What do you use to hand wash your kit?

[jmoore]

Originally Posted by notsew

Has anyone gone from hand washing to machine washing and noticed a difference? It all seems pretty resilient to me.

I just throw it in the laundry and wash it with the rest of my crap. Do try to hang dry it though.

I switched from hand to machine wash. I can't tell a difference. My son has about 3 zillion dri-fit shirts and we wash those in the regular wash. No issues.

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[duff_duffy]

Cold water and little detergent. Will keep color long time.....

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by tkbike

Not sure what a "kit" is, but my better half and I rode 65 miles yesterday and washed our clothes in 'All free and clear' and it seemed to work OK! We both wear our MTB gear on the road...it really messes with the roadies!!!!!

Some kit is delicate; some isn't.

And some guys get month-long rashes on their privates because they don't know the distinction.

Tru story.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by cmbicycles

I have some cycling gear, cycling accessories, cycling socks, cycling clothes, but nothing called kit. I use the same stuff for washing all fabrics.

Gallon container... 3/4 cup borax, 3/4 cup washing soda, 3/4 cup blue dawn dish soap, some lavender essential oil for flavor.
Mix the powders with very hot tap water until disolved, then fill the rest of the container almost to the top and mix again. Then add the dawn, and top off with hot water (gently to not make suds) 15 +/- drops of lavender. Swish container before using, and add a 1/4 cup +/- to each load of laundry... In truth I don't measure anymore, just pour in what seems like the right amount. Works well for all our clothes (or kit, if you prefer) and is dirt cheap. Would work for hand washing too, just use less.

If we need brighten whites, add a can of coke to the wash cycle while its filling and mix around before adding clothes, it's good at getting out oils and yellowing... and tasty too.

Does the lavender serve any purpose other than scent? You do this for all your laundry? And the coke really works? Gotta stop drinking that stuff...

[suissecheese]

Originally Posted by DRietz

Dr Bronners, yo. My bibs smell like peppermint

Heck yeah! I'm on the citrus one at the moment though. I'm going to shower after a ride anyways, may as well share the water.


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[Seramount]

I used to take my kit in the shower and gently lather it up with whatever shampoo I had purchased at Target. rinsed and air-dried...

now I throw all my cycling gear (jersey, shorts, gloves, head band, gloves, socks) in the washer, use a modicum of scent-free detergent, and set it for 5 min agitation. then air-dry...

no difference in life-span of the gear.

[cmbicycles]

Lavender is just for a little aromatherapy. The coke actually does work to remove oils and brighten whites, just don't add after clothes are in... it needs a little dilution first. The spa my better half used to work at used coke mixed in to wash sheets/towels that got messed up with oils and such and they came out much cleaner than when they skipped it.

[Anarchist]

Originally Posted by makoti

Does the lavender serve any purpose other than scent? You do this for all your laundry? And the coke really works? Gotta stop drinking that stuff...

Coke makes a good glass cleaner and is astoundingly useful as a paint remover.

Think of that next time you're drinking a can of the stuff.

[hobbanero]

Modern washers have gentle cycles....though a commercial machine in an apartment building may not be very gentle relative to a home front loading machine. Putting the kits in wash bags helps keep it from getting beaten up by the plastic agitators in a top loader.

There are different spin speeds...gentle cycle is usually a low spin. Not sure that matters for the clothing, but it does mean it is less dry when it comes out of the washer.

Line drying is key....dryer heat is really bad for lycra. Once I stopped putting my stuff in the dryer (even on delicate), it stopped wearing out (eg. when bibs get shiny and start being a bit see through).