
> 
> -If you completely dry the shorts, then it's really difficult for bacteria to grow (in which case, without a real "food source" the bacteria would die). But if you're hanging them outside and there's still some humidity in the air and they're not totally dry, bacteria can still hang around. There are a few types of bacteria that can thrive better without moisture because they can kind of be inert, but these would not likely be on your skins/shorts, and wouldn't be dangerous to wear or anything.
> 
> -UV light does kill bacteria! However, it needs direct contact. So if you dry your shorts in the sun, some of the bacteria on the outside of the shorts would likely die, but that UV light probably doesn't make it through to the inside.
> 
> -A caveat with this is that I'm assuming all the biking is being done on your own bike outdoors...if you're biking in a gym with lots of people using the equipment, the risk of MRSA exposure increases, so you'd want to try and extra precautions to kill those bacteria, so washing with hot water would probably be preferable to just drying in the sun.
> 
> So, if it were me, I think I'd be fine washing them every few uses! Save water and detergent, and it doesn't seem necessary to wash them every time. "


Why are you people keep trying to come up with excuses not to wash your stuff? No one want to smell your nasty kit. Just wash it. Its just not that hard to do


----------



## Dunbar

One tip to speed up the drying if you sink wash them, the next day, lay them on a box fan inside out.


----------



## Pirx

PBL450 said:


> If it isn't exposed to UV light and doesn't completely dry it does risk a live bacterial presence.


So what? Live bacteria are everywhere.



PBL450 said:


> But it is in a bacterially rich zone and one that does tend toward more harmful varieties. Not superficial skin bacteria but groin...


What "harmful varieties" of bacteria are those that you are speaking of? What harm do you expect those "groin bacteria" might do, as compared to "superficial skin bacteria"? Why do you think these "groin bacteria", which, mind you, are of course always present, are so particularly terrible?


----------



## Oxtox

there's plain ol' jock itch...which is usually a fungal issue.

and then there's the dreaded flesh-eating bacteria...google that and click on 'Images'....

yeah, good stuff...!


----------



## ibericb

Pirx said:


> So what? Live bacteria are everywhere.
> 
> What "harmful varieties" of bacteria are those that you are speaking of? What harm do you expect those "groin bacteria" might do, as compared to "superficial skin bacteria"? Why do you think these "groin bacteria", which, mind you, are of course always present, are so particularly terrible?


To add - the bacteria that collect in your shorts came from you. They aren't a health problem for you. certainly not unless you have an open wound. Those that collect on the outside are generally the airborne guys that are ever present. So long as you don't ride through a cow pasture, feedlot, wastewater lagoon, landfill, or something similar, you should be just fine other than the social impact.

FWIW - I wash mine after each ride. I'm not real fond of the fermented locker rook odor, my wife is way less fond of it than I am, and I like to prolong the useful life of my gear.


----------



## TheManShow

Machine wash after each use, shorts, jersery, socks, and gloves. I sweat like a fat hog ready to got to market. Wash all my bicycling clothing that is 3-4 changes of garments, etc in small amount of arm & hammer powder detergent. When cycle end it all goes on one of those wooden drying racks in garage. Sun light shortents life.


----------



## Pirx

Oxtox said:


> there's plain ol' jock itch...which is usually a fungal issue.
> 
> and then there's the dreaded flesh-eating bacteria...google that and click on 'Images'....
> 
> yeah, good stuff...!


You do understand that none of these are ordinarily present in your underwear or bibs, no matter for how long you wear them without washing, right? You know, your "groin bacteria" don't magically turn into flesh-eating bacteria just so, any more than your house cat will suddenly turn into a hyena.

One more time, yes, you should wash your stuff after every ride, but no, ideas like the ones you presented in your post above, of you being consumed by flesh-eating bacteria if you don't, are complete nonsense.


----------



## PBL450

Pirx said:


> So what? Live bacteria are everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> What "harmful varieties" of bacteria are those that you are speaking of? What harm do you expect those "groin bacteria" might do, as compared to "superficial skin bacteria"? Why do you think these "groin bacteria", which, mind you, are of course always present, are so particularly terrible?


Areas of the body where skin meets skin, that are warmer and moister, are home to the largest and most diverse colonies of bacteria. Wouldn't the law of averages make the most diverse and most numerous colonies the most likely to have harmful bacteria? Aren't Saddle Sores caused by that very premise? Grinding a bacterially rich and diverse region against a saddle for long periods of time causing the skin to be irritated and exposed to a harmful little presence? At least that's what I thought...


----------



## Oxtox

Pirx said:


> You do understand that none of these are ordinarily present in your underwear or bibs...


my comment was tongue-in-cheek, guess it wasn't obvious since I didn't use any emoticons...

I'm a biologist...not freaked out by critters, even the dreaded 'crotch bacteria'...


----------



## PBL450

ibericb said:


> *To add - the bacteria that collect in your shorts came from you. They aren't a health problem for you*. certainly not unless you have an open wound. Those that collect on the outside are generally the airborne guys that are ever present. So long as you don't ride through a cow pasture, feedlot, wastewater lagoon, landfill, or something similar, you should be just fine other than the social impact.


Wait then... doesn't that logic make washing your hands after using the bathroom overkill? It came from you. 

And I'm well aware that no on is advocating not washing your bibs... Just talking about the science. Which is good stuff.


----------



## Pirx

PBL450 said:


> Wait then... doesn't that logic make washing your hands after using the bathroom overkill? It came from you.


As a matter of fact, there is indeed a good argument to be made for washing your hands _before_ you use the bathroom. 

On the other hand, with respect to your interactions with others, it is a good idea that everybody wash their hands after using the bathroom, too. You may not do yourself any good by doing so, but others washing their hands before getting in touch with you will.

Plus, there's the question of what you may have unknowingly gotten in contact with while using any bathroom that has been used by others.


----------



## Pirx

PBL450 said:


> Wouldn't the law of averages make the most diverse and most numerous colonies the most likely to have harmful bacteria?


No. Bacteria don't appear randomly out of nowhere. The fact that there are lots of bacteria in certain areas says exactly nothing about the diversity of the bacteria there. I'm not an expert, but I think your mouth has amongst the highest bacterial densities associated with the human body. Female genitalia, in particular, are always warm and moist, but that doesn't mean that there are lots of harmful bacteria there. Quite the opposite, it turns out that the organisms that are there play an important role in protecting against infections and maintaining vaginal health. See here for more detail.

Also keep in mind that our bodies have evolved, and are designed to cope with, or even work in synergy with the bacteria that are normally present. We may not like the way the side products of some of these bacteria smell, but that doesn't make them harmful. In fact, in some cases obsessively removing bacteria from your body can be harmful as well.

Oh, and the law of averages has nothing to do with any of this.


----------



## jbinbi

Btw, I only put up this new info because many responses in the thread were," you need to wash asap or you will get...."

It is probably a good idea to wash frequently, and not rewear wet clothes. And it makes a difference if you ride 50 a day in 80 degrees vs. 10 every 3 days in 60 degrees. As for smelling bad, everyone in the ride smells bad 30 mi in on a hot summer day whether they are wearing fresh clothes or not.


----------



## Dunbar

I can't believe people are arguing about washing your shorts after every ride...


----------



## Pirx

Dunbar said:


> I can't believe people are arguing about washing your shorts after every ride...


Newsflash: Nobody here is arguing about washing their shorts after every ride. :idea:


----------



## PBL450

Pirx said:


> As a matter of fact, there is indeed a good argument to be made for washing your hands _before_ you use the bathroom.
> 
> On the other hand, with respect to your interactions with others, it is a good idea that everybody wash their hands after using the bathroom, too. You may not do yourself any good by doing so, but others washing their hands before getting in touch with you will.
> 
> Plus, there's the question of what you may have unknowingly gotten in contact with while using any bathroom that has been used by others.


Who would have thought a forearm would be so plentiful and diverse?

Study Finds Unexpected Bacterial Diversity on Human Skin, May 28, 2009 News Release - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

CDC still says, "protecting yourself and others." I wonder why they bother including "protecting yourself?" I'm sure they know the science?

So, what mechanism is it that causes saddle sores then? I don't get it?


----------



## ibericb

Pirx said:


> As a matter of fact, there is indeed a good argument to be made for washing your hands _before_ you use the bathroom.
> 
> On the other hand, with respect to your interactions with others, it is a good idea that everybody wash their hands after using the bathroom, too. You may not do yourself any good by doing so, but others washing their hands before getting in touch with you will.
> 
> Plus, there's the question of what you may have unknowingly gotten in contact with while using any bathroom that has been used by others.


In the university chem departments, where I spent many, many years, a common question was do you wash your hands before, or after? Considering the spectrum of nasty stuff we regularly handled, often with reckless abandon, it was a thoughtful question.


----------



## ibericb

PBL450 said:


> So, what mechanism is it that causes saddle sores then? I don't get it?


Saddle sores generally begin with a break in the skin, usually via abrasion (friction). As mentioned previously,



> _the bacteria that collect in your shorts came from you. They aren't a health problem for you. certainly not unless you have an open wound._


Any open wound presents a point of entry for bacterial infection, necrotizing or other.


----------



## PBL450

ibericb said:


> Saddle sores generally begin with a break in the skin, usually via abrasion (friction). As mentioned previously,
> 
> 
> 
> Any open wound presents a point of entry for bacterial infection, necrotizing or other.


So it's an abrasion that causes them. Only. They have nothing to do with bacteria that are present concurrent with the abrasion? So, they get an infection after the abrasion? Or is there potentially harmful bacteria that finds an entry as a result of the abrasion?


----------



## ibericb

Could be either. Any wound needs proper attention, for the same reason.


----------



## PBL450

ibericb said:


> Could be either. Any wound needs proper attention, for the same reason.


If it "could be both" then harmful bacteria could be present to make their entry into a sore caused by friction?


----------



## ibericb

PBL450 said:


> If it "could be both" then harmful bacteria could be present to make their entry into a sore caused by friction?


Yep. Or, they could make entry at later time.

If you have a healthy immune system, and practice proper wound care, it's not usually a problem. One of the primary functions of skin is to keep the bad stuff on the outside. Short of living n a bubble we can't prevent contact with those nasty microbes; they are typically everpresent. Thankfully, we've evolved with a protective layer on the outside. When that gets compromised we need to take appropriate steps to make up for the loss of protection locally.


----------



## PBL450

ibericb said:


> Yep. Or, they could make entry at later time.
> 
> If you have a healthy immune system, and practice proper wound care, it's not usually a problem. One of the primary functions of skin is to keep the bad stuff on the outside. Short of living n a bubble we can't prevent contact with those nasty microbes; they are typically everpresent. Thankfully, we've evolved with a protective layer on the outside. When that gets compromised we need to take appropriate steps to make up for the loss of protection locally.


Right? That's exactly the point I was angling at. Potentially ever-present nasty microbes.


----------



## ibericb

PBL450 said:


> Right? That's exactly the point I was angling at. Potentially ever-present nasty microbes.


Regarding washing you bibs, exactly what point were you angling at?


----------



## Pirx

PBL450 said:


> Right? That's exactly the point I was angling at. Potentially ever-present nasty microbes.


They're not "nasty" in and of themselves. They _can_ be somewhat bothersome if they get into parts of your body where they don't belong, such as under your skin, or inside any kind of wound. Note that the same is true for many types of bacteria, that are likewise not "nasty" in any way, or that may even be vital, such as the bacteria in your gut. I will refrain from offering more specific examples.

Also note that the exact same bacteria will be present the very instant you put on a brand-spanking freshly washed pair of shorts (since they're already sitting on your skin), and that they can have the exact same effects if your skin gets compromised. So, yes, the problem is your compromised skin (or damaged hair follicles), not the bacteria. Those bacteria are normal, broken skin is not.

And, no, you still don't have a point.


----------

