- Clothing Care, Fashion
Use the proper methods to wash your sweatpants so you do not shrink or damage them.
Tall Paul
March 7, 2022
Hey guys, welcome to the guide that will make sure your sweatpants never smell again!
Use this article as your step-by-step guide on how to wash sweatpants. Using the proper methods to wash your tall sweatpants will allow you to keep them softer, cleaner, and in good condition for a longer period of time.
If you come to realize you don’t have time to wash your sweatpants properly then you can opt to take them to a dry cleaner. Learn more about how long dry cleaning takes and how much dry cleaning costs.
Table of Contents
How To Wash Sweatpants
Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
Cost: $0.53
Use these instructions to properly hand and machine wash your 100% cotton or cotton polyester blend sweatpants (can you shrink polyester?). Always check the care instructions on your sweatpants‘ label before you wash, dry, or iron them, to make sure there are no special treatment methods required.
Be sure to always wash white clothes with other light colours, wash dark clothes with other dark colours and wash coloured clothes with the same colours.
Make sure you understand fully what you need to do so you prevent your sweatpants from shrinking and from forming lint balls.
1. Turn your sweatpants inside out
This protects the outer layer of your sweatpants and allows for greater contact between the detergent and the dirtiest part of your pants.
2. Set the washing machine to cold
Set the washing machine to the cold water setting and add detergent and fabric softener if you wish. Using hot water will shrink your sweatpants.
3. Run the rinse cycle
4. Remove the sweatpants
Remove the sweatpants from the washing machine and place them into the dyer.
5. Tumble dry low
Run the dryer on tumble dry low.
6. Turn sweatpants inside out again
Once finished, remove the sweatpants from the dryer, turn them inside out once more, and enjoy your fresh and clean sweatpants.
You may be short on time to wash your favourite t-shirt, do you know how long does a washer take?. Do you know how long does a dryer take or how hot does a dryer get?
After your sweatpants are dry, check them for lint balls and remove them if you see any. Then fold or roll your sweatpants to put them away properly.
How To Wash Sweatpants By Hand
Total Time: 2 hr 30 min
Cost: $0.53
If you don’t have access to a washing machine, use these step-by-step instructions to guide you while hand washing your sweatpants.
1. Fill basin with tap water that is not hot for sweatpants
Fill a basin with cool or lukewarm water no hotter than 77°F or 25°C. I am using my kitchen sink to wash my sweatpants which I find is easiest to use if you have one available.
2. Turn sweatpants inside out and add detergent
Turn your sweatpants inside out to protect the outer layer and to allow for more contact between the detergent and the dirtiest parts of the pants. Once this is done, add the sweatpants and a splash of liquid detergent.
3. Let your sweatpants soak in the soapy water for 5 min
Swish your sweatpants around in the soapy water to make sure the pants get fully saturated with soapy water, then let them sit for 5 minutes.
4. After 5 min agitate the sweatpants
After 5 minutes get both of your hands into the soapy mixture and move the sweatpants around. Scrunch, squeeze, push, prod and overall distress the fabric to loosen all the dirt and grime.
5. Run the sweatpants under tap water until clear
Once finished, run the sweatpants under cold water until the water runs clear and the detergent is completely washed out.
6. Get out as much water as possible from the sweatpants
Wring the sweatpants out to remove excess water, or flat dry on a drying rack for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
If you are not in a rush, leave your sweatpants on the drying rack for a few more hours until fully dry. This will make sure that no shrinkage occurs.
7. Put the sweatpants into the dryer on tumble dry low
Put the sweatpants into the dryer and run the dryer on tumble dry low and take out once they are done. The sweatpants are ready to wear now.
Using the dryer can lead to shrinking of your sweatpants, to not allow that to happen look into how to line dry and drying your sweats without a dryer.
FAQ
In order to keep your sweatpants soft during the wash cycle you should use the right detergent, turn your sweatpants inside out, wash your sweatpants with garments made from similar materials, and consider running an extra rinse cycle.
Yes, you should turn your sweatpants inside out when washing. Turning your sweatpants inside out during the rinse cycle will protect the outer layer of your sweatpants, while also creating more contact between the detergent and the dirtiest part of your pants.
You should wash your sweatpants quite frequently, especially if you are exercising in them. Washing your sweatpants after each time wearing them is ideal, but you may be able to get away with wearing them 2-3 times without washing. It all depends if you are sweating and how soiled the pants are. Use your discretion.
Yes, you can dry sweatpants in the dryer. To dry sweatpants in the dryer use tumble dry low to avoid shrinking them or damaging the polyester fibers.
100% cotton garments will shrink in the dryer if they are dried using tumble dry medium or high. If you want to avoid shrinking your 100% cotton garments you should either dry them using the tumble dry low, or air dry settings (tumble dry no heat). You can also line dry your cotton clothing or flat dry on a drying rack.
Written and reviewed by
Tall Paul
Paul Marlow, standing at an impressive 6'7 (201cm) and weighing 225lb (102kg), is a mental health speaker, fashion expert, and ex-athlete who excels at helping tall men find well-fitting clothing and teaching them how to style it effectively. As a model in the fashion and film industries, Paul shares his expertise in tall men's fashion, offering valuable advice on measurements, tailoring, and alterations. In addition, he founded Never Alone, an organization that provides mental health and therapy inspiration, and started the Mental Growth Newsletter to support those facing mental health challenges, drawing from his own experiences.
