Sports jerseys are some of the toughest items in your wardrobe to clean and maintain. Just like any other article of clothing, you want jerseys to smell and look good when you wear them.
However, jerseys aren’t like any other article of clothing, and require special care to remove stains and stink due to their technical fabrics and materials. Read this quick guide to learn how to clean your sports jerseys the right way.
Types of Jerseys and Material:
Football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and hockey all have their respective jerseys and unique material along with it. When washing, drying, and maintaining these different jerseys, it important to keep the following in mind:
- NFL Jerseys are usually made of a nylon/polyester weave
- NBA Jerseys, on the other hand, are made of almost exclusively polyester
- MLB Jerseys consist of double-knit polyester
- NHL Jerseys are comprised of polyester/spandex hybrid
- MLS Jerseys, nowadays, are composed of just about 100% polyester
How To Wash Sports Jerseys:
1. Pre-Treat Stains Before Washing
Since jerseys require a more delicate wash cycle, make sure you take care of any stains by hand before putting them in the washer. You can do this by pre-soaking in cold water and detergent.
Most people will tell you to use a mixture of vinegar and water but we don’t recommend using home remedies. If you are pre-soaking, our best recommendation would be to avoid the vinegar and use HEX Performance Laundry Detergent; built specifically for the technical fabrics in sports jerseys.
To pre-soak, simply create a mixture of 1 tablespoon of HEX Performance Laundry Detergent for every gallon of cold water that you use. Add your jerseys to the mixture and let them soak for a minimum of 20 minutes. Then add to your washing machine.
Or, to make life simple, you could use HEX Stain & Stink Remover Spray to pre-treat and break up your stains. To use, spray the product on the stains and gently work it into the fabric. Then, let rest for 15 minutes before adding to your washing machine with HEX Performance Laundry Detergent.
2. Turn Them Inside Out and Keep Them Buttoned
Before you put your jerseys in the washer, make sure you keep them buttoned (if they have any) and turn them inside out. Contrary to popular belief, if your jersey has buttons, don’t unbutton them because if you do, it could snag onto something and end up ruining it.
By doing all of this, you’ll prevent damage to the numbers, logos, names, or patches it might have. This also keeps the colors from fading in the long run.
3. Wash Jerseys Together And Separate By Color
As with any load of laundry, you want to be sure to separate loads by color. However, due to the nature of material jerseys are made of, it’s best to only wash jerseys with each other and avoid any other type of fabric being mixed in — especially denim. Mixing fabrics in with your jerseys could be very abrasive to them. Zippers, denim, and towels can cause friction and snags that will damage your jersey.
4. Use Warm (Not Hot) Water & Set To Short, Delicate Cycles
While cold water can prevent fading and shrinkage while washing jerseys, if your jersey needs a thorough cleaning it’s best to use warm water. However, make sure the water is warm, not hot, to avoid damaging the jersey. Also, set them to a short cycle (10-15 minutes) and rinse them multiple times.
How to Maintain Sports Jerseys:
A washing machine is only as good as the detergent that’s used in it. For the best way to truly clean your jerseys and keep them fresh, use HEX Performance Deodorizing Spray to keep your jersey smelling fresh between washes. Simply spray it on the surface and let it dry.
HEX provides the best laundry care products for sports jerseys and activewear. Visit our shop online and try our products. Get 20% off your first order and 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back.
