What detergent do you use to wash your kit, and why?

[kramnnim]

Curious what y'all use to wash your stinky, sweaty kit. Halo Proactive was suggested by some friends in the UK, but it says "not safe for septic tanks."

[Heisenberg]

tide pods, half-chewed.

but really - it's more important to immediately get stuff washed when it's gross and stinky than using special detergent. the stuff in your sweat breaks down the lycra. i live in an apartment building without any machines and often handwash if i know it's going to be awhile.

i wouldn't sweat the type of detergent.

[dbnm]

Regular tide liquid. immediately after the ride.

[MattTuck]

All Free & Clear.

Same as my regular clothes.

[kramnnim]

All Free & Clear.

Same as my regular clothes.

This is what we've been using...but not always immediately after the ride.

[charliedid]

This will sound weird.

Like Heisenberg and others I think the sooner the better and the soap you use less important. Honestly I use all sorts of stuff including.....wait for it. Shampoo. Evan hand soap if that is close by and I don't have anything else handy for clothing.

I tend to not buy heavy soaps for anything in my life so all of it is rather mild. For a while I was using "soak" for wool garments for anything I hand wash.

I use Method as well as Ecover brand as well. Not very much of it and right after a ride.

[billspreston]

Woolite Active Wear because it is "Ideal for apparel containing lycra, spandex, polyester and other mixed fabrics". Sounds like Mamil detergent to me.

Probably some BS, but it works fine.

[Heisenberg]

This will sound weird.

Like Heisenberg and others I think the sooner the better and the soap you use less important. Honestly I use all sorts of stuff including.....wait for it. Shampoo. Evan hand soap if that is close by and I don't have anything else handy for clothing.

I tend to not buy heavy soaps for anything in my life so all of it is rather mild. For a while I was using "soak" for wool garments for anything I hand wash.

I use Method as well as Ecover brand as well. Not very much of it and right after a ride.

this.

i've worked for and with multiple purveyors of lycra. i've been known to use hand soap in hotels.

[Seramount]

used to use shampoo and hand-wash jerseys and shorts in the sink. but now kit just goes in the regular laundry with some unscented 'whatever is on sale' detergent.

they're just clothing, not priceless heirlooms...

[oldturd]

cold water specific detergent, gentle cycle.. everything still looking and feeling as new. :cool:

[vincenz]

Regular liquid detergent, no softeners, everything turned inside out, cold wash, once a week, hang dry.

[rst72]

All Free & Clear.

If kit is soaked in sweat after ride, I rinse in the sink, hang dry and do a full load wash at the end of the week.

[Heisenberg]

oh, one other general kit-care tip: close your closures (zip/velcro) before washing in a machine, helps keep them from beating the **** out of the garment.

always cold.

[bigbill]

Whatever I'm using to wash the other darks. I like Oxyclean because it seems to do a good job on the shorts/shirt I wear to boot camp classes. I've got 20 year old stuff I still regularly wear on the bike. After rides I hang my stuff up to dry and then put it in the basket until I have a full load.

[Blue Jays]

* Always inside-out
* Always in a laundry mesh bag
* Always warm/cold or cold/cold
* Always hung to dry
* Persil, Woolite, or Nathan detergent

[FlashUNC]

Always as soon as I'm back from a ride. Method for most stuff. If it's a full wool jersey, then that goes in with Ivory Snow, per the manufacturers rec. (Woolistic is not a fan of Woollite, despite the name.)

Speed is key. Wash it all as soon as you can.

[brockd15]

I used to use Nathan detergent but now I've been using this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C285JG2/ref=twister_B01HWUIUBG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It's been a while, but I think I started with special detergents because I was washing water resistant stuff (Castelli Perfetto, Showers Pass jacket) and wanted something safe for it.

[GOTHBROOKS]

soap isnt as important to me as washing all my lycra in a garment bag is.

[bart998]

I used to hand wash when I rode wool... now a days I just use Tide in cold water and hang dry... don't want the dryer heat to dry out the rubber in the spandex.

[pasadena]

Just Dr Bronners on gentle or quick wash cycle
it's non-toxic, cheap and easy. works well.
I used Woolite, but that's not the greatest (toxic ingredients)

I'm sitting on that chamois, and cycling kit is basically wrapped tight as a second skin.
regular detergents are high on toxic ingredients. They have a lot of harsh chemicals that can fade your cycle stuff. we don't use fabric sheets anymore either because of toxic coating, (and it messes cycling stuff too).

as long as you avoid the dryer and fabric softener, stuff should last.

[joosttx]

Tide Pods just the way I wash evrything else. My cycling clothes get washed pretty much right away which is probably why the last.

[phoenix]

I usually wash all of my kits, as well as clothing/bedding in cold water and use a bio-degradable detergent by Norwex. During the summertime I like to bring the kit into the shower with me after a ride and wash it then as all I have to do is hang it outside to dry for a couple hours and it’s good to go.

I also use this same detergent when cleaning cassettes, chains and really anything that needs to be cleaned and or degreased. I love this stuff because it’s not harmful to the environment and it works for anything you may want to clean. It allows me to not use any of the bike specific degreasers that are on the market. I do still keep a bottle of speed degreaser on hand, but it now lasts a very long time since I have other more eco friendly options now.

[Jmj2323]

Tide Sport. It’s normal priced and works as well as the specialty stuff from the bike shop.

[b021c]

I use the Assos cleanser but have used free and clear detergent when I've run out. I think the blacks stay black whilst using solely the Assos in my experience.
Always in a garment bag and always dried flat.

[paredown]

Costco liquid 'Free and Clear' equivalent, cold wash and line dry. Non-agitator washer, so I don't bother with a bag. I try to get them in the washer as soon as I've cooled down from a ride.

Stains--shoot 'em with the Oxy spray first.

My complaint these days are seams that start to come apart because they weren't properly tied off. Castelli and Campagnolo are repeat offenders; never had an Assos anything come apart at the seams...

[dbnm]

I just hand my kit to my butler. He washes it by hand with water from an Icelandic glacier and Louis Vuitton designer soap.

[dgauthier]

Woolite.

[Hawker]

I generally hand wash and when I do I use whatever is at hand. That includes bar soap, dish washing soap and yes...shampoo. But I rinse VERY well.

[Mzilliox]

i make my own laundry soap, its washing powder, borax and a bit of shredded handmade soap. wash on cold handwash cycle, and hang to dry when its possible

[Mr. Pink]

https://www.campmor.com/c/sport-wash-scent-free-detergent-by-sno-seal-10601

Soak a little at first, especially if extra stinky. You're welcome.

[Marc40a]

https://www.campmor.com/c/sport-wash-scent-free-detergent-by-sno-seal-10601

Soak a little at first, especially if extra stinky. You're welcome.

Ditto. They sell much larger jugs as well.

It's non-bio, which means no enzymes - many modern soaps uses bleach, enzymes, etc... I also use it on delicate clothing items, wool items, wetsuits, goretex drysuits, etc..

My kit goes in the sink when I get home, agitated a little, soaks for the remainder of the day, and gets rinsed and hung before bed.

[Marc40a]

Just Dr Bronners on gentle or quick wash cycle
it's non-toxic, cheap and easy. works well.
I used Woolite, but that's not the greatest (toxic ingredients)

I'm sitting on that chamois, and cycling kit is basically wrapped tight as a second skin.
regular detergents are high on toxic ingredients. They have a lot of harsh chemicals that can fade your cycle stuff. we don't use fabric sheets anymore either because of toxic coating, (and it messes cycling stuff too).

as long as you avoid the dryer and fabric softener, stuff should last.

Totally agree with this. Woolite is not a gentle/delicate soap by any stretch.

I've used Bronner's before, but I find it a little oiler than the Atsko (spelling?) sports wash. Dr. Bronner's is still my favorite all around soap, but for my kit and tech gear, I prefer the Atsko.

I've using Dr. Bronners as body soap, lately. I take showers on each end of my commute and bring the Dr.Bronners is in a small refillable squeeze tube.