How to Wash a Sports Jersey without Ruining It?

Dealing with coffee and salsa spills after pre-game activities can be hard. Enough time has already passed, which causes the stains to set, making them harder to come out. Therefore, to make them easy to come out, the pre-treating technique is used. To pre-treat stains, all you need is a simple solution, made from white vinegar, water and baking soda. Add 1 cup of water to 1 cup of vinegar, then add 1 tablespoon baking soda.

Turing the jerseys inside out before washing makes it easier to remove the oil or sweat from them. This technique also protects your logos, or other designs from fading, peeling, or cracking during washing. To further preserve your jerseys, wash them with like colors to avoid color bleeding, and unbutton them to reduce the chances of wrinkling. If you are washing a soccer jersey, make sure to remove the laces from them to avoid entanglement.

Always wash your sports jerseys in cold water and on low spin cycles. Doing so will help prevent your football jerseys, baseball jerseys, volleyball jerseys, soccer jerseys and other sports jerseys from fading, shrinking or losing its shape. Moreover, cold water and a soft cycle also helps limit the potential damage to your logos or designs  on the jerseys.

Washing on a gentle cycle is another way to keep your jerseys in their original form, with all their details intact. Use the “delicate” or “gentle” setting on your washing machines, so that the sports jerseys stay in their original form for a longer time. You do not need long cycles on jerseys, as long cycles can damage the delicate fabrics. A 12-20-minute cycle is enough.

Always use a color-safe or mild detergent for your jerseys that contains less to no bleach to avoid the color from fading. You can also use powdered detergents and wash the jerseys right after the game, to avoid stains from setting in and becoming persistent.

Fabric softeners cause the microfibers of the jerseys to get stuck together, causing jerseys to become less breathable.  They decrease the ability of the jerseys to absorb and blow away sweat, so it is better to avoid using them.

People are often wondering, “Can you put a jersey in the dryer?” The answer to this question is “No”. Machine dryers are not suitable at all for the jerseys, as the temperature on the dial does not exactly correspond to the actual temperature. This slight misrepresentation on the dial can result in the jerseys being heavily damaged.  It is preferable to air dry your jerseys, but avoid too long exposure to the sun as it can fade the color of your jerseys.

Ironing on high temperature can cause instant damage to your logos or designs. So, the best practice is to turn the jerseys inside out before ironing. This will keep your designs safe from damage, and will preserve their quality and colors. Moreover, you should be careful with the temperature setting too. Too much heat can cause scorching of the fabric. Therefore, it is best to keep the iron at the lowest temperature, and increase the temperature gradually as required.

Storing your jerseys in the right manner can also make them last long, keeping their look, quality, color and appearance intact. There are three main ways to store a jersey; they can be either rolled, hung, or kept flat. If you are hanging your jerseys, make sure to put them on a hanger and then put them in a plastic bag. Rolling the jerseys also makes them easier to store. Just try to assure that the storage medium regulates the heat, humidity, and ultra violet light.