Keeping sports gear clean and fresh is not only about good hygiene practices, it is also essential for preserving your protective gear longer. Because most athletes play hard to win, it is common for sweat and smells to soak through to every inch of their body.
Therefore, it is important that every player knows how to take care of protective gear like lacrosse pads properly.
With that being said, for those of you who want to know how to wash lacrosse pads without ruining them, here are a few tips and recommendations that you may want to follow.
1. Don’t Leave Pads Zipped in Your Sports Bag Overnight
At the end of the day, it may be easy to throw your lacrosse pads in your gym bag overnight. However, this is not a practice that you want to start or continue. Leaving these pads in a zipped gym bag overnight will not allow the pads to air out but will lock the bad odor and bacteria in.
Instead, the most appropriate way to handle these types of pads is to place them in a dry cool place so that they can air out after every game. By doing this each time, it will also make the pads easier to clean and keep fresh.
2. Check the Label on Your Lacrosse Pads for the Washing Instructions
As with any type of sports gear, you need to read the instructions on the label to determine the best cleaning method or methods to use. For instance, if you read the labels on your sports pads, it will give you detailed washing instructions on what to do.
This information is critical for a number of different reasons, particularly since this type of gear should not be placed in the dryer at any point in time. Instead, to dry your lacrosse pads after washing, they will need to be placed in a cool dry area.
3. Machine Washing Instructions – Place the Settings on a Gentle Cycle
As mentioned above, the instructions on your label can make a huge difference in the methods that you use. For instance, if you do not want your lacrosse pads to be damaged prematurely due to excessive wear and tear, you need to wash these pads in the washing machine on a gentle cycle.
Also, before you place the pads on the inside of your washing machine, you need to know what type of detergent to use. Typically, when you are washing lacrosse pads, you need to use mild detergent so that the fabric in these materials is not destroyed in any way.
Conclusion
If you want to know how to keep your lacrosse pads clean, fresh, and bacteria-free, you may want to follow the tips and recommendations provided above. This information will help you in a number of different ways.
From lengthening the life of your lacrosse pads to eliminating the possibility of damage due to excessive wear and tear, you can learn what you need to know about taking care of your pads properly.