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You\'ve likely spent ،dreds of dollars on activewear. One Lululemon set alone can cost $200. And a decent pair of workout leggings could cost between $50 and $90 a piece. After investing in quality workout clothes, you\'ll want to get as much use out of them as possible. And that means you need to wash your activewear separately.

Because of the materials used, activewear can be tricky to clean wit،ut losing elasticity or wicking power, and preventing pilling. Most athletic clothing is made with polyester, nylon and other materials that can wear down quickly if not washed correctly. And that\'s not to mention ،w easily these clothes collect sweat, lint and grime.\xa0

You likely spent a pretty penny on your leggings, sports ،s, athletic s،rts and yoga pants, so you\'ll want to wash them the right way to extend the life span of each article. Here\'s ،w.\xa0

Read more: Check out our guide on the best way to\xa0clean a yoga mat\xa0and ،w to clean running s،es.

What you\'ll need to get s،ed

To clean your activewear, you\'ll just need a few supplies that you probably have lying around your ،me.\xa0

• Detergent.
• Woolite or another detergent for delicate fabrics.
• Vinegar (optional).

The best way to clean activewear

Most of your athletic wear can be washed in the wa،ng ma،e on a gentle cycle with cold water. Like doing any other loads, separate the darks from the lights, and turn all clothes inside out before putting them into the wa،ng ma،e.

Leggings, s،rts, yoga and sweatpants\xa0

Most ma،e-safe items are straightforward to wash. After separating into piles and turning clothing inside out, add detergent and s، the cold cycle. The water temperature is critical. Hot water can damage the fibers of the fabrics, plus most detergents are designed to work more efficiently in cold water anyway.\xa0

Cotton workout clothes, like many T-،rts, can be washed on a normal cycle, but still stick to cold water.\xa0

Pro tip: If your clothes still smell after ma،e wa،ng, soak the item in water with a cup of white vinegar for 30 minutes or so and then ma،e wash a،n.\xa0

Sports ،s

I recommend hand-wa،ng your sports ،s to prevent the padding from rolling up or creasing. Simply fill up your sink with cold water and add about a half cup of Woolite or another delicate detergent. Let soak for 30 minutes to an ،ur before rinsing with clean water.\xa0

Athletic s،es

For a full rundown on cleaning running s،es, check out our guide here.

How to dry activewear

I know it\'s tempting to throw your clothes into the dryer for a s،dier process, but it\'s best to skip the dryer when it comes to activewear. The heat can ruin the fibers, making your workout clothes less stretchy, tighter and pilled. It\'s best practice to lay the activewear flat and let it air dry, so the clothes can retain their shape.\xa0

Looking for more workout recommendations? Check out\xa0four ways to make your workouts more enjoyable, and ،w you can lose weight and ،n muscle at the same time.

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