How to Wash Cycling Clothes

I will never forget the time that I was on a group bike ride with a friend. We were talking about our favorite bike shorts. Both of us were absolutely obsessed with the Pearl Izumi PRO Short, and we were both wearing them!

I told her they were my first pair ever. You see, I had them for YEARS, and the chamois was like new. I loved them so much I got a second pair, even though they are pricey.

She said “Oh. Really? Mine are great too! I am not sure how long they will last, though. I throw them in the dryer…I probably shouldn’t?”

Well, I am not going to lie…I was a little horrified. Hopefully, I recovered well and wasn’t TOO dramatic about what an intrinsically bad idea it is to put cycling shorts in the dryer. 
 
Then, it got me thinking. Maybe there are other women out there who aren’t really sure how to wash cycling clothes, too!

So, if you have ever wondered if you are washing your clothes the “right way,” or what the “must follow” rules are vs. the ones that you can be a little more free with…or even how to get that stink out of your sweaty cycling kits, my friend, read on. This article is for you! 

Tip #1: Wash Cycling Clothes Right Away or Hang Up Until You Can Wash 

Given the nature of the material of cycling clothes and just how much we sweat when we ride, you really want to wash your cycling kit right away.  The longer it sits, the more it is going to smell, and the more bacteria will build up.

It’s especially important that you don’t throw your clothes in a hamper or bin. So, if you can’t wash them that day, be sure to hang them up until you can.

And, my friend, cycling clothes aren’t like that pair of pajama pants that you only wear to bed. They really do need to be washed every single time you wear them.

If it’s possible, try to avoid multiple wears between washes. Now I understand that on a bikepacking trip this may not always be possible. However, at home, do your clothes a favor and make sure they are washed between each wear.

I have found that once certain fibers get really stinky, sometimes there is just no way to fully remove the smell.

Tip #2 Check All the Labels Before You Wash and Consider Your Washer Settings     

You really want to give those labels a once over, at least before the first time you wash. You want to make sure you aren’t trying to wash something that needs to be spot cleaned. For example, a lot of cycling gloves are spot wash only because of the components that are in the gloves.

Now I will be honest, I don’t usually bother checking the normal jersey or shorts for their wash instructions. I just figure that no one would ever make ones that you couldn’t put in a washing machine! However, some may be hand-wash only, so you might want to use the hand-wash cycle on your machine if you are being super careful.

Full disclosure, I am not super careful myself. So far, I have gotten away with washing everything on the normal setting. But, if you are a big rule follower and want to make sure you handwash where handwashing is specified? Definitely check the labels first.  

Tip #3 Consider Washing Your Cycling Clothes Separately From All Other Clothes – Especially If They Are Stinky   

Now you will note that I say consider here…and I say that for a few reasons. There have been several times I have thrown my cycling clothes in with everything else and have gotten away with it.

However, if my clothes were especially sweaty or stinky, I wouldn’t want to take the chance that the smell would permeate my whole load and not come out. It hasn’t happened so far, but if it did how terrible would that be?

Also, I have definitely had scenarios where my bra hooks have gotten stuck on the mesh of my cycling bibs. It pulled them, and that wasn’t ideal. It could have really damaged the bibs because I wasn’t careful.

Tip #4 Zip Zippers, Fasten Velcro, and Turn Some Items Inside Out (Read on to See Which Ones!)

Cycling clothes can take a little more prep than your normal laundry, but it’s worth it. This can really get them clean and protect them from the machine/other pieces of clothing.

The first thing you want to do is make sure that all zippers on your jackets/jerseys are zipped up. Then, you will want to turn these items inside out. This will protect the zippers from hitting the sides of the machine during washing and possibly breaking/getting damaged.

I have never had any of my cycling zippers get messed up. However, I have had a few sweatshirts over the years that have been an issue. I didn’t zip them, put them through the washer AND dryer, and the zipper part of the zipper fell off. If you don’t want this to happen to your cycling clothes, especially those pricey jackets, be sure to zip them up and turn them inside out!

Now this is a big one, you really want to take the time to fasten all velcro. So, for example, we have these arm sleeves that you can wear in cooler weather and they fasten closed at the wrists. If we don’t fasten them and make sure all of the sticky parts are completely covered they will absolutely latch on to the delicate fabric of jerseys and pull them.

Yes, if you are wondering this has happened. It is definitely really sad when you have pulls on your favorite jersey!

Finally, consider whether or not you watch each item to be washed inside out. As I mentioned you always want to wash anything with a zipper inside out. With other clothes I like to wash the most soiled side out. So if I am riding in the rain and get covered in mud I will wash items right side out.

If I am not, I tend to wash most things inside out because that means the stinky parts (pits, chamois) will hopefully be washed a little better.

Other than the zippers I am not sure how much it really matters if you wash things inside out or not. I do it because I like the idea of getting my clothes as clean as possible in each wash.

Tip #5 Use Mesh Laundry Bags for Delicate Items   

A great way to protect the more delicate items in your cycling laundry is to just use mesh laundry bags.

These are great for items like cycling caps to keep the brim from getting messed up. They are also good for gloves if they are machine washable (even just to keep them together).

I also use them for bib shorts to protect the straps from getting pulled or stretched out.

Additionally, I will also sometimes use these for those pesky velcro items too. This makes it a little more difficult for the velcro to snag.

Finally, if I am short on time and really need to wash my bras with my cycling clothes this can keep the bra hooks from snagging on other items too.

Tip #6 Use Cold Water With Mild Detergent, Sports Detergent, or Both   

So now let’s talk about the actual wash cycle. First of all, you always want to wash your cycling clothes with cold water. Hot water has a tendency to break down delicate fibers. Therefore, using cold water will prolong the life of your clothes.

Additionally, it’s best to use a mild detergent for the same reason. I usually use either Seventh Generation detergent (I like the lavender scent, it’s VERY subtle), or All Free and Clear.

But, when our cycling clothes are really stinky we will usually reach for a sports detergent like WIN. There are many detergents that are designed specifically for sports fabrics. I like to use the scented version of WIN. I tried the unscented, but I find that the scented one just seems to do a better job of getting the stink out.

This could certainly be in my head, but that is my preference! I don’t use it all of the time because it is definitely pricier than regular detergent.

Sometimes I will use the regular detergent and sports detergent together for a double whammy if it’s really bad. Admittedly we have some pieces that we just can’t seem to get the stink out of permanently. But, at least this gives them a bit of a reprieve so that they don’t stink before we even put them on.

Also, if there are any grease stains on the clothes, I’ll treat those first with some Dawn dish detergent.

Tip #7: Hang or Lay Flat All Cycling Clothes to Dry. Do NOT Put Them in the Dryer (Unless the Label Says It’s OK)  

As I mentioned above, heat is NOT the friend of cycling clothing fabrics as a general rule. The only cycling items I will ever put in the dryer are socks, as long as they aren’t wool and the washing instructions say it’s OK.

The chamois in cycling shorts in particular is something that you really don’t want to break down. It can make for a very uncomfortable experience on the bike, so we want to preserve these pads as much as humanly possible.

Dryers, even on lower settings, tend to get too hot for the majority of cycling fabrics, so I just tend to hang all of our cycling clothes up to dry. We have a metal drying rack in our downstairs bathroom right next to the washer and dryer for this purpose.

Yes, it’s a bit annoying to have the rack there, but it is way better to be annoyed by extra drying time and the rack taking up space than to have to purchase the clothing sooner because it wears out.

There is nothing worse than pulling on a pair of cycling shorts and finding that they are basically see through now because the fibers have been worn down. This does happen, but if you use heat in the dryer it is bound to happen more frequently than if you don’t.

Following These Tips Will Help You Keep Your Cycling Clothes in Shape for Literal YEARS 

My husband and I have been cycling regularly now for almost a decade, and we have taken excellent care of our cycling clothes. I would say that they are some of our most cared for items in the home.

As a result of washing them the proper way (with some noted exceptions), we have been rewarded with longevity, and only had to discard a few items over the years from straight up wear and tear.

Now there have been a few items we have shredded in falls too, but we can hardly blame the clothing for THAT!

With just a few precautions and reasonably priced tools like mesh bags and a drying rack, you too can protect your cycling clothes for years to come.

And if you are wondering which of my items have held up the best? It would be my Pearl Izumi PRO Bib Shorts. I have two pairs and have been wearing them frequently for the past 6/7 years.

My first pair admittedly is a little bit more worn than the second, but after years and years of trying all the bib shorts I keep coming back to these staples whenever I want a really substantial chamois and comfy ride. Be sure to check out our review of these excellent shorts and grab yourself a pair (if you don’t have them already!). They are pricey but SO worth it. 

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