In cold times, many of us consider reusing training clothes without going through the washing machine. In winter we don't sweat as much as when there are warmer temperatures, but that doesn't give us a free hand to wear dirty clothes again, does it?
There are many reasons why you might be tempted to wear your sportswear again after sweating it out once (or twice). Maybe you don't have time to do laundry, or you want to cut down on how often you have to carry laundry up on the roof. Or maybe you just don't see the point in washing your expensive leggings after wearing them for a quick 20-minute workout.
Whatever the reason, we'll tell you if it's dangerous to wear the same clothes again a day or two later before washing them.
Dirty workout clothes breed bacteria
Not the most comforting thing to think about, but we all have microorganisms that live naturally on our skin; Millions of them actually just sit there all the time. This is what we call the microbiome of our skin. It includes bacteria, fungi, and yeast (a type of fungus).
When you play sports, these bugs can be transferred to anything you touch, and that includes the clothes you're wearing. We obviously sweat and wear clothes that can absorb everything we excrete. These microorganisms can remain on clothes after training, especially if you put them in the basket de la clothing dirty. Bacteria and fungi love these dark, moist areas to grow.
You can also pick up more bacteria by sharing gym machines. In normal amounts, these microorganisms are really essential to maintain the balance of your skin. So are certain yeasts and fungi. But when your clothes get sweaty and hot, you create the perfect environment for those little ones to proliferate faster than normal.
When we wear our clothes over and over again, one of the things that worries you is having increased amounts of microorganisms, which can lead to irritations, boils y grain.
Is it safe to reuse dirty workout clothes?
There are two important factors to consider: what workout clothes are we talking about and how much did you sweat?
Anything further away from your skin is generally less of a problem to reuse. Putting a running jacket back on is totally different than repurposing socks. The clothes that are closest to your body are the ones that perspire the most and have the most contact with the skin, so it is very important to wash them after each use. For example, the Socks or bra sports.
The worst thing to use again is the underwear. This tends to collect most microorganisms, since it is in contact with the genitals and anal area. If we are trying to compare different clothes to reuse, underwear is not an option.
Some fabrics may also be better than others. Synthetic materials, such as polyester, tend to have more potential to trap some of these microorganisms. Synthetic fabrics absorb sweat, and there may be some truth to the idea that clothing that dries faster may promote less growth of microorganisms. But the science in this area is lacking so far.
After thinking about the clothes you want to wear again, think about the amount of sweat you have excreted. If you're wearing a sports bra and you haven't been exercising too much and you want to dry it off and put it back on the next day, that's different than wearing a very sweaty one and putting it back on the next day. If it's a little sweaty and you let it dry and it doesn't have much of a smell, then you can wear it again.
3 Dangers of Rewearing Dirty Workout Clothes
you could have a rash
Having a higher amount of bacteria on the skin is not necessarily enough to cause an infection. But all it takes is a small wound or a front door. We're not talking about a huge wound or obvious cut: common exercise-induced rubbing can compromise the skin barrier enough to let in elements like staphylococcus and MRSA.
Staph can cause a mild skin condition called folliculitis. This is basically an infection in the hair follicles. It occurs when something, such as chafing, tight clothing, or shaving, damages the hair follicle and creates an entrance for microorganisms.
It is generally not dangerous, but it can be uncomfortable and unsightly. Folliculitis looks like a bumpy red rash and is often mistaken for acne. The good news is that it can be easily treated with a few skin care strategies, like applying a warm compress several times a day and avoiding shaving or waxing.
But in a more extreme scenario, staph and MRSA can cause infections and deeper abscesses that require antibiotic treatment to clear up.
You could develop acne or a yeast infection
Some bacteria can also promote acne. If your dirty clothes are full of bacteria and oils from your skin, you can end up with clogged pores y an acne breakout on your chest or back.
Fungal infections are also more likely to develop in moist environments. The athlete's foot and tub inguinal they are more likely to develop when clothing is reused. Both are caused by fungal overgrowth and can cause uncomfortable itching.
La Malassezia and tub versicolor are two other types of fungal infections that can develop when normal fungi on the skin grow out of control. Staying in wet clothes can promote them and cause a nasty rash.
The overgrowth of certain fungi or bacteria can also cause a skin condition called intertrigo, which is most commonly caused by candida, a type of fungus, and thrives in warm, moist areas of the body where skin rubs against other skin, such as the armpits, the back of the knees, or any other skin fold.
Your skin can get irritated
Even the minerals that accumulate on clothing when you sweat can cause skin irritation.
Sweat is made up of different salts: sodium chloride, potassium chloride, etc. You may notice that colored clothing has a sort of flaky white cast to it when you air dry after an especially sweaty workout. They are the mineral salts of sweat. Salts are technically metals, and when they sit on the skin, they can be quite irritating, causing chafing in areas of repetitive friction.
Sweat buildup is annoying on its own, but it can also create those microtears on the skin that allow bacteria to take hold and cause infections.
And sometimes dirty workout clothes just stink. It's not the sweat itself that smells, but the bacteria that feed on the sweat.