Concept2 Forum

OK, this might seem like a strange question, but bear with me...

I train 4-6 times a week on my erg at home. I live in a small-ish 70sqm flat. After every session, my training kit is soaked in sweat.

I can't put it in the washing machine after every session, but because it is soaked in sweat I can't (or shouldn't) chuck it in the laundry basket. I can hang it up to dry in the bathroom, but there is often washed clothing out drying already. I'd rather only wash kit once a week, but that means kinda drying it out as I go along and the wet kit can take more than a day to dry where it can be put in the washing basket.

I just wonder what other peoples' kit washing routines are, particularly those that live in small inner-city flats. Maybe I am missing a trick!

My dilemma too.
Summer was easy as I’d hang my kit on the line overnight and it was dry enough to use the next day. Now it’s winter sweaty kit has an odour that not everyone finds pleasant!
I have three sets a week. Wear once, dry in bathroom, after second use place in washing machine - door closed. After 6 days (one day a week rest from erging) I chuck in the rest of the dirty clothes and switch on.

I hang the togs on bars that I put across the top of both showers.
As needed, they are first rinsed or washed in a bucket of water that's kept under the shower faucet.
Two or three pair of tops and shorts are rotated day by day to give them more time for drying.

DNA_Rower wrote: ↑

January 30th, 2021, 10:35 am

I train 4-6 times a week on my erg at home. I'd rather only wash kit once a week ...

You gotta hit that wet suit with some soap/water each time or you will hit problems. A quick rinse in sink is all it needs - it won't get any wetter. They make soap for handwashing.

If you want, a blow dryer will dry a pair of rowing shorts in 2 secs. Rolling it in a towel also gets it almost dry. Or having a couple of sets lets you overlap drying. Especially in winter mine dry hanging over a laundry basket in a few hours.

Tsnor wrote: ↑

January 30th, 2021, 3:38 pm

DNA_Rower wrote: ↑

January 30th, 2021, 10:35 am

I train 4-6 times a week on my erg at home. I'd rather only wash kit once a week ...

You gotta hit that wet suit with some soap/water each time or you will hit problems. A quick rinse in sink is all it needs - it won't get any wetter. They make soap for handwashing.

If you want, a blow dryer will dry a pair of rowing shorts in 2 secs. Rolling it in a towel also gets it almost dry. Or having a couple of sets lets you overlap drying. Especially in winter mine dry hanging over a laundry basket in a few hours.

That’s what I do Tsnor, works a treat. Super efficient, especially for the rare 2 sessions a day, the low dryer makes it all possible.

A few years back I switched to sleeveless "gym" tops, partly out of vanity, but mostly because they collect much less underarm sweat compared to "regular" tops and as a result can go a lot longer without stinking and having to be washed.

They also have a number of other benefits - lower cost, less material so they're much easier to wash (less space in the washing machine, or in the sink if you want to try that) etc. After I'm done exercising I put the top on a hanger and it dries out in no time. (Needless to say, don't get cotton.)

I've no idea of the fabric your kit is made of, but as a kayak paddler my clothing is made of a wicking, quick drying material using a combination of polyester/elastane or spandex/nylon. Cotton retains moisture and takes forever to dry.

Might also look into a folding drying rack if space is an issue. They come in different sizes.

Ripples wrote: ↑

January 30th, 2021, 11:50 pm

I've no idea of the fabric your kit is made of, but as a kayak paddler my clothing is made of a wicking, quick drying material using a combination of polyester/elastane or spandex/nylon. Cotton retains moisture and takes forever to dry.

Agree 1000%! The new synthetics are amazing. They no longer pill up & don't retain odors, which turned me off of them years ago.

What do you want to wear kit for if indoors?

jamesg wrote: ↑

February 1st, 2021, 6:25 am

What do you want to wear kit for if indoors?

That’s fine in the summer but in my garage it’s close to freezing at this time of year.

I hang it up so it dries.
New kit on the next workout. Hang it up so it dries.
Place first kit in laundry.
Repeat til I run out of kits.
Wash all kits at once. Normally once a week