For many activities, knee pads are an essential piece of equipment. They’re standard gear for sports like volleyball, basketball, and skateboarding, and they’re also handy when performing many home chores.
If you wear knee pads regularly, you know how dirty and smelly they can get. If you just can’t seem to get them clean, read on to learn how to wash knee pads the right way!
Quick Start Guide
In a hurry to get clean your knee pads? This quick start guide should help you get the job done with ease:
- Check the tags. As you might imagine, the easiest way to wash your knee pads is in your washing machine. Before you do, however, be sure to confirm that your knee pads are approved by the manufacturer for machine washing. You can usually find this information on the tags or the manufacturer’s website.
- Use a laundry bag. If your knee pads are machine-washable, use a laundry bag to offer some protection for the knee pads and to keep them from getting tangled with your other clothing.
- Wash with the rest of your gear. While you don’t want your pads to get tangled up with other items, you also don’t want to wash them alone. If you do a load with only knee pads, they’re going to clang around in the washer for the entire cycle. Just toss them in the laundry bag and throw them in with a regular load of activewear.
- Use the right detergent. It’s important to use a detergent that is designed to wash synthetic fibers. Consider WIN Sports Detergent, which is made specifically to remove odors and oils from activewear. If you wash your knee pads with your uniform or other workout clothes, you can take care of everything all at once!
- Wash in cold water. When you’re ready to start the machine, opt for cold water and be sure to use the gentle cycle.
- Air dry. You’ll run the risk of shrinking the material if you put your pads in the dryer, so air drying is the best way to go. Keep in mind that it can take up to 12 hours for your pads to fully dry, but putting them in the sun can help to speed that up.
Washing By Hand
If you aren’t able to use the washing machine, you can certainly hand wash your knee pads. The process is quite similar:
- Brush away debris. Use a brush with soap and water to scrub away any debris.
- Soak in water & detergent mixture. Place your knee pads in a sink or bucket with a mixture of 1–2 oz of detergent and 1 gallon of water. Move the pads around with your hands, almost as if they were in the washing machine.
- Drain & rinse. After a good soak in the water, drain the sink (or dump the bucket) and rinse the pads thoroughly to get rid of any remaining soap.
- Air dry. Pat the pads down with a towel to remove excess water, and then air dry them to finish the job.
Caring For Your Knee Pads
The instructions above should help you make relatively quick work of washing your knee pads. But what can you do to care for your pads on a day-to-day basis? One easy step you can take is to let them air out after every use. For instance, let’s say you are using knee pads for volleyball. After practice, you probably toss your pads in a bag, along with some other gear, and head home. That’s fine, but if you then toss that bag on your floor and leave everything zipped up in that dark, damp environment, you’re going to create a breeding ground for bacteria and some serious stink. The key is to remember to open up your bag when you get home, so the pads can air out. This step isn’t going to remove the need for washing, but it might allow you to go a little longer between washes.
Another handy trick is to rotate between two pairs of pads. This ensures that one pair can fully dry before you wear it again, which helps cut down on stink. And as an added bonus, you may be able to get a longer life out of both pairs—as you’ll be using them less than if you were only using one pair
Try WIN Sports Detergent
Having the right detergent on hand for all of your activewear is a smart choice. Regular detergents aren’t made to handle the unique challenges that come with cleaning synthetic fibers, which is why WIN Sports Detergent makes such a great alternative. Order a bottle today to knock out odor in your favorite sports and workout clothing!