In recent years, with the increasing emphasis on healthy living and the influence of numerous international sports events held in China, the sports craze has been on the rise, and the scale of the sports population has been expanding. As sports become a new norm in people’s lives, it has effectively stimulated consumers’ upgraded demand for sports clothing cleaning.
Surveys have found that most people change into specialized clothing when exercising (approximately 90%). After sweating heavily during exercise, over 95% of survey participants reported that their clothes were sweat-soaked (20.11% of clothes were completely soaked with sweat, 54.15% were half-wet with moderate sweating, and 22.97% had partial sweat stains from light sweating).
In terms of cleaning, survey participants commonly encountered the following problems:
- Clothes turning yellow after wearing and washing multiple times (58.58%);
- Clothes becoming gray and dull after wearing and washing multiple times (46.40%);
- Sweat odor being difficult to remove and easily lingering (40.04%);
- Clothes developing a strange smell or odor after extended wear (35.24%);
- Stains and foreign substances from sports venues, such as mud and grass, being difficult to clean (24.08%).
It is evident that in addition to the concern for “visible” dirt, similar to regular clothing, “odor” becomes a prominent focus for sports clothing.
Clothing odors can be divided into two categories:
- Odors originating from the skin, where clothing absorbs the odors through contact with the skin (described as sweat odor);
- Odors that further develop on the clothing, which are generally more intense than sweat odor (described as foul odor).
In most cases, the sweat and foul odors we smell on sports clothing include both types of odors.
“Sports Wash” comprehensively considers several aspects of technology, taking a multi-pronged approach to achieve efficient sweat odor removal and inhibition. It is paired with specialized technologies to maintain the moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties of sports clothing, ensuring a dry and comfortable experience during wear, providing sports enthusiasts with a delightful experience of “sweating without leaving any odor.”
Sports clothing belongs to the category of professional functional textiles and is often worn close to the skin. In addition to choosing sports-specific laundry detergents that target the removal of clothing stains and bacteria, provide long-lasting antibacterial protection, and prevent the generation of sweat odor, it is also necessary to guide consumers to adopt scientific washing and care methods. This helps to better achieve meticulous cleaning and care of sports clothing, extend the wearing life of the garments, and improve the comfort experience.
1. Clean clothes promptly after sports activities.
Avoid long-term storage and reduce the time clothes are left in a damp state, which can lead to the continuous reproduction and growth of bacteria, resulting in a strong sweat odor on the clothes. If immediate washing is not possible, it is recommended to hang the clothes or place them in a ventilated laundry basket, avoiding prolonged storage in sealed plastic bags.
2. Pre-applying detergent to key areas such as the collar, underarms, and sweat-wiping areas during sports before regular washing can effectively improve the stain removal effect.
If the clothes have a strong sweat odor, soaking them in sports laundry detergent for 5-20 minutes before regular washing can achieve better odor control results.
3. To maintain the functionality of sports clothing fabrics, it is preferable to choose washing products that are beneficial to the moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties of sports clothing. It is also not recommended to use fabric softeners.
4. Use gentle washing programs or hand wash, or machine wash after wrapping the clothes in a laundry bag to avoid excessive mechanical force that may cause deformation or damage to the garments.
5. It is recommended to use warm water washing (not exceeding 40°C washing programs) and avoid high-temperature washing (such as ultra-high temperature disinfection programs) to reduce damage to the functional fabrics of sports clothing.
6. After washing, place the clothes in a ventilated area to air dry. If tumble drying is needed, it is recommended to select a drying program not exceeding 60°C. Avoid direct sunlight during the drying process. It is suggested to wash, dry, and then store the clothes, avoiding damp environments that may generate new odors.