When you’ve invested your money on an important symbol of your favorite team, you want to make sure you know how to wash a jersey properly. Washing your jersey is an important part of maintaining its condition.
Most sports jerseys are made out of polyester or another synthetic fabric, which can be cleaned with ease and dried quickly in most cases if you know how to do it properly!
Washing jerseys, for the most part, is not super complicated. However, there’s one thing that needs extra care when washing away – heat-pressed decals on the front side (numbers/logos) will almost certainly get damaged due to their proximity near high temperatures during wash cycles; so pay attention carefully while following these tips below for best results.
How to Wash Your Jersey Properly
Hand Wash a Jersey
- Always check the label first for any specific instructions and follow through. If none, your jerseys should be sorted by color, similar to washing regular clothing. For best results, each jersey should be washed separately.
- Fill a sink or basin with lukewarm water and add a small amount of mild laundry detergent or liquid. Before placing your jersey, ensure the detergent and water are well combined.
- Place your jersey in the cleaning solution you prepared, and gently scrub the jersey with your hands. Keep the jersey from being pulled or stretched. Instead, spin and toss the jersey about in the water until it is completely clean.
- After cleaning it, rinse the jersey thoroughly in another sink or bucket of clean lukewarm water to remove all traces of soap. Ensure the jersey is entirely free of detergent before drying, as it could irritate your skin when you put it back on.
- Allow the jersey to air dry completely before wearing or storing it. Air drying your jersey is a great way to ensure that it doesn’t shrink, that any numbers or lettering don’t crack or melt (depending on the material), and that your colors stay vibrant for the whole season. Just hang dry to prevent wrinkles or you can flat dry it as well.
Helpful reminders and a few tips:
- Avoid using hot water, as it could damage the fabric and cause the colors to bleed.
- Do not use bleach or other harsh chemicals on your jerseys, as this will damage the fabric.
- Do not iron your jersey, as this will harm the fabric.
- Liquid detergents tend to be better than powder, as the grit in powder could potentially leave marks.
- You do not need to wash jerseys after every single wear. You can actually get a few wears out of your jersey, provided you don’t accrue sweat stains or spills while wearing. For me, I wear a t-shirt or long sleeve shirt under my sports jersey so that I am not having direct contact with sweat or my skin. Not washing every single time keeps it from color fading or other damage to the fabric and helps protect it from overwear and overwash. I find hang drying also helps protect my jersey appearance over time.
Machine Wash a Jersey
- Check the label first for special instructions. If none, sort your jerseys by color and fabric type before loading them into the washing machine. You can wash synthetic fabrics with other synthetic fabrics, but natural fibers like cotton should be kept separate.
- Moreover, only clean similar-colored jerseys together in each wash cycle. Black jerseys and dark color jerseys can go together. White jerseys should always be separate so that the other jerseys do not create blue streaks, etc. on your white fabric.
- Treat stained areas first by hand washing those spots with a soft bristled toothbrush in slightly warm water. This will help get rid of the stained area prior to putting it in your machine on a cold wash cycle.
- To preserve the logos, numbers, names, and embroidered details, turn your jerseys inside out before putting them in the washing machine. When you wash inside out, you prevent your machine from marking the outside of your jersey in any way.
- Add a mild laundry detergent to the washing machine. Use a good quality, color-safe, natural laundry detergent or liquid for your jersey.
- Set your washing machine to the delicate cycle and use cold water.
- After the cycle is complete, remove your jerseys from the washing machine and hang them up to air dry.
Helpful reminders and tips:
- Avoid washing your jerseys and other colored clothing together to prevent color bleeding. It’s better to wash jerseys separate from your blue jeans and other clothing, as it helps protect them from damage that could happen from washing jerseys together.
- Avoid washing your jersey with other clothes so that any zips or buttons won’t unintentionally rip the jersey when being laundered.
- Pre soak all stains, such as grass stains, blood stains, sweat stains or food stains before putting your jersey in a machine.
- Do not set the cycle high or fast to prevent the jersey from getting stretched out. Gentle or delicate cycles are perfect as they have a slow spin cycle that will be less likely to damage your jersey.
- Avoid fabric softeners and other laundry additives because the chemicals in these products can break down the fibers in the fabric, making it more susceptible to rips and tears. Use gentle detergent only.
- Do not put your jersey in the dryer, as this will also damage the fabric. If you absolutely have to, make sure you turn jerseys inside out and run them on a low heat, gentle cycle only in your dryer. This will work if you need to dry your jersey in a hurry for some reason.
Turn Jerseys Inside Out & Undo the Buttons
Aside from ensuring that colors don’t bleed or fade on your jerseys, the other important thing is to make sure that any patches, numbers, logos, and names stay where they are supposed to and don’t get snagged or rip on anything. Turning your jerseys inside out before you throw them in the washing machine will keep those elements protected as they go through the spin cycle of the washer. And it will also help protect against color fading. Undoing the buttons can also help prevent wrinkles around those areas of the jersey.
How to Get Stains Out of a Jersey
Getting stains out of a jersey can be tricky, especially if the fabric is delicate. However, some general tips can help you remove most types of stains.
1. First, identify the type of stain you’re dealing with. This will determine the best way to treat it.
- Pre-treat the stain with a laundry pretreatment product or with vinegar diluted in water for protein-based stains (such as blood or sweat).
- Pre-treat the stain with a dry-cleaning solvent or dish soap diluted in water for oil-based stains (such as makeup or grease).
- Pre-treat the stained part with white vinegar diluted in water for tannin stains (such as coffee or tea).
- For ink stains, pre-treat the stain with rubbing alcohol.
- Let your jerseys soak in a gentle detergent and clean water for an extended period to help lift tough stains.
2. If the stain is fresh, try to remove it with a damp cloth as soon as possible.
3. If the stain is dry, you must pre-treat it before washing it. Let some gentle detergent work its magic by putting a little on the spot and then soaking in clean water for a bit.
4. Once the stain is gone, wash the sports jersey according to the care instructions above.
5. If the stain persists, you may need to repeat steps 1-4 or take the jersey to a professional cleaner.
Helpful reminder:
Test any cleaning solution on an unnoticeable jersey area before using it on the stain. This will help you avoid damaging the fabric.
Never wash your sports jersey with other clothes, as they may cause stains to your garment. To properly wash your jersey, keep it separate from all other clothes, especially blue jeans, which are the worst culprit for leaving streaks and stains on jerseys.
How to Keep Your Jersey Looking New
- Wash your sports jersey regularly, but not every time if at all possible. This will remove any dirt, sweat, or other debris that could cause long-term damage to the fabric.
- Be careful when washing your jersey, either by hand or machine wash. Follow the proper steps stated above.
- Always hang your jersey up to air dry. If you have to dry your jersey in a hurry, keep it inside out and on the lowest heat possible in your dryer. A hang dry is preferred simply because there will be no shrinkage, heat damage or wrinkles to your garment.
- If you notice any stains, treat them immediately. The longer a stain sits, the harder it will be to remove.
- Be careful when storing your jersey. Avoid folding it or storing it where it could get wrinkled or damaged. Instead, hang it up or store it in a garment bag.
- Have your jersey professionally cleaned once a year. This will remove any dirt and grime that regular washing can’t remove.
How often should you wash a jersey?
Depending on how often you wear it to remove dirt and odors. If you live in a hot climate or play sports regularly, you may need to wash it more frequently.
How to prevent the fading of a jersey?
Turn clothing inside out to lessen the friction that induces fading on the outside of your jersey. Wash heavier textiles separately from more delicate ones, and zip any zippers to avoid friction. Washing in cold water seals the pores of the fibers, keeping the color within. Warm water spreads fibers open and removes color.
How to prevent it from shrinking?
You can prevent jerseys from shrinking by reading the label on your clothing first and following the particular instructions, washing your items in cold water, and air drying them.
How to clean a jersey that has been stored for a long time?
Check the care label for any specific instructions. If there are none or the tag is too faded to read, you can assume that the jersey can be machine-washed on a gentle cycle. However, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and hand-wash the garment instead. This will minimize the risk of damage, especially if the jersey is old or delicate. Then follow the instructions above on how to hand wash your jersey properly.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning and storing your jersey properly will help it last longer and look new. Read the care label before washing, and always test any cleaning solution on a small area first. With proper care, you can wear your jersey for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you put a football jersey in the washer?
Use the “delicate” or “gentle” option to avoid harsh treatment on your washing machine. Use powdered detergent and wash the jersey as soon as possible after practices or games if you’re cleaning an authentic sports uniform to prevent sweat and dirt from soaking in.
What temperature should I wash my jerseys?
Read and follow the instructions that came with your specific jersey first. Then, try the following approach if they are confusing or missing: Turn the jersey inside out. Next, your jersey should be washed in cold water by hand or in a washing machine using powdered detergent and cold water on a delicate cycle (no higher than 30°C or 86°F).
Should I dry clean my jersey?
Different washing detergents can hurt your kit because not all of them are produced equally. Because some chemicals can be abrasive, it’s also advised never to dry-clean a jersey.
How long does it take a jersey to air dry?
The type of fabric, the air temperature, and whether or not there is wind all affect how long it takes your laundry to air-dry. But on a day that is comfortably warm with a mild breeze, you can anticipate it to take two to four hours for most fabric types.