Hi, friends!  How’s your day going?  Honestly, I’m pretty stressed out.  Sometimes I feel like my head is going to explode between running two websites, writing a book, and running an acupuncture clinic.  I don’t mean to complain, but it’s really just one of those days.

 

In the past, I always slacked on my workouts when I was feeling stressed out or overscheduled, but I’ve learned over time that I actually feel better if I sweat it out.  So, although I was too swamped to do the 5.0 miles I had on my calendar, I ran 3.0 and felt awesome for doing so!

 

Lunch:

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Two tacos stuffed with vegetarian refried beans and tabbouleh.

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And the yummiest Greek yogurt of all – Chobani vanilla!

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Now, I’m chilling at the clinic and eating some chopped fruit

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The Great Stinky Workout Clothes Debate

 

While on my run this morning, I noticed a particular… odor.  “Hmm… Is it trash day?” I thought.  Oh wait – it’s just me.  Stinkin’ up a storm.

 

I have a secret to confess.  But let’s keep it between you and me.

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I re-wear my workout clothes… a lot.  Definitely until they are stinky.  I have always done this and probably always will, unless I learn reading the comments that I’m probably going to get Ebola from doing so.

 

I always re-wear sports bras.  First of all, I only have three good ones, and it’s too expensive to buy more.  Secondly, the more you wash them, the faster they lose their support.  Also, I’m just lazy about laundry.  Most of the time, I get at least two uses out of a bra before washing. 

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Tops and pants are even worse.  I will re-wear running tights five or six times before I wash them (cue the “ewwwws!”). 

 

Yeah. I smell.  Whatever.  I’m a runner.  Get used to it!

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The only “issue” that I’ve encountered with my fondness for wearing stinky running clothes is that one old sports bra started to cause really bad breakouts on my back, no matter how many times I washed it.  I guess I had worn it one time too many, so I eventually tossed it and my skin cleared up.  I guess another “issue” is that I’m offending the nose of everyone around me, too. 🙂

 

Re-wearing workout clothes makes packing for vacation pretty easy because if you’re going to do four workouts away, you only need one pair of shorts, two tops, and two sports bras!

 

One thing I never use twice without washing:  my yoga towel.  It gets drenched during hot yoga and smells completely offense after drying.

 

My BFF Lauren thinks it’s completely heinous that I re-wear workout clothes, especially considering that I’m a heavy sweat-er.  She says she always wears a fresh bra at the minimum.  The Husband tends to side with Lauren, only re-wearing gym shorts but never tops.

 

So… my secret is out.  I’m a stinky runner.  Are you? 

 

(YES – this conflicts with my stance on not re-wearing underwear to bed.  I am a woman of many complex contradictions!)

 

Is it okay to re-wear workout clothes or is this beyond disgusting?  Do you bother to rinse in the sink, hang to dry, and then re-wear?  Or are you one of those clean freaks who uses special athletic detergent to remove the stank from your gear?

{ 524 comments }

 

  • Rachel January 5, 2011, 12:58 pm

    I re-wear my workout clothes at least twice. Everyone I know says it disgusting. Glad I’m not the only one!

    • Kassie May 17, 2012, 11:55 am

      When I workout, I come out soaking in sweat after an hour. No way am I re-wearing my work out clothes for the next work out in 3 hours. I come home and wash them. I feel to gross doing that. I guess if you don’t do enough to sweat that much i’d be okay. But when you’re amping it up in a class with a high level of kick boxing, You’re coming out dripping sweat.

  • Rachel January 5, 2011, 12:59 pm

    I almost always wear everything fresh – bra, pants, and top. Every once in a blue moon I’ll re-wear a bra or pants…but that’s only if I’m feeling really lazy and haven’t done laundry in awhile.

    But I also do a lot of group exercise classes and workout at the gym…so I’m around people when I work out. I think the rules are different if you are running alone, outdoors.

    Last night at the gym I changed out of my work clothes and washed my feet off in the shower because they smelled and I didn’t want to encroach on anyone else’s yoga practice that night.

  • Jennifer January 5, 2011, 1:03 pm

    When I get home from the gym (where I take boxing and kickboxing classes, along with using the bike/treadmill/elliptical), I hang all of my sweat-soaked workout clothes when I get home. I will re-wear my cropped workout pants (once) and my sports bras (once or twice), but not my tees or tanks. However, I don’t re-wear the items the very next day; there is, at least, one day in between wears.

    • Ryane January 5, 2011, 2:43 pm

      That’s my approach too… and I’m a pretty heavy sweater. If I come home way more drenched than usual then I’ll put those babies in the hamper.

  • Jenn January 5, 2011, 1:03 pm

    I rewear this one sports bra that I looove a few times before washing. I also rewear socks and some pants haha… I don’t sweat too much so I figure it’s ok but even if you do, think about all the water you’re saving by not doing laundry EVERY day!!

    • Leanne (For Health's Sake) January 5, 2011, 3:30 pm

      Oooo good point! Caitlin you can think of your stinkyness as being “green” and good for the environment! 🙂

      • Casey January 5, 2011, 3:44 pm

        That’s my argument too. I’m preserving the environment. This might be even grosser yet, but I also do this with bath towels!!

        I have two sports bras that I like, and I usually alternate between the them. In the summer, if I’m not doing laundry that day, I usually rinse them out in the sink and let them dry before wearing them again.

        • Allison @ Happy Tales January 5, 2011, 5:23 pm

          I do the same things with my towels! I figure since I’m washing up in the shower, I’m clean right?! I have a feeling someone on this comment board is going to shatter my theory…. ah, well, ignorance is bliss!

          • Dani November 26, 2011, 2:18 pm

            Seriously? I use bath towels for a week – and que “ewwws”, I only shower every second day, unless it’s a work out day.You ARE clean coming out of the shower and the two seconds you take to pat yourself dry does not constitute a dirty towel. I also rotate my used towel onto the floor to get a couple of extra days out of it. I have always done it and never thought it gross or unsanitary. Do you wash your bathrobe every time you wear it around the house? And I guess futher than that, what about p.j.’s?

        • twiseman January 5, 2011, 5:30 pm

          I’m in this boat, i don’t own a washer/dryer, they’re not allowed in my apartment, so i hang my towels on the shower rod to dry, and use them the next shower on my hair, then dry them again, to use on the floor, so each of my towels usually sees 3 uses, sometimes 4 or 5 depending on in my boyfriend uses my floor towel right after i use it on the floor. it a great way to save money and the environment by not using so much water/ laundry detergent.

  • Joanna@ Drizzle of Sunshine January 5, 2011, 1:07 pm

    You’re so awesome for being so raw!! Love it!!

    I think it is ok to re-wear your sports gear. You’re right, it is expensive to buy workout clothes. And just like your regular wardrobe, you gravitate toward certain pieces a lot, so why is that not ok? I wear them atleast twice. I say, save water, detergent, and time and RE-WEAR!! heheh Unless you ran a marathon and sweat up a disgusting storm… it is A-OK!

  • Fit Chick in the City January 5, 2011, 1:07 pm

    There was a time in my life when I re-wore workout clothes more often than I should. Working out with others and teaching classes quickly changed that habit.

    I had a running partner that always re-wore her sports bra. That was until she had an itchy rash that wouldn’t go away. She went to the doctor to find out that she had a fungus from re-wearing her dirty sports bra.

    I think about that every time I want to re-wear a piece of workout clothing.

    • Amanda January 5, 2011, 4:02 pm

      Oh. My. God. Until I read this post, I re-wore mine constantly between washes. Now…I think I’ll run to Target and stock up on a few more.

    • alla January 5, 2011, 4:04 pm

      Exactly why you shouldn’t wear workout clothes more than once. Seriously…gross. If cost is an issue, check out TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc. You’re messing with potentially acquiring a nasty fungus and, you stink.

  • Victoria January 5, 2011, 1:08 pm

    I never re-wear the tops, but the bottoms and sports bra’s yes! I usually just take them into the shower with me and rinse them out (then let them dry over the top of the shower curtain). Or I just spray my shorts with febreeze…

    • Definediana January 5, 2011, 4:12 pm

      I really like the idea of rinsing out the clothes in the shower. Great tip.

  • Nicole - yuppie yogini January 5, 2011, 1:08 pm

    Gross 😉 Jen probably won’t be your friend anymore. I rarely rewear workout clothes unless I don’t sweat. I just don’t like stinking if I can help it.

  • Nicole - yuppie yogini January 5, 2011, 1:11 pm

    Gross 😉 Jen probably won’t be your friend anymore. I rarely rewear workout clothes unless I don’t sweat. I just don’t like stinking if I can help it. But I admire your honesty. I’m sure there are many other disgusting things I do.

  • Liz @ Blog is the New Black January 5, 2011, 1:11 pm

    You are so cute and funny. I only think it’s gross if they already smell/are wet when you put them on… and I’m sure they’re not! 😉

  • Stacy @ Every Little Thing January 5, 2011, 1:11 pm

    It would depend on how much I sweat, but I generally always rewear pants and sports bras. I have about a million shirts so those usually get thrown in the laundry. Socks and underwear are never reworn. An old college friend of mine would dry out his workout underwear on his bedpost and wear them again the next day. Sorry, underwear is a NO GO!

    As long as you don’t notice any infections or clogged pores (like you did previously), there’s no problem!

  • Tracey @ Tropicalhappiness January 5, 2011, 1:11 pm

    Ewwwww… totally offensive!! 😉

    I’ll re-wear a pair of pants if I was only doing light yoga or lifting, with minimal sweating. But NEVER a sports bra or top. I’m not a fan of BO and wouldn’t be able to stand it.

    Also, re-wearing dirty clothes can cause infections. You already mentioned the skin infections with a sports bra, but a friend got an infection “down there” because she re-wore her running shorts with the briefs in them. Her doc said that the sweat harbored a fungus… and she got a nasty infection! I’m not sure how she got it to go away, but I know it affected her trying to have a baby. Her doc said she couldn’t start trying to conceive because the infection could lead her to miscarry. YIKES!!!

    Not worth it to me!

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 1:15 pm

      EWWWWWW. That is gross.

    • tina January 5, 2011, 1:35 pm

      you are DEFINITELY at more risk to a yeast infection by wearing the same bottoms!

      i would not take that risk- ew!

      • Baking 'n' Books January 5, 2011, 2:24 pm

        I wouldn’t wear the same underwear! Haha. But tees and shorts? Meh, why not. I don’t sweat anyways anymore 🙂

        I say unless your in a public facility in close vicinity with someone, then only you have to deal with it 🙂

        • Carrie H January 5, 2011, 4:07 pm

          Ohmigosh, I read this as “unless you’re in a PUBIC facility” … prob cause of the comments above, and was like, “A pubic facility? What the heck is that? Does she mean unless your pubic area is in the vicinity of someone else or their pubic area?”
          Then I re-read the comment. Ahahahahahaha.

          *Also, I re-wear bras, shorts and shirts all the time. But not undies.

        • Baking 'n' Books January 5, 2011, 4:18 pm

          Oh gosh! I was like – what the hell – did I forget the “L”???!!! 🙂

    • JenATX January 5, 2011, 7:27 pm

      ickkkkkkkkk! I am grossed out but I know I will continue to re-wear my workout gear.
      Thanks Caitlin for a great convo topic & for being honest about your workout/lifestyle. Its the best part of your blog 🙂

  • Deirdre January 5, 2011, 1:11 pm

    Good sports bras are expensive! I re-wear sports bras at least 3 times before putting them in the washing machine though I try to hand wash after each use. I re-wear pants only 2 times and I never re-wear shirts because I feel like that’s where I sweat the most.

    Glad I’m not the only re-wearer out there!

    • caryn January 5, 2011, 2:58 pm

      i sometimes do the handwash (or at least rinse) thing too if i’m going to re-wear something. i’ve heard too that workout clothes wear out faster if they’re washed a lot, but i’ve also read that sweat can wear them out, so i guess hand washing/rinsing is a decent compromise (for some people, anyway).

  • Anna January 5, 2011, 1:12 pm

    I am right there with you! And for all the same reasons… too cheap to buy tons of workout stuff, don’t have time to do laundry every other day, etc etc. If you’re running outside alone, who cares if you smell? It’s not like random people are going to be sidling up to you and smelling your pits.

    Also, lululemon’s silverescent tech Ts are really good for people like us because you can drench them in sweat repeatedly and they don’t smell. I have a bunch left over from when I was a lulu employee and they are the best.

  • Angela January 5, 2011, 1:12 pm

    There is no way that I could afford to only wear workout clothes once. Beyond the price of buying more clothes, who has the time??

    I make sure that if I’m going to re-wear an outfit during my lunchtime runs, I’m going to take a shower before going back to work.

    It’s fine to stink during the run, but I don’t want to have people scared of a stench when they come into my office after lunch.

  • Madeline - Greens and Jeans January 5, 2011, 1:13 pm

    True story- the reason why your stuff stinks is because as your sweat pools bacteria builds up. The stink is actually coming from the bacteria. GROSS. I’ve recently switched over to wearing a lot of wool and being stink free (and for the most part, bacteria free) is AMAZING!

  • Regina January 5, 2011, 1:13 pm

    I won’t lie. I’m on the same boat you are. I rewear my favorite running shorts at least twice before washing them. Same goes for my sports bras (unless they get especially sweat drenched). I rarely rewear shirts and if I’m going to the gym, it’s all fresh gear.

    • Kristi January 5, 2011, 2:33 pm

      Exactly. Me, too. But after reading some of these comments, I’m thinking that it wouldn’t be too hard to add rinsing out the sports bra post-workout. Win-Win!

  • Zoe January 5, 2011, 1:13 pm

    I re-wear running tights…but I only wear them in the winter so I don’t sweat as much. When I’m lazy I’ll do the sniff test (if I can’t smell them then it’s ok!). Here is the real question…did you rewear clothes in the summer in Florida? If so, I’d say it’s a little gross. I’m from Texas so when I return from a summer run (even at 6 am) I look like I’ve jumped in a swimming pool. I know I sweat cleaner in the summer (less salt/water), but they are still soaked. As long as you’re ok with being dirty and are not offending the people at your gym/yoga studio/running buddy then you’re probably ok.

    I do find it amusing that you are okay with rewearing exercise clothing, but wouldn’t go to bed without a fresh shirt and undies.

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 1:16 pm

      Yes I did rewear stuff in Florida, although probably not as much. 🙂 Ew!

      Hahah ohmigod – you’re right! Although I would like to say that I have been re-wearing underwear at night and my laundry basket is thanking me.

      I am a woman of contradictions.

    • Leanne (For Health's Sake) January 5, 2011, 1:42 pm

      “as long as you’re ok with being dirty”

      ……made me laugh out loud at work and now people are looking at me hahahah!

  • allison @ thesundayflog January 5, 2011, 1:13 pm

    i will occasionally re wear the outfit (always changing my bra, even if it means giving it a rinse and dry), but not to the extent that you do. when i played field hockey and we had 2 or 3-a-days, that meant 2 or 3 outfits…PER DAY. it’s just bad for your skin. plus, if im “clean” otherwise – meaning i’ve showered, i do NOT want to put grimy clothes back on!

  • Kelly January 5, 2011, 1:13 pm

    Haha sometimes I’ll re-wear a bra or shorts but I always always sweat so much through my tops. You should get the Tide detergent with Febreeze or the kind for active wear, it reallllly helps.

  • Linda January 5, 2011, 1:13 pm

    I always re-wear my workout gear. I’m just going to sweat again, anyway! I think it’s a waste of water to wash items only worn once, and it wears out the clothes faster.

  • Madeleine @ Stepping to the Bright Side January 5, 2011, 1:13 pm

    THANK GOD I’M NOT ALONE! i’ll go out on a limb with you caitlin and say that i also repeat worn workout clothes- including tops and sports bras. it just seems like such a waste of detergent and water to wash every single item after working out for an hour and a half or so. now, if it was a heinously sweaty/stinky day, i’ll usually hang the offending article out to dry… if i come back to it the next day and it still smells, i’ll toss it in the hamper. the chemicals in most detergents aren’t that great for you anyway- i figure we’ve all been sweating since the dawn of time… might as well embrace it. as long as we’re not grossing out our neighbor, that is 😉

  • Amalfi Girl (EatRunHaveFun.blogspot) January 5, 2011, 1:13 pm

    I re-wear workout clothes, but not in a row (I will let the used outfit “air out” for a day or two before going back to it)…

    • Kayla January 5, 2011, 1:28 pm

      I do the same! I have lots of hooks on my wall, and they often are filled with workout gear that’s airing out!

  • Clare @ Fitting It All In January 5, 2011, 1:14 pm

    The only thing I rewear are my running tights / shorts. THose never seem to get too sweaty! With sports bras, tshirts, and especially hot yoga clothes they go straight to the wash!
    But I say if you aren’t grossed out, go for it!

  • R Chandra January 5, 2011, 1:14 pm

    it depends on the intensity of the workout for me. if i sweat buckets during a long, hard run i’ll wash everything. if it’s a shorter/easier run or walk or strength training i’ll re-wear the bottoms… but usually never the tops or the bra. i have a lot of laundry!

    good luck with the rest of your day.. deep breaths 🙂

  • Taysa January 5, 2011, 1:14 pm

    I rewear pants and bras, but hang them up between workouts to “dry”. I wear tshirts and they don’t “dry” so well between workouts, so I usually don’t rewear them, but sweatshirts–yes. I only do laundry once a week, so everything has to last. Plus, like you said, washing too often is bad for your clothes.

  • Michelle January 5, 2011, 1:14 pm

    The only time I rewear clothes if I got in a lame workout and didn’t sweat much. For example, if my (recreational) volleyball team plays a team that is just not good, and I’m standing around more than I am running, then most of the clothes are up for re-wear (but not socks, never socks!). That said, otherwise everything gets washed before I’d wear it again. Even before it goes into the hamper, it all gets hung up and air dried first overnight, then to the hamper. I went on a tour-group type vacation a few years ago and the lady leading the tour said if you don’t want your packed clothes in your suitcase to smell, you should always air out your clothes before you pack them. That’s why only “dry” clothes go into the hamper now.

  • Heather January 5, 2011, 1:15 pm

    I wear my workout clothes more than once all the time. Just air them out and put them back on. I have too much laundry in my life, with twins and a husband that changes 4x a day, to do an extra load for shirts and shorts. Ill be stinky with you.

  • Julia January 5, 2011, 1:15 pm

    I re-wear workout clothes until they’re so dirty they make me itch. Usually I get 2-3 uses out sports bras and tops and 4-5 out of shorts and tights. However, I am not a heavy sweater at all. Still, some people think it’s nasty when I tell them but no one ever notices if they don’t know. Everyone stinks at the gym or while running.

  • Brenna January 5, 2011, 1:15 pm

    I also re-wear workout clothes at least twice, sometimes I will re-ear my workout bra depending on the workout I did.

  • Bethany @ More Fruit Please January 5, 2011, 1:15 pm

    I definitely re-wear workout clothes unless they get super sweaty. I took a hot yoga class, and my clothes were drenched afterwards! I definitely wouldn’t re-wear something that bad.

  • Samantha @ Mama Notes January 5, 2011, 1:15 pm

    It depends, if I’m just lifting weights and not sweating too much I might re wear them. But if I sweat a lot then definitely wash!!

  • Kate @ Spoonful of Vigor January 5, 2011, 1:15 pm

    Phew! I’m glad I’m not the only one! I re-wear bottoms and bras multiple times, though I do use that Febreze odor eliminator after particularly sweaty workouts.

  • Marissa C January 5, 2011, 1:16 pm

    I’ve been rewearing my long running tights some, because I don’t have time to wash them between Tues/Thurs runs. I’m okay with rewearing in the winter when I run outside because I feel like I don’t sweat as much.

  • mindy @ just a one girl revolution. January 5, 2011, 1:16 pm

    I’m with you on this one, Caitlin! The only thing I don’t rewear is my tank tops but that’s because they’re cheap (Old Navy) and get too stretched out for my liking after wearing them once.

  • Kelly January 5, 2011, 1:16 pm

    I totally rewear workout clothes. BUT I kind of follow a rule I made up. If I drench the clothes (ie HOT summer running and yoga) they get washed. If they are only damp or mostly dry I hang them up for another workout. I think I’m saving $$ and the environment. 🙂

  • Sara P January 5, 2011, 1:16 pm

    I re-wear stuff all the time….especially a sports bra. I don’t see the point in having to wash something every day because it is just going to get dirty again. I don’t see an issue with it at all!

  • Michele @ Healthy Cultivations January 5, 2011, 1:17 pm

    Seriously, it’s totally fine to rewear your workout clothes. It looks like most people do.

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 1:18 pm

      I am so surprised! I thought I was alone on this one.

      • Michele @ Healthy Cultivations January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

        I’m guessing that in this, just like in most things we think we’re alone on in life, it’s common practice. Here’s to airing our dirty laundry in public!!!

  • Caroline January 5, 2011, 1:17 pm

    I’m definitely guilty of re wearing my work out clothes multiple times! Or else I’d be doing laundry daily!

  • Sarah January 5, 2011, 1:17 pm

    I re-wear just about everything unless they get completely disgusting or dirty (From muddy/rainy runs)… I guess if I went to work out closely around other people, I might not do it as much as I do, but running alone makes me feel more comfortable doing so, and I am not a big sweater. Nice to know I’m not the only one though!

  • Monique@FindingtheCouragetoChange January 5, 2011, 1:18 pm

    Wow. So excited to know that I am not the only one who rewears a workout outfit. Definitely relate to this one!

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat January 5, 2011, 1:18 pm

    I can’t say I re-wear my shirts or sports bras, but shorts for sure! After spinning and running (indoors) my tops get pretty smelly so I tend to wash them – for my benefit and for that of others! 🙂

  • Sarah January 5, 2011, 1:18 pm

    I definitely rewear running clothes. I only have two good running bras. The only thing I don’t rewear is socks because that’s just gross 😉

  • Kindra C January 5, 2011, 1:18 pm

    Ha! Your pics in this post crack me up! So…I have to agree with your hubs; I don’t wear workout clothes multiple times before washing. I do have to agree with you on not wanting to wear down the (sometimes expensive!) workout gear too fast with frequent washing. I usually wash workout gear on the gentle cycle with regular detergent, and hang dry them. I NEVER ever put them in the dryer.

  • Gavi @ GaviGetsGoing! January 5, 2011, 1:19 pm

    I also re-wear my workout pants, but rarely my workout shirts. I always wear underwear with my workout pants, so I don’t feel like I need to wash them every time I wear them. With shirts, though, I throw them in the laundry right away and don’t touch them until they’re clean. I honestly find that the smell is sometimes just too overwhelming and it grosses me out! Sports bras can go either way–if I have a super-sweaty workout I will wash right away, but if it’s a light lift or jog, I will re-wear. My boyfriend is a clean freak and thinks I am so gross for wearing my workout clothes more than once! I’m glad to read that others do, too! 🙂

  • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday January 5, 2011, 1:19 pm

    I definitely re-wear my workout clothes. Only about twice though before I wash them. I’m with you. Workout clothes are expensive and they definitely wear down with more and more washes so I try to cut back on washes by re-wearing them.

    I was told not to use fabric softener on any performance wear because apparently it breaks down the fibres, so maybe keep that in mind.

    Side note: It’s funny that you re-wear stinky workout clothes but refuse to put your underwear back on once you take it off.

  • J January 5, 2011, 1:19 pm

    I re-wear my stuff in winter. I only have two under armour tops and a few spandex pants so I wear them for about a week (so 4-5 runs depending) and then wash them. I think you are supposed to wash the clothes that wick away the sweat after each washing because they break down more if you don’t. At least that is what I heard but who really knows.

  • Ann @ Day by Day January 5, 2011, 1:20 pm

    This may sound weird, but I’ve honestly never really thought about re-wearing workout clothes. I’ll only re-wear if everything else is dirty and I don’t want to do laundry. I’m glad I read this. I think I’m going to give re-wearing a try, at least wearing something twice before I wash.

    • Ashley January 5, 2011, 8:44 pm

      I never thought about it either. Maybe I’m the only one, (it seems is true) but the thought kind of grosses me out. I sweat a lot and the thought of wearing something again doesn’t sound or smell good.

      • Susan January 5, 2011, 9:31 pm

        I don’t re-wear either. I think it’s gross, too. Over the years, I’ve accumulated enough things that I can go about 2 weeks before I have to do a load of workout gear. Ross, Marshalls & TJ Maxx have great gear at really good prices.

  • andrea @ a cake for a wife. January 5, 2011, 1:20 pm

    I re-wear a LOT, probably more than I should (and reading that comment above about the fungus is kinda making me think…) I actually wash pants more often that tops / bras, just because I think … well, honestly, I think ‘crotch sweat’ is more gross / stinkier than ‘upper body sweat’. Sometimes with tank tops and bras I’ll just rinse them off and hang them over the shower rod to dry.

  • Kim @ girlevolving January 5, 2011, 1:20 pm

    Definitely re-wear sports bras. Sometimes rewear shorts or pants (especially in wintertime because I only have 1 pair of pants) and typically wear clean shirts. But if I’m traveling I’ll totally rewear the same clothes rather than pack a bunch of outfits.

  • Chrissy (The New Me) January 5, 2011, 1:20 pm

    I will usually re-wear running clothes, especially in the winter when I don’t sweat as much. As a general rule, if I have to literally wring the sweat out of my clothes when I’m done running (a commonplace occurrence during Texas summers) then into the wash they go!

  • krista January 5, 2011, 1:20 pm

    Why did I read this Why did I read this Why did I read this? As a heavy sweater, this makes me almost nauseous to think about! 😆

    • Carolyn January 5, 2011, 4:38 pm

      thank you! i can’t believe how many people re-wear a sweaty, nasty sports bra. sick. ew. gross. your clothes are probably crawling with fungus & ringworm & god knows what else. vom!

      • Molly @fuelherup January 5, 2011, 5:47 pm

        So glad to read this post! For a second, I thought I was actually in the minority in washing after every sweaty use. Not to mention losing faith in humanity 😉

  • Vicki January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    I re-wear many things but never my workout clothes. Maybe it’s just me but I am truly, horrifyingly, smelly by the end of a workout and the clothes are disgusting. I couldn’t get away with it.

  • Lisa Fine - lisasfoods January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    Wait, didn’t you write a post in the last few weeks about how you have to change your underwear (and other clothes) quite often? Hmmm… 😉

    I’ll rewear certain tops a few times – like cotton shirts or any kind of workout pants. But my sports bras and wicking tops get washed after one wearing, cause I worry about them getting stinky, and because my sports bras are never as supportive if I try wearing them a second time.

  • Amy January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    I get a couple of wears out of shirts, but not my pants.

    Google analytics tells me people have found my blog by googling “Crotch Sweat”.

    True story.

  • Alexa @ The Girl In Chucks January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    The fact is, I sweat really heavily and my clothes are drenched and SMELLY when I’m done working out. I can’t handle the smell at all. I like feeling fresh when I start out, so it’s just not an option for me. I feel absolutely gross if I re-wear anything I did any kind of serious physical activity in.

    About offending others. My co-worker is a serious competitive runner. He has a habit of not washing his workout clothes. A couple of times he has thrown his gym clothes into the dryer at work to dry the sweat out and it has STUNK up the entire laundry room and the dryer smells bad afterwards. He hangs his stuff up in the employee locker room and that room REEKS. He wears clothes that haven’t been laundered and he sometimes has a pretty offensive smell on him sometimes. The other employees all talk about how bad he smells and about how it’s great that he’s such a great athlete, but it’d be nicer if he’d shower and wash his clothes so that the rest of us didn’t have to suffer.

    You probably smell waaaaay nicer, but you have to be careful not to let it get too bad…just sayin’….

  • Leah @ Why Deprive? January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    YES!!! I thought I was the only one!

    I re-wear everything I workout in but underwear. Socks too unless theyre really sweaty. My friends always tell me its disgusting, but honestly, I cant wash all my workout clothes that often. Its such a waste. Instead, if I get really, really sweaty, I just hang them over my stationary bike to dry out. 🙂

  • Ali @ Food, Fitness, Fashion January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    I don’t re-wear workout clothes, I just can’t bring myself to do it. I was in the gym yesterday on the treadmill and the girl next to smelled to holy hell! It actually made me nauseous! If I was not super determined, I may not have finished my workout. I think it is fine to re-wear if you are working out outside and you don’t mind smelling yourself. However, I feel that if you are working out in close proximity of another person that is not your best friend or husband, you should respect them enough to not wear stinky stuff and make them ill.

    Looks like you were running outside, so no biggy! Great topic!

  • Kristen January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    Not gonna lie, I have worn my workout clothes more than once before. I don’t do it much anymore because I am a serious sweat-er and can’t stand the smell. I ALWAYS wear a new sports bra though (even though I can wear a regular bra for a week until I wash it… same with jeans… I just think those things never get dirty)! But, my issue is money – I have plenty of running shorts, but only have 1 pair of tights that I really like, so I will rewear them pretty much all week. Plus, if I am wearing them, that means I’m running outside and not offending anyone that might be next to me on a dreadmill at the gym.

  • Kati January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    I always debate re-wearing workout clothes although 90% of the time I do! I usually wear a new sports bra just because I have enough to last me a week. Shirts I’ll usually re-wear 2x during the week and shorts or pants…haha, I re-wear quite a few times but I figure if I’m alternating them it’s not that bad. Plus it’s my face and upper body that sweat the most…not my thighs! Especially if you are working out outside, I say go for it!

  • Kristina January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    I totally re-ware my running/workout clothes! I tend to re-wear my pants/shorts and less my t-shirts and other tops. In the wintertime, I wear my warmer clothes many times but generally wear a clean t-shirt underneath. I tend to rotate sports bras throughout the week, but I never go longer than a week without washing those!
    In addition to the general running/workout clothes, my ski clothes are the worst offenders! Those get worn for much longer and the stink never seems to come out of those.

  • stepf @dailyspark January 5, 2011, 1:21 pm

    I rewear running tights but never shirts or sports bras. I reuse jackets and outer layers Confession: I rarely wear real bras. I wear sports bras, tanks with shelf bras or go without in winter when I have on more than two layers! (I know that wouldn’t work for most people.)

  • Katie @ Healthy Heddleston January 5, 2011, 1:22 pm

    It depends on the workout if I re-wear it but I definitely re-wear bottoms.. my pits get too stinky if I don’t wash them frequently!

  • Maddie January 5, 2011, 1:22 pm

    I rewear always. I have to go to the laundromat to do my washing, and that’s time and money…so the clothes are worn as many times as needed for the two weeks between loads.

    I have no issues with it! It saves water too 😉

  • Samantha @ Health, Happiness & Skinny Jeans January 5, 2011, 1:22 pm

    I try not too although I must admit that in a pinch I have grabbed an already worn sports bra if I am working out that day and have nothing clean. The thing is I am a sweaty lady and my clothes stink so I am too self-conscious of the odor to do it more. Believe me, I hate laundry with a passion but the stink is just too much!

  • Jess@atasteofconfidence January 5, 2011, 1:23 pm

    I rewear my workout clothes, too maybe once to or twice. I hate doing laundry!

  • Freya January 5, 2011, 1:23 pm

    Oh heck, I always re-wear! When I’m running in zero degree temps, i don’t sweat, and I wear the clothes for what..2hours? Normal clothes are worn for 12hours, so if I’m not sweating in it and it stays clean, what’s wrong with that!? Obvs if I sweat like a madwoman in them (hello, HLS Chicago august heat) then I wash after each wear. But other than that, it’s too expensive and a waste of resources and there’s no need 🙂
    re-wear and sweat away, I say!

  • Aron January 5, 2011, 1:23 pm

    I never reware anything unless I am only doing strength training or something that I don’t get very sweaty in. I am not a big sweater but I just like to have clean clothes on 🙂 I save my bad sports bras/socks/clothes for shorter runs and then make sure my good ones are clean for the long stuff. Between my husband and myself we have to wash workout clothes like twice a week :-/

  • Karen January 5, 2011, 1:23 pm

    OMG, my fondness and admiration for you just grew by so much! LOL
    I’m so happy you put this out there. I re-wear my sports bras all the time. At least twice, sometimes three times. I usually just wear T shirts and yoga pants and I have enough that I can wear fresh clothes over my undies each time though. But in a pinch, I would totally re-wear them too!

  • The Chick January 5, 2011, 1:23 pm

    I’ll re-wear sports bras mostly and on occassion pants or top but I like others also give it a day or so to ‘air-out’. Exception being classes (Zumba, Interval Training) I try to go fresh for the benefit of others.

  • Lauren @ Clean Eats in the Dirty South January 5, 2011, 1:23 pm

    As a public health student, I feel the need to say that it’s realllly unhygienic to re-wear workout clothes/underwear/most clothes. But, I’m a broke college kid who hates to do laundry….so I usually wear my workout clothes multiple times, too. Honestly, I don’t have a problem with it..and once I’m at the gym, no one notices because we all stink. 🙂

  • Julia January 5, 2011, 1:24 pm

    I will wear shorts and tights twice before washing them, but I only wear shirts and sports bras once. It’s a good excuse to buy more running clothes!

    • Julia January 5, 2011, 3:23 pm

      Okay, now I feel like I need to note that I always wear undies! I would definitely not re-wear them if I didn’t.

  • Ashley January 5, 2011, 1:24 pm

    When I lived in NYC I rewore some things once or twice b/c laundry was in the basement and it was expensive. Now that I have laundry in my apt I don’t rewear anything. I think it’s totally up to you and how much you sweat in the clothes. Thanks for being so honest! You’re awesome!

  • Maryann January 5, 2011, 1:24 pm

    I could never rewear my workout clothes because I sweat too much! I always rinse my clothes out right after a workout and may wear them again after that or just wash them…Then again I have a ton of workout clothes from my days as a college athlete.

  • Julie @ Peanut Butter Fingers January 5, 2011, 1:24 pm

    i will re-wear shorts (the nike tempo kind) but i just can’t re-wear a top! when i’m traveling i’ll re-wear a sports bra… not sure why but that doesn’t bother me as much as a top! odd, i know.

  • Lauren January 5, 2011, 1:24 pm

    I re-wear my stuff all the time and wash after a few times. I’m not a heavy sweater though, so most of the time, it doesn’t smell or have too much sweat on it. I will wash my stuff right away if there’s tons of sweat or mud or whatever on it. I’m glad to hear there’s other people who don’t wash their workout clothes right away. I probably could get away with a different running shirt every time though because I have way too many cotton shirts from races & high school cross country/track

  • Brandy January 5, 2011, 1:25 pm

    Absolutely not. Anything that directly touches your sweaty skin is harboring bacteria that can lead to fungus, mold and harbor yeast and microorganisms that can cause an infection. At least take your sports bras into the shower and hand wash them.

  • sara January 5, 2011, 1:25 pm

    totally re-wear. Unless it smells so bad the person next to me would pass out 😉 i hang my clothes after i come in from the gym and let them air out. usually that really helps, they don’t end up as rank 🙂

  • Kayla January 5, 2011, 1:27 pm

    I rewear my workout clothes almost all the time; I only throw something in the wash if it is drenched in sweat, which usually only happens in the hot summer. I have thought about washing or rinsing my sports bras in the sink every few days, but I keep forgetting to try it. I wear my tights and other fave running pants for a whole week before washing. I mostly don’t want to wear out the expensive clothes by washing them too frequently. I also don’t mind if something has a little smell; I’m not too smelly…I don’t think.

  • the veg meg January 5, 2011, 1:27 pm

    I re-wear almost everything. I only own one pair of actual running shorts, and I’m in college and buying multiple pairs is just not practical. I try to let things air out in between wears, though. I also confess to not washing my yoga towel after every use – I hang it to dry when I get home, and usually it gets a full two days or so between uses. The water in the spray bottles at my studio is either sweet orange or lavender scented, which I think helps. Where we live we have to pay with quarters for our laundry, so washing stuff every day or every other day is just not something that’s practical for us!

  • Erica January 5, 2011, 1:28 pm

    I think it’s funny that you re-wear workout clothes, but not Pajamas!!!!

    I rewear all of my workout clothes until they stink, too, especially the tech stuff, tights, and sports bras. I dont like to wash them too often. I will admit that in the summers I usually wear my sports bra and shorts right into the shower and then let them air dry,so they don’t get quite as stinky!

  • Deanna (PRetty in Pittsburgh) January 5, 2011, 1:28 pm

    I always wear everything more than once! Except underwear of course haha. I just hang it up, let it air dry, and re-wear. No shame. It’s a waste of water and a harm to the environment to wash after every wear. I just take my sweaty clothes off ASAP after I’m done working out.

  • Lauren at KeepItSweet January 5, 2011, 1:28 pm

    I am just like you! Especially with sports bras! I don’t re-ware shirts, they get WAY too sweaty lol, but definitely bras and shorts. Maybe if I did laundry every day it would be different, but for now that works for me.

  • Marcie January 5, 2011, 1:29 pm

    I’ve only ever re-worn work out clothes if I’m absolutely desperate, or if it’s a very light yoga practice. Maybe I’m stinkier than most people, but this really grosses me out!! I do have a couple pairs of really expensive running socks that I will re-wear a couple of times.

  • Lindsey January 5, 2011, 1:29 pm

    I re-wear stuff all the time! I never did this in high school but learned how to do it last year when I was living in the dorms. I figured I wouldn’t do it quite as badly now that I’m in an apartment but nope…I will wear things until I can’t stand the smell (usually no more than 3 times.) Confession: I have had to stop a Yoga dvd more than once because I smelled too much to concentrate 😀

  • Sarah S. January 5, 2011, 1:29 pm

    The only thing I re-wear is sports bras…and socks. And only for 2 workouts. Everything else- shirts, shorts, pants, etc.. get washed immediately. A) I sweat A LOT B) Sweat smells bad C) Arm pit sweat is pretty nasty D) Crotch sweat might be even nastier. No no no. Especially if you’re working out with other people- don’t make them gag! 🙂

    I would say, if you’re running outside, alone, and the smell doesn’t bother you- go for it- EXCEPT for the icky bacteria factor. AND I think your clothes will wear out faster from NOT washing them because the bacteria and stink will get stuck in the fabrics. Yuck.

    Tips for making workout clothes last longer- wash in cold water, on the delicate cycle, hang dry. Only wash workout clothes with other workout clothes, not cotton towels, jeans, etc.. The cotton fibers are very abrasive on the synthetic material used to make workout clothes so it makes them wear down fast. NEVER use fabric softener- it inhibits the fabrics ability to wick away sweat.

    • Clare January 5, 2011, 1:53 pm

      Yup. If the stink “sets” in your clothes it means there is bacteria and the only way to get it out is to wash it in hot water which destroys the special fabrics.
      Lululemon clothes, while pricey, are practically indestructible. Wash in cold water and hang to dry and they last for years. I save up to buy bits and pieces but they are SO worth it.
      I might be a total dork but I LOVE these ‘debate’ posts! So fun!

  • Becca January 5, 2011, 1:29 pm

    YES! do it! i always rewear shorts and bras! t-shirts not so much since i have like 1,000 so i just do laundry when i run out of those. i always try to lay them out or hang them up so they dry out faster and don’t get all moldy and extra stinky smelling! i was a high school and college athlete and never got a bacteria or fungus from doing this! i wash my body so that is plenty of cleaning for me!

  • Shannon @ Philadelphia Phitness Pharmacy January 5, 2011, 1:30 pm

    I sweat a lot too. I usually just take them off and throw them in the laundry basket. Once the basket is full I wash and dry it. I don’t think doing laundry is that bad, the bad part is finding time to fold and put everything away. Get some new sports bras girl. I usually go to Nike.com and only shop from the clearance section. I don’t care if I’m wearing “last season’s” sports bra. haha. It’s probably the exact same as this season’s anyways in a different color.

  • Bree @ beeskneeslife January 5, 2011, 1:30 pm

    I re-wear running tights and wicking base layer shirts in the winter since I barely sweat in 20 degree or less weather. But…I always wear underwear. Sports bras I try to get in two wears unless they are realllly sweaty. Everything else is a one time use since I frequent the gym and don’t want to be the smelly girl. I sweat sooo much. It get’s a bit tricky since I don’t put my tech fabric clothing in the dryer, so I have to time the line drying just right so I always have enough gear!

  • Christie January 5, 2011, 1:30 pm

    i re-wear sports bras and shorts like it’s my job!! i hang them in the bathrm so the sweat can dry out til my next wear 😉 especially my nike tempo shorts (worn my 99% of females in the US) which are not made of cotton, but i really believe shrink in the wash!

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey January 5, 2011, 1:30 pm

    I totally rewear workout clothes. Maybe it’s just because I don’t like it when people are on the treadmill next to me, but it sure keeps others away! Joooking of course! But I sure do rewear clothes!

  • Kristina @ spabettie January 5, 2011, 1:31 pm

    your photos CRACK ME UP !! this is great, I thought I was the only one! I re wear my pants, because I have fewer pair, AND I have favorites 🙂 I always wear new shirts, although the laundry pile um… kinda sits there for a while.

    and in true barefoot fashion (I was so meant to be barefoot all the time… I don’t always wear SOCKS, so my shoes get stinky. 😀

  • Darcy @ She Sings at the Table January 5, 2011, 1:31 pm

    I re-wear all the time, and I probably stink 🙂 Sometimes I hesitate if I’ve worked out at the gym a few days in a row, wondering if they’ll notice, but then I remind myself I never notice what anyone at the gym is wearing.

  • Stephanie January 5, 2011, 1:31 pm

    It really really depends on how much I sweat, but I never re-wear my tanks/t-shirts. I’m normally a soaking wet mess after a run. Pants though? Uhh, yeah, I definitely do. More than I should probably lol.

  • Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) January 5, 2011, 1:32 pm

    I totally rewear stuff! My god, if i didnt impose a re-wear policy in my house with me, hubs, and kid…I’d be doing even MORE laundry. Towels, jeans, shirts, workout clothes, must be worn at least twice..or more 🙂

    Now if they are truly stinky or dirty on the 1st time, of course i wash them but really I try to prolong things!

  • Jen January 5, 2011, 1:32 pm

    I re-wear sports bras and pants 2-3 times each. Between wearings I lay them out so they dry out, which minimizes the stink. I don’t re-wear shirts or socks.

    I work out at my work gym after work so I do give them a sniff test before packing them in my gym bag. It would be awful if I was working out next to a coworker and they could smell me. Ick.

  • Leah January 5, 2011, 1:32 pm

    I’m grossed out. I never re-wear worked out in clothes. If I didn’t break a sweat, I’ll wear them around for a bit, maybe even sleep in them, but then they go in the wash. If we go to the gym in the AM before work, we strip as soon as we get in the house and throw the clothes directly in to the wash machine so they don’t stink up our other laundry in the hamper.

  • Marisa @ Mind Over Booty January 5, 2011, 1:32 pm

    Ya know I was thinking about this dilemma a few nights ago. I’ve got a larger chest and good sports bras are hard to come by. I’m a member of the double bra club, unfortunately. But in rewearing bras and pants, I need a space to dry them. Do you hang yours? Or have a drying rack? Or do you just fold them up after wearing – that’s a little gross, I hope you don’t do that. 🙂

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 1:34 pm

      I toss them in a corner and let them fester… LOL

      • Marisa @ Mind Over Booty January 5, 2011, 1:38 pm

        Ha! That’s what I do…I’m working on a new system of at least laying them out in a single layer.

      • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday January 5, 2011, 2:28 pm

        I always hang my sweaty clothes out to dry before re-wearing them. It takes them forever to dry otherwise.

        I find if I hang them they smell a lot less.

  • Amy B @ Second City Randomness January 5, 2011, 1:33 pm

    Ummm… I heart you Caitlin, but girl you gotta up the washings! For me, it depends on how serious the workout was… if I sweat up a storm (aka run or cardio in general), it gets washed no questions asked. Anything you need to hang to dry out- probably not a good idea due to bacteria.

    I’ve been known to re-wear a bra or pair of shorts a couple times if the workout was less intense the first day or something.

    I think it’s important from the breaking out issue. I believe my sports bras were the main culprit…

  • Marie-Journey to Body Zen January 5, 2011, 1:33 pm

    I will re-wear tops, bottoms, bras, and socks, but only like 2 times. I just don’t have time for all that laundry now that I do 30 minutes of cardio daily. It’s hard enough to squeeze exercise into my schedule so there is no time for multiple loads of laundry! 🙂

  • Nicole (I have trouble with forward motion) January 5, 2011, 1:34 pm

    It really depends on how much I sweat. If they’re totally soaked, I’ll wash them; otherwise I spray them with that sports Febreeze and hang them up.

  • shelby January 5, 2011, 1:34 pm

    I am so glad I’m not the only one who does this. Especially with the sports bras – they are expensive and wear out so quickly!

    Your shhhhhh photo cracked me up!

  • Elizabeth January 5, 2011, 1:34 pm

    I always re-wear workout clothes too; otherwise there would be way to much laundry to do (especially when you have to pay a machine in college). 🙂

  • jenny in new york January 5, 2011, 1:35 pm

    I wear everything about twice before washing… I’m not a smelly smelly person, but also, doing that much laundry is just TOO expensive! I am slowly trying to add more sports bras but i really have TWO i can run in and 2 I can wear for gym cardio/weights.

    I also do this with my normal clothes though… jeans 10 times or so, tops twice… etc.

    I promise i wash underwear after each use though lol

  • chandra January 5, 2011, 1:35 pm

    I almost always re-wear sports bras/shorts/pants 2-3 times before washing… as long as they aren’t totally drenched and gross. I don’t usually do tanks or t’s because I have enough of those, but I also sometimes do with my long sleeve running shirt and my good cold weather running jacket. Like you said, they’re too expensive to constantly wash and wear down!

  • Julie (A Case of the Runs) January 5, 2011, 1:36 pm

    My clothes don’t get re-worn unless I’ve barely sweated, and even then, it feels a bit gross the next time. Then again, I sweat a lot, and I can’t even stand the smell of food on my clothing (from restaurants).

    If I had to, I’d reuse sweaty pants before I’d do sports bras or shirts. I’ve done socks a couple of times, but that isn’t exactly fun, either.

  • Erin @ Cooking and the City January 5, 2011, 1:36 pm

    I neverrr re-wear my workout clothes – I didn’t even know people did that?!? Haha! Until I saw a girl in the gym this morning who was also there at the same time as me last night…this morning she was wearing the exact same outfit I saw her in the night before…and I was perplexed and thought to myself, who does that?? Well a lot of you apparently. 🙂 No judgment, but I’ll stick with my constantly full laundry basket.

  • nancy January 5, 2011, 1:36 pm

    Oh good grief. Like I need extra laundry?? I do over 20 loads a week as it is. After a run/workout I put my clothes and bra where they can dry. So long as they don’t smell I will definately rewear. Of course there are exceptions: extra sweaty day, stains, etc. Especially in the winter when I don’t sweat as much, I will definately rewear my tights. Washing after every wear would shorten the usable life of good workout clothes. And, just so you don’t feel like you are the only one, I am a stickler about clean undies and jammies every night too. Go figure.

  • Karen @ Run Shop Travel January 5, 2011, 1:36 pm

    Hmmm the only time I will re-wear workout clothes is after a day of light cardio or weights and I don’t sweat a lot. On my recent trip to Vegas I wasn’t planning on working out except for the half marathon I was there to run, but ended up in the gym 3 days with my friend. Since I hadn’t planned on it, I had to re-wear some pants and tops which wasn’t ideal, but I made sure to lay it out to dry as soon as I got back up to my room.

    If I run, take spin class, or do a vigorous weights workout, I can’t even imagine re-wearing my clothes. I look like I stepped out of a shower when I am done with that stuff, even in tech/wicking material (which all my workout clothes are). It doesn’t help that I workout in the morning at the gym and get ready there without going home, so I would have no way to lay clothes out to dry if I wanted to re-wear them again. Instead, they spend the day in my reusable anti-stink Lululemon bag that came in one of my gym bags I got from them. At the end of the day they are still all wet and gross (although whatever Lululemon uses in that bag works because the bag doesn’t smell!)

  • lindsay January 5, 2011, 1:37 pm

    I totally rewear pants and sports bras a few times. I tend to wash t-shirts quickest. Long sleeves over another t’s get worn a few times…

  • Allison B January 5, 2011, 1:37 pm

    I re-wear socks, sports bras (I have 3 great ones, 1 good one, and 1 meh one…so the 3 great ones get re-worn 2-3x before a washing…I have to make them last, I’m a DD so it was hard to find these ones!), and tops/bottoms. I just alternate the top/bottom combo during the week. I’m pretty sure the gym regulars haven’t caught on or care because they’re probably doing the same thing!!

  • Leanne (For Health's Sake) January 5, 2011, 1:38 pm

    1) I completely agree about working out when stressed to the max. It should really be the last thing we chop off our to-do list… because its guaranteed to help make you feel better! Plus, dropping down to a 3 mile run instead of a 5 mile run is WAY better then doing nothing!

    2) The stinky debate (ha!)… I really don’t see a problem in re-wearing workout clothes! It’s true that washing things (like sports bras) too often wears them down & they are bloody expensive! I think as long as you stick to your two workout rule per clothing item, no biggie! I find that especially with workout pants/shorts/capri’s you can get away with a weeks worth of workouts before washing!

    • Leanne (For Health's Sake) January 5, 2011, 1:40 pm

      but if you are a stinky person (not saying you are lol!) and your sweat actually reaks, then check yourself before you wreck yourfriendships 😉 because no one likes being around someone who stinks like BO.

  • Hangry Pants January 5, 2011, 1:39 pm

    I Definitely re-wear sports bras and shorts. The bras are just so expensive! Mark hates this habit.

  • Jess January 5, 2011, 1:39 pm

    I don’t rewear gym clothes between washes – in college I got a fungal skin infection that looked like little blotchy eczema patches all over my body when I used to belong to a gym and the MD said it was probably related to the ickiness of the gym and the fact that I was rewearing gym clothes more than once. I was gross and scary and wouldn’t wish it upon anyone.

    I got a Thriv shirt at Fitbloggin’ last year and love it. The quality is exceptional and it NEVER smells even after sweaty sweaty workouts. I’m not getting paid to promote them but their fabrics are great and may be a great alternative to cotton/drifit for girls wearing shirts/running tights more than once.

  • Amy January 5, 2011, 1:39 pm

    I think it’s important to keep anything that touches your girly bits clean and dry so as not to promote a yeast infection or worse! So all my undies, shorts with built-in underwear and bodysuits are washed after every use. I wash all my tops after every use too, because once the stank is in, it stays in! I’m trying to be pro-active and save my expensive gear:) But bottoms and bras typically get re-worn at least a week before a wash.

  • Maddie (Healthy Maddie) January 5, 2011, 1:40 pm

    I’m not a big sweater so I re-wear all of my workout clothes a few times before washing them. I always make sure to rotate my clothes to give them a chance to air out though.

  • Kacy January 5, 2011, 1:40 pm

    I don’t think it’s gross. I can’t say I really do it though, because I’m super anal about my laundry. I start it every Thursday and finish it by mid-weekend so I have all clean clothes for the week. I’m a laundry freak I suppose.

  • Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat) January 5, 2011, 1:41 pm

    Don’t think it’s gross at all. It’s just going to get sweaty again, after all! Why waste water (and money) washing and rewashing after every single use?

  • Katie January 5, 2011, 1:41 pm

    I used to re-wear sports bras and shorts all the time when I was in college and living in the dorms. I only had a few sets and was certainly not going to pay $1.50 every three days to wash them (or handwash them in the communal bathroom sinks), but then I got a rash that turned out to be a fungal infection so I stopped that habit pretty quick.

  • Megan (Running Foodie) January 5, 2011, 1:42 pm

    Yep, I definitely rewear. Workout gear can be pricey so I don’t have an unlimited wardrobe of shorts, bras, tights, tops, etc. I rewear bras and tops at least 2-3x. I rewear shorts too, but I always rinse them in the shower because they tend to smell the worst. I DON’T rewear socks. I used to, but they cause my shoes to stink so much I couldn’t get the stench out.

  • Stephanie January 5, 2011, 1:42 pm

    Hah! I think this is a great idea to save time and energy, but I seriously stink the FIRST time I wear them and just can’t imagine being able to stomach putting them back on…even if they dried out. I sweat! A lot!

  • Whitney January 5, 2011, 1:42 pm

    I would never ever re- wear workout clothes. I love to sweat as much as possible when I run, go to the gym, etc ,so I could not imagine putting those soaking wet clothes back on for my next workout. I guess it’s how much you sweat. I can somewhat see re-wearing clothes if you have not sweated a lot, but other than that, no. I do love your honesty in this post! 🙂

  • Brittney January 5, 2011, 1:42 pm

    I usually don’t rewear workout clothes unless I had a really light workout (like a power walk). I find it interesting that so many people rewear sports bras. That’s the one item I definitely wouldn’t rewear because it gets so soaked with sweat and gross that I usually have to peel it off. At least tops and bottoms aren’t usually as bad. I guess it’s good to take it on a case by case basis. If something I worked out in got really sweaty I’m washing it.

  • Katherine: Unemployed January 5, 2011, 1:43 pm

    haha too funny; I rewear things to! it extends the life of it. once the piece starts to smell, I throw it in the laundry pile. exceptions: SOCKS! always change those

  • elliebelle January 5, 2011, 1:43 pm

    I rewear some things, but I have noticed that if I wash my polyester tops more often they are less likely to retain odor. Many of those wicking tops still smell after washing if I’ve worn them more than once.
    By the way, check out http://www.6pm.com – it’s Zappos clearance website and it’s amazing! All the name brand workout wear for super cheap. The only difference is you have to pay for shipping and sizes are kind of limited – but the prices are amazing! I’ve found some really awesome deals on there for workout wear.

    • Kris January 5, 2011, 8:41 pm

      Another place for great prices on workout gear is sierratradingpost.com.

  • Rosie January 5, 2011, 1:45 pm

    I’ve been reading your blog a while and just HAD to comment on this. Totally with you. I basically wear tops, bottoms, and bras until they smell, but only for running when I know no one is going to be around much. If I go to the gym I always put fresh stuff on.

  • Maddie January 5, 2011, 1:45 pm

    Hilarious – I was seriously just thinking about this yesterday as I hung up my sports bra instead of putting it in the dirty clothes. “I wonder if any one else rewears work out clothes or if I’m totally gross…”
    Good to know I’m not alone! I’ll wear sports bras 3ish times before I wash them. They are never more than a little damp and I don’t have very many!
    If I work out in a tank I usually wash it because my sweat will make it stretch out and I hate that. But if it doesn’t, I’ll maybe wear it again.
    Pants I rewear because I figure if I have fresh undies, it shouldn’t matter! I may be wrong 🙂 But it saves water!!

  • Anne @thefitbridesmaid January 5, 2011, 1:45 pm

    I rewear pants, especially when I didn’t have so many. And probably sports bras every once in a while.

    I used to rewear my dance clothes, because I didn’t have enough pairs of non-holey tights.

    However by rewearing, I mean 2-3 times.

  • Jessica January 5, 2011, 1:45 pm

    I definitely rewear sports bras and workout pants. I hang the sweaty clothes before I shower and wear them the next workout. I don’t rewear t-shirts because I have some many random ones.

  • April January 5, 2011, 1:46 pm

    Oh, girl, so not judging, but ew!! Maybe I sweat more than you, but the thought of wearing my workout clothes more than once – ESP sports bras – gives me the heebie jeebies. 🙂 My clothes stink and I don’t like to smell myself. Occasionally, while traveling, I *might* rewear something, but only as a last resort. But, if it doesn’t bother you, more power to ya!

  • Erin January 5, 2011, 1:47 pm

    I’m not a huge sweater and tend to rewear long workout pants during the winter. In the spring I have more options and tend to not rewear them. But I think a lot of it has to do with how much you sweat and where you are working out. I think it would be a little rude to stink so bad in a gym than just running outside.

  • Nancy January 5, 2011, 1:48 pm

    I sweat but thankfully my clothes don’t stink when I wear them just once. I thought it was normal to re-wear workout clothes. My boyfriend even does this too, lol.

  • Krista (kristastes) January 5, 2011, 1:48 pm

    Hahahah this cracked me up. As long as it’s comfortable for you, go right ahead…just don’t run next to me on the treadmill 😉 I don’t normally re-wear workout clothes because I sweat way too much. I do let them air out before even putting them in my dirty laundry bin (I’m a freak). I WILL re-wear a sports bra if I am in dire need of doing laundry and don’t have a clean one on hand!

  • Allison January 5, 2011, 1:49 pm

    I thought I was harboring a secret bad habit! I tend to sweat most from the chest up, so I re-wear shorts and my fave pair of cropped pants. I have to wear two sports bras (which equals TONS of laundry!) so I’ll often re-wear the outer one, but not the inner because it gets pretty gross. I never know where to put the clothes to dry though!

  • Victoria January 5, 2011, 1:49 pm

    Totally fine! I do the same. I typically take one set of workout clothes to the office on Monday, wear them to classes on Monday, Tuesday at lunch, then Wednesday evening, and bring in fresh clothes for Thursday and Friday lunch time classes. I have a coat rack in my office where I hang everything to make sure it dries and airs out between wears.

    I don’t like to put sweaty stuff straight in the hamper because I worry about them staying damp so I always hang everything up to dry after I wear it. Typically, I’ll wear a shirt/tights/shorts 3-4 times between washes and vests/jacket, gloves and hats 10-15 times (at least) between washes. I sometimes buy Febreeze sport to spray my clothes with. It really REALLY works, and it smells less obnoxious than regular Febreeze.

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) January 5, 2011, 1:49 pm

    This post just makes me love you even more! I rewear things twice…three times when I workout. It depends on how badly I sweat (if it is drenched then no). I am with you on the stress today. I was feeling so great the first couple of days this week and today is just exhausting and frustrating!

  • Marina January 5, 2011, 1:49 pm

    I re-wear my workout clothes all the time 😀 I just hate doing laundry, and my clothes don’t always smell badly! Specially my pants, they are ok for 3-4 workouts

  • Orla January 5, 2011, 1:50 pm

    Couldn’t do it- knowing there was bacteria living in the clothes from previous bouts of sweating, and willingly putting it against my hot skin and open pores? Not a chance!! Sports bras aren’t expensive on a cost per wear basis, and really,you can’t think about the cost- think of them as armour in the fight against gravity 😀 And just buy champion singlets from target, they’re $10 a go. No excuse for re-wearing!

    Out of curiosity, if you sweated in your regular clothes, would you re-wear them? And if no, why not?

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 1:59 pm

      Nope because people don’t expect me to be stinky in regular clothes! LOL

    • Marissa C January 5, 2011, 6:40 pm

      The “good” Champions from Target are more like $15.99…serious investment to me

      • chelle June 21, 2011, 2:17 am

        I wear a 34g. My sports bras are $60 each. That is an investment for me. 🙂 I have 5. Workout 5 days a week and don’t always have time to do laundry.

  • Gretchen January 5, 2011, 1:52 pm

    oh my! I am shocked by the re-wearing of workout clothes 🙂 YUCK! Also surprised to see by all of the comments that you are not alone….Ladies please….don’t be funky wash those clothes….Can you say MRSA anyone????

  • Nancy January 5, 2011, 1:53 pm

    I’m a re-wearer. I figure I’m economizing by not doing laundry all the time, but really I’m just too lazy to do it regularly.

  • Kara January 5, 2011, 1:55 pm

    I rewear the outer layers for cold weather running and I rewear workout bottoms…but not the tops! I sweat waaaaaay too much to reuse a sports bra or top. Regular bras though? I wear those for a loooong time before I wash them, but they never smell!

  • amanda January 5, 2011, 1:55 pm

    I re-wear stuff only if I haven’t sweated a ton – like, I’d re-wear regular yoga clothes but probably not running or hot yoga clothes. It’s just a personal preference though – it doesn’t gross me out one bit if you do it!

  • Heather @ Side of Sneakers January 5, 2011, 1:55 pm

    Unless it’s hot-yoga-level-sweat I’m a fan of re-wearing. Hey it saves water right? 😉

  • Kyle January 5, 2011, 1:55 pm

    Um…all I can say is – I’m glad I’m not alone! I work out so much that doing that much laundry would be WASTEFUL. Plus, I don’t exactly work out to look pretty or smell good – I do it to get good and sweaty! I wear my tights and bras around 3x each. So no worries. keep on stinking! And special “sports/athletic” laundry detergents are available. I haven’t tried them, but they’re FOR wicking materials.

  • Martha January 5, 2011, 1:56 pm

    Mmkay so I’m obviously the dirtiest person who reads this blog… I NEVER re-wear undies and usually switch around the bra situation but I wear everything else (crop pants and top) every time I work out (5x a week) and only wash it once a week.. It doesn’t really smell too much cos I have the sweat-wicking gear and I wear nice smelling deodorant, but towards the end of the week, I do notice that I’m not smelling terrific.. But really, who cares? If you’re not getting infections/funguses, I’m not going to wash my clothes just to please all the peeps who get a whiff of me… Plus, I have a gym in my condo, so it’s not like I’m on the subway with non-gym goers while I’m stinkin’ up the car.. (In fact, if people have to be in the elevator with me, I usually wait for the next one or apologize). STINK AND LET STINK!

  • Jennie January 5, 2011, 1:56 pm

    I only have 3 really good running bras too, so I re-wear those on cardio days. I don’t really care what sports bra I wear on strength days!

    I will wear running shorts probably 3-4 times before I was them (again, I only have 2 that I absolutely love) but shirts I change every single time. I buy the cheap dry-fit ones at Target.

    I can’t re-wear running tights, though. That’s my line.

  • Jen @ She said. She said. January 5, 2011, 1:56 pm

    Okay, this is hysterical. I must be completely anal. I NEVER re-wear workout clothes – any of it! I’m a heavy sweater, but even if it’s a non-sweaty workout, i won’t re-wear. Something about it just grosses me out.

    Apparently I’m in the minority though!

    I definitely do NOT judge people who do re-wear. It’s my own issue. 🙂

  • mm January 5, 2011, 1:57 pm

    I don’t sweat heavily, but I have a pretty sensitive sense of smell, so I rarely re-wear workout clothes. I never re-wear the bottoms or the tops. I will occasionally rinse out my sports bras and hang them to dry and wear them again a few days later if I didn’t get sweaty during a workout. But if it was a run? Definitely getting washed before I wear them again. I also have an obsession with workout clothes and own a bunch, so I’m not doing laundry that often. I have a separate laundry basket just for my workout clothes to make sure I don’t get them mixed up with the regular clothes that I wash with fabric softener, and I always hang them to dry instead of drying them in the dryer – all of which helps them last longer.

  • Hannah Hawley January 5, 2011, 1:58 pm

    I will re-wear any workout item if it has had a chance to air-out and dry. If anything smells or feels the least bit crusty, it gets thrown in the laundry pile. Also, my limit on wearing an item is 2-3 depending.

  • Kim January 5, 2011, 1:58 pm

    So glad I’m not the only person who does this! Sometimes I feel a little gnarly, but a girl can only afford so many quality workout outfits, and I live in New York City with limited access to a washer and dryer. I drop off my laundry once a month, which means if I’m having a particularly active month I may be a wee bit smelly.

  • Amanda (Eating Up) January 5, 2011, 1:58 pm

    I re-wear shorts, but I typically don’t re-wear other things…eh, maybe sports bras if I’m backed up on laundry.

  • Haley January 5, 2011, 1:58 pm

    Hahaha, I cracked up when I got to the photo of you smelling your pit!

    Oh man…

    Anyway. I have a really sensitive nose, so I can’t stand rewearing clothes. Sometimes – if I’m low on clothes – I’ll rewear pants, but I sweat so much (and live in Hawai`i where there’s CRAZY humidity) so things get stinky REAL fast!

    Do what works for you! =) And warn your running partners not to run downwind of you ;).

  • Kate January 5, 2011, 1:58 pm

    i reware my workout clothes. probably more that you do (gross i know!). i work out in the mornings before work so i always shower immediately after getting out of them because i’m not going to work dirty! i think this helps me to not have too many issues with bacteria accumulating. and i always hang my clothes to “air out”, unless they need a light washing and then i will hand wash and air dry.

  • nicole January 5, 2011, 1:58 pm

    I re-wear stinky workout clothes when I’m running outside and no one else can smell me. I re-wear shorts/pants/tights until they get too stinky, which is about 4 times. Sports bras can go 2 or 3 times and shirts around 2 times.
    However, I do NOT wear stinky or semi-stinky stuff to the gym, which is generally shirts. I don’t want to be the stinky girl on the elliptical or treadmill! Pants and sports bras are usually fair game because they take longer to get stinky. So I am considerate of others smelling my stench. I know that you don’t have a gym membership, so in my eyes you’re fine to wear your stinky clothes running (alone, without partner)! If you went to yoga though, I’d recommend wearing more fresh items.

  • Orla January 5, 2011, 1:59 pm

    Ha- I love this!!! I can finally come clean(pardon the pun)
    I too wear my work out clothes more than once especially during the winter when it’s cold. and as for sports bra’s- I totally know what you mean about losing elasticity.
    During the summer when I sweat a lot or after a long run when I invariably end up with power gel all over me, I chuck the outer layers in the wash after one run.
    And one last confession? my socks get two runs befor washing. Gross I know! Now I feel better!
    Hope your day improves. 🙂

  • Cyndi @ Weightless Life January 5, 2011, 1:59 pm

    I absolutely re-wear my workout clothes. I can’t afford to buy enough to clean them every time. That’s probably part of the reason why I keep doing races, so I can get new shirts to wear.

  • Heather January 5, 2011, 1:59 pm

    I definitely rewear workout clothes. Gym workouts yes, hot yoga no! I air it out after, or rinse it in the shower and hang it to air dry.

    Soaking workout clothes in vinegar (particularly hot yoga clothes, gets the smell out!)

    I try to be really careful because as mentioned in an earlier comment, wearing sweaty workout shorts or leggings can cause yeast or bacterial infections.

  • caronae January 5, 2011, 1:59 pm

    Okay, I’ll admit: Caitlin, I’m a little grossed out. No matter if it’s summer or winter (but especially in summer), I sweat. Unless I’m running outside and it’s thirty degrees or less, I am drenched. It’s smelly and wet and disgusting; I can barely stand to peel off the clothes and get into the shower. The clothes then immediately go into my laundry bag. The only situation in which I reuse workout clothes is if I have no other clean workout clothes and I don’t have the time/money to do laundry. If that’s the case, I pick the least sweaty clothes from the laundry bag. I reuse all other clothes profusely and I despise wasting laundry detergent or water; it is environmentally unfriendly. But the sweat and dirt on used workout clothes is not good for skin or stamina; if I’m doing a workout in them, I can’t stop thinking about how gross they are, and it slows me down.

    I’m definitely on the side of “this is really gross unless it is an emergency and you have zero other clothing possibilities for your workout.” Sorry Caitlin!

  • Ashley @ Ashley's Adventures in Alaska January 5, 2011, 1:59 pm

    I totally rewear workout clothes, unless they’re from yoga over like 80 degrees. We cross country ski often, so I wear those same clothes all week. The layer nearest my body gets a bit sweaty, but the rest doesn’t. With temperatures around 0, it would be pretty hard to get warm enough to sweat through all 5 layers.

  • Dez @ Dezolutions January 5, 2011, 2:01 pm

    I try not to rewear anything. I learned the hard way. I had 3 of the same style of yoga pants, for some reason, for a week straight I kept mixing them up in the morning, and grabbing the wrong ones, the dirty ones. Well, sure enough, I got a lady infection… I had to go to the doctors and everything! He knew right away “never re-wear your workout clothes”. Especially if you sweat a lot!

    Plus, the feeling of dried salty stiff sports bras and pants give me the heebies. I would invest in 2 more sports bras minimum, and some new pants, keep it in good rotation! Especially if you’re going to the gym and sitting on equipment, not only is it your own bacteria…

    ….but OTHER peoples bacteria… EWWW 😛

  • Jenny January 5, 2011, 2:01 pm

    I do! No judgement.
    I remember doing a body pump class & I couldn’t figure out what the rank smell was….yep…it was me….good thing I was by an open window 🙂
    Hope your day gets less stressful!

  • Kelsey January 5, 2011, 2:02 pm

    SO GLAD I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE!!! 🙂 I definitely wear my workout clothes more than once! It saves a lot of laundry!!! I will wear my shorts about 3 times or so before I wash them!

    it also helps that for some reason I don’t sweat that much! I’m weird! haha

  • Meredith January 5, 2011, 2:04 pm

    I am with you on this one! When I take off my sweaty sports bra I hang it on a doornob in my house to dry and rewear it at least one or two times. Same thing with running tights or shorts – I leave them out to dry before putting them away. Running shirts i generally wear only once before washing. I will rewear running socks, because I get lazy about doing laundry like you said. If no one smells us, who cares? I always shower right after I run anyway. Great topic.

  • Melissa January 5, 2011, 2:05 pm

    I feel very alone on this one! I would say I am a one-wear person about 95% of the time. I am a VERY heavy sweat-er and completely soak my sports bra and top even after only a short run. I also wear running shorts with built in briefs which also get sweaty so I liken that to rewearing dirty undies…yikes!

    The things I will rewear is yoga pants b/c I don’t feel I sweat as much then (plus, not going commando), my sports bra from a yoga session and maybe other long pants that I might wear if I’m going for a walk or whatever.

    All that to say, I guess it just has to pass the sniff test and my items wouldn’t otherwise! (Non-workout clothes are a different story…lots of rewearing there) I do airdry before putting things in the hamper and I do love Tide with Febreze. Tide is pretty pricey but worth it, IMO.

  • Elizabeth January 5, 2011, 2:07 pm

    This comment section feels like some sort of coming out party! I love it! 🙂 …except that I will never, ever, ever in 5 million year re-wear workout clothes.

    I might be some sort of clean freak (and yes, I totally do own that special athletic detergent– my boyfriend plays hockey, and trust me, those smells would kill a small dinosaur), but it just doesn’t seem right. Between the funk and the bacteria, I’d rather be safe than sorry.

  • Tami January 5, 2011, 2:08 pm

    you need to start writing the great debate_____

    gross. i sweat way to much to reuse my clothes but i guess if you don’t i don’t see why not. i agree washing breaks down the clothes more, i don’t dry my stuff ..

  • Sara January 5, 2011, 2:08 pm

    I wear all my workout clothes multiple times: sports bras (I really need better ones; any suggestions?), tops, and bottoms. Never wear socks or underwear more than once, though! And I’ve mentioned this before: I sweat like a 400-pound man (um, I’m not one).

    Interesting side note: I always shower in the morning and at night. If I’m not going to bed right after my shower, I have lounge clothes that are different than my pajamas. I won’t get into my bed in the same clothes I’ve lounged around (and snacked!) in. I’m a woman of many contradictions myself. 🙂

  • Jessica January 5, 2011, 2:09 pm

    I do re-wear workout clothes, but I almost always do the “smell test”. I figure if I can’t smell anything, noone else can. But I also do a lot of work outs in a gym, so I’m very paranoid to not be the “smelly girl” in the gym. I usually do the smell test right after I work out to determine if they need to go in the dirty clothes pile. But then I have a problem putting the already worn clothes in my drawer with clean clothes, so they end up sitting on my bedside table until I wear them again. Although, I just read the one comment about the girl getting an infection- that creeps me out! But I always wear undies with my workout clothes, so I think that would prevent any infection. Hope that helps!

  • Heather @ Alis Grave Nil January 5, 2011, 2:09 pm

    No, no, no, no, gross. Workout wear has to be thought of like underwear. It gets up real close and personal with your body. I wear clean stuff every time. I wouldn’t want to risk infection, but also the stink is disgusting. I was a dance teacher for a long time–the worst thing you can do is re-sweat in your clothes that had dry sweat on them. All it took was one of those people to ruin a room full–I hope you’re not wearing reworn stuff to yoga. Oh, no. Sorry. I can’t do it.

  • Becky January 5, 2011, 2:09 pm

    This thread cracks me up. My general rule of thumb is that it’s ok to re-wear as long as something doesn’t smell noticeably bad when I’m putting it on (like, enough to be distracting) or take the place of underwear (e.g. I won’t re-wear shorts with liners, but tights are ok because I wear underwear with them).

  • Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman January 5, 2011, 2:09 pm

    Um, yeah. I’d need a maid to personally do my laundry if I only wore them once. Although, I barely sweat at all and after three wears they still smell like fabric softening. I guess that’s one benefit of being someone who barely ever sweats.

  • kelly January 5, 2011, 2:09 pm

    I only wash my workout clothes once a week! I basically have a weekly workout outfit and then switch to a new one the next week. I am super lazy about laundry and I figure I am never close enough to anyone else while working out for them to notice 🙂

  • Amy January 5, 2011, 2:09 pm

    I definitely re-wear my workout clothes basically until I can’t take the stench anymore haha. I just know washing over and over will basically damage the clothes. I like the idea of trying ‘workout clothes’ detergent…but probably never will! you’re not alone!! 🙂

  • Cassie January 5, 2011, 2:11 pm

    I totally re-wear my workout clothes! Usually for like, a whole week (because I only do laundry once a week anyway) and it seems to be okay. Socks get changed more frequently than that though!

  • Crissy January 5, 2011, 2:11 pm

    I absolutely re-wear. I do not rinse, i am just a dirty runner like you! ha. I generally do not re-wear shirts but def do with sports bras (which I just lay out to sweat dry and that sounds SO GROSS), and the bottoms are worn prob 4 times before they are washed too! … I see it as saving the environment, less water used!

  • Heidi January 5, 2011, 2:11 pm

    Oh heck no! In this age of MRSA, cellulitis, flesh eating bacteria, and so many antibiotic resistent strains of crud–wash those nasty clothes. If your concern is travel, take 2 outfits and a small bottle or dish soap or detergent and hand wash one outfit per day. Ladies, you exercise to take care of your bodies. Why risk infection to save a little time or money?

    PS. I do use an athletic detergent on work out clothes because those detergents are designed to work on tech fabrics without damaging. I believe it extends the life of my gear. Love FIT.

    • Stacy January 5, 2011, 3:17 pm

      Heidi is definitely the smartest person to comment on this post so far! Seriously guys, it is absolutely disgusting to re-wear workout clothes. It makes me nauseous to even think about it. Eww!

    • Carly D. @ CarlyBananas January 5, 2011, 3:45 pm

      I totally agree! I’ve been known to Lysol my clothes when I put them in the hamper (ok, mostly to kill the sweat smell but also because I’m a teensy bit scared they’ll create an army of bacteria before laundry day). The only thing I consider re-wearing are the quick dry track shorts that are loose fitting, and that’s on a rare occasion.
      I can’t even wrap my head around the idea of re-wearing a sports bra or tank.

    • Whitney January 5, 2011, 4:14 pm

      To each his own!! I think that wearing clothes more than once is beneficial to the environment, your wallet, and sanity! I HATE laundry as it is!

      • Carly D. @ CarlyBananas January 5, 2011, 5:47 pm

        Unfortunately, any money I’d save on laundry would be spent on skin care products. My back & chest break out like crazy if I stay in a sweaty sports bra. Same with shirts. I’ve found its just easier to have enough sports bras/tanks that I can throw things right into the laundry.

  • Sara January 5, 2011, 2:12 pm

    Funny thread. But glad to read I am not the only one! I totally re-use sports bras a few times but I stay away from re-wearing bottoms and actually have a different “set” of undies that I wear only when I work out or do yoga.

  • Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table January 5, 2011, 2:12 pm

    I totally re-wear depending on the season! During the summer the rink is 90 degrees and I have so many pads on that there’s no way I avoid laundry after derby. Winter – I will wear a bra 2-3 times. BUT I never go without washing bottoms – don’t want anything funky going on down under.

    If you have clothes that are hanging on to a stench even after washing, try adding some white vinegar to the wash. Takes the smeel right out without spenind extra $$ on sports detergent!

    Check out TJ Maxx or Loehmann’s for cheap(er) sports bras. 🙂

  • Alina January 5, 2011, 2:12 pm

    I think it depends on just how much sweating took place. I re-wear clothes, but they have to pass the smell test. I do a lot of weights workouts and other types of workouts where there is limited sweating (like non-hot yoga), so I don’t see an issue with it. I agree that washing frequently reduces the life of your clothes which sucks when they are expensive and you work out often (you would potentially need like 10 sets of expensive clothes that you wash every time and replace frequently.

  • Trisha January 5, 2011, 2:15 pm

    I re-wear my workout pants and sports bra, but usually not my gym tanks. However, everything goes right into the wash if I do hot yoga because those clothes become rank REALLY fast. Glad I’m not the only one!

  • Beth January 5, 2011, 2:15 pm

    I’m glad you went for your run! It always makes you feel better afterwards!

    Haha, I used to re-wear clothes 3-4 times before washing too, but then I read something that said the sweat will break down the clothes faster. I always wash on gentle cycle with detergent and white vinegar and line dry. My clothes are always clean, fresh-smelling, and don’t break down because I don’t dry them.

    I still re-use clothes if I didn’t sweat that much in them, or if its all I have. Other people can deal with the stank 🙂

  • Jessica M January 5, 2011, 2:16 pm

    Oh I totally do this too. I’m lazy about laundry. It’s my least favorite chore.

    I re-wear my pjs on occasion, workout pants, daily bras, workout bras, workout tops. I think it’s fine as long as there’s no visible dirt and they don’t feel too grimy.

  • Amy at TheSceneFromMe January 5, 2011, 2:17 pm

    Ha! I definitely think it is okay to rewear workout clothes! After all you only wear your favorite things to work out in and if you wash them after every single time you wear them, then they won’t last as long. I wear regular clothes and pj’s more than once too. Otherwise all I would be doing is laundry and I don’t wanna do that!

  • Ella January 5, 2011, 2:17 pm

    I re-wear my running shorts 2 or 3 times, but I only wear sports bras once before washing. My boobs get the sweatiest.
    If I was at yoga or pilates or somewhere where I don’t sweat as much I’ll rewear the shirt. But if I get sweaty into the hamper it goes!
    I wear the same jeans multiple times without washing and stuff. My roommate finds it disgusting, but laundry is 6 bucks a load (wash and dry) and I’m so broke..

  • G January 5, 2011, 2:18 pm

    I sweat a lot when I workout but my clothes hardly ever stink!! I fully rely on the sniff test… As you said, the more you wash stuff, the quicker it gets worn out! And workout clothes are EXPENSIVE!! Therefore, I am totally with you on this one! 🙂

  • hemp jogger January 5, 2011, 2:19 pm

    this is kinda gross, but very funny. love this blog caitlin, fo real. and a great topic!

    i will rewear shorts or tights, but never ever tshirts or sports bras. truthfully, the only reason i wont rewear bras is bc they get the white deodorant streaks on them, and for some reason, i am completely appalled by them, on work-out clothes or regular clothes. one i see them, the shirt goes in the laundry. i swear if i could get away w/o wearing deodorant i would, simply to avoid the streaks!

    • Shannon January 5, 2011, 2:24 pm

      Hemp Jogger—baby wipes totally get rid of deodorant streaks! Seriously. Just rub it off with a baby wipe. Works every time.

  • Carlee January 5, 2011, 2:19 pm

    I often re-wear my workout clothes. I HATE doing laundry with a passion. Sadly, I have enough clothes that I can do it very infrequently. I will often wear workout pants/shorts 2 – 3 times before washing. Shirts depend on how gross I was when I took it off but I will often were tops more than once as well.

    However, I have noticed that Under Armour brand clothing gets really stinky really fast – even before I finish my workout I can smell it. Has anyone else noticed with with UA?

  • Tonyne @ Unlikely Success Story January 5, 2011, 2:19 pm

    Totally depends on how much I sweat and if they dried before it was time to re-wear them! Sports bras I totally wear 2-3 times before washing, pants twice but I rarely re-wear shirts they are totally drenched.

  • Natalia - a side of simple January 5, 2011, 2:21 pm

    I re-wear my workout clothes all the time! I’m not even ashamed to say that I probably use the “stink-method” to remind myself that I need to wash them….

  • Sara @ OurDogBuffy January 5, 2011, 2:22 pm

    I am not a runner, but I rewear sports bras, fitted pants, fitted capris … tanks, shirts and anything else workout-related. But I work out at home, by myself. I think it’s thrifty! If something smells I wash it. I don’t own enough workout clothes so that’s the major reason I rewear. SO expensive.

  • Jenifer January 5, 2011, 2:22 pm

    I have to admit… I’m a busty girl, so I pay $$ for good bras. Sports and regular. I will definatly wear them more than once. Twice usually, and for some reason I can’t sleep without a bra on, which totally irks my husband. I’m going to second the white vinegar and air drying them. It does help them hold up longer.

    • jenifer January 5, 2011, 2:52 pm

      Dreft (yes, the baby detergent) also works well for under garments, especially if you have sensitive skin.

  • Shannon January 5, 2011, 2:22 pm

    OMG, I could never in a MILLION YEARS re-wear my workout clothes even I wanted to—they smell horrible after each workout! I sweat a LOT–I’ve always been a super-sweater–and I think my sweat is some kind of super-powerful toxic chemical or something b/c it literally wears out and bleaches things after awhile. I have had to throw out some workout clothes after only 1 or 2 summers of running (it gets VERY hot and humid in MN in the summer, so I end up drenched every time I run). I just discovered that Tide Sport detergent and it is the ONLY thing that saves my workout tees and bras from having to practically be disposable!

  • betsy January 5, 2011, 2:22 pm

    I re-wear pants and bras for the same reason as you. I will re-wear a top but it depends what I did. Weightlifting = re-wear. Running in 90* heat = wash.

    I also grew up playing hockey and we NEVER, I mean NEVER washed our equipment. Anyone who knows the term ‘hockey hands’ knows what I’m talking about…it was almost a rite of passage.

  • Katie @ peacebeme January 5, 2011, 2:24 pm

    I TOTALLY always re-wear workout clothes! Definitely sports bra and shorts/pants!

    GO YOU for modifying your workout to 3.0 miles – such a healthy way to kick that all-or-nothing attitude in the butt!

  • LIz January 5, 2011, 2:25 pm

    I definitely re wear workout clothes – pants, bras and shirts!!!! I figure I did it in high school with my gym locker, i can do it now!

  • ErikaMC January 5, 2011, 2:25 pm

    I always rewear my workout clothes. I wear my bra for about a week unless it’s super sweaty (in the summer) and I also rewear my bottoms and tops until they stink and I also even rewear my socks at least twice.

  • Shannon January 5, 2011, 2:26 pm

    Oh–one more thing–it’s not really an issue for me b/c I do laundry pretty much EVERY DAY. I know, that may sound crazy, but I’m a mom of two little kids, and believe me–once you have babies, constant laundry becomes a way of life!

  • sarah k. @ the pajama chef January 5, 2011, 2:27 pm

    haha! i only re-wear running pants in the winter. i have 2 pairs of tights & 2 pairs of pants so i will re-wear any of those twice but then they go straight to the laundry! i have a running jacket for days that are really cold/windy and that gets washed every week or so, depending on need. also sometimes i re-wear my underarmor tops. i have 2 of the cold-gear and i don’t want to do laundry every 2 days! 🙂

  • Sarah (Sarah Learns) January 5, 2011, 2:27 pm

    i totally re-wear some of my workout clothes! sport bras at least 2x and then i usually rinse in the sink and wear 2 more times! and workout/yoga pants i at least wear twice! i have a million t-shirts that i work out in, so i never have to re-wear them!

    i agree with you though, work out clothes are expensive. i re-wear out of necessity (not having very many), not laziness!

  • nysoonergirl January 5, 2011, 2:27 pm

    When I work out first thing in the morning, I just work out in my pajamas. It takes a few seconds to slip on a sports bra and I’m ready to go. It’s usually a sports bra I’ve worn during “comfy clothes” evenings during the week… Yes, I wear my bras a billion times before washing. Unless I’ve sweat a lot. They’re just so darn expensive and each wash deteriorates them so much.

    For my zumba classes where I sweat a lot and want to look slightly more presentable than 10 year old soccer shorts and my dad’s old t-shirts, I wear a clean outfit and wash it right after. I sweat far too much in that class to even attempt a re-wear… Especially if that means sleeping in that nasty smelling stuff until the next work out in the morning. For other night time work outs that aren’t as sweaty as zumba, I rewear often. If I didn’t get drenched with sweat, what’s another day? If I’m out in public though, I try not to smell as a general rule. But I see no problem in a rewear!

  • kyndra January 5, 2011, 2:28 pm

    i re-wear workout gear more times than i can even count. shorts, tights, shirts, bras . . . i don’t know, at least a half-dozen times each? even by then they don’t smell, but i figure they deserve a wash. eh, i’m a fruitarian, so me and my sweat don’t stink even when i go running for 5 or 6 hours.

  • Jennifer @ shesafitchick January 5, 2011, 2:28 pm

    The only thing I could see it causing is the breakouts. I just did a video about post-workout breakouts and one of the things I found in my research is that re-wearing workout clothing or wearing clothing that isn’t made for moisture can cause breakouts.

  • Katie D. January 5, 2011, 2:28 pm

    I’m a stinky runner too! I figure given 5 minutes into working out, I’m a sweaty, stinky mess anyway, so why bother with clean clothes every time? And YES, sports bras are too expensive for the good ones!

    Speaking of sports bras, I saw some today that are “high impact push-up” umm…When I do high impact exercise (or any), I don’t want my boobs pushed up, I want them held in place!!!!

  • Carolyn @ Lovin' Losing January 5, 2011, 2:29 pm

    I usually rewear sports bras, socks, and bottoms, but rarely tops.

  • Corey @ the runner's cookie January 5, 2011, 2:29 pm

    I hardly ever re-wear sports bras (they are just WAY too sweaty, and I hate chest breakouts), but I definitely re-wear shorts and tights, and shirts only if I barely sweat. I don’t consider myself a germophob at all, but something about re-wearing sweaty stuff seems so gross to me!

  • Mandy January 5, 2011, 2:30 pm

    This post and subsequent comments are amusing. As an extreme example, I worked in a _remote_ location in Alaska (I’m a field biologist) for six months with no shower and limited clothing (cold weather tech gear is expensive and we were helicoptered in so there was a weight limit for our gear). After a few weeks, your body oils “take over” (i.e. clean your body) and you hit a “stink plateau” where things really can’t get any worse. I emerged just fine with no weird skin issues/infections. Anyway, needless to say, yeah, I’m cool with rewearing gear. =)

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 2:34 pm

      This is an awesome comment. And you had a cool job!

    • Alison @ Around the VeggieTable January 5, 2011, 2:55 pm

      Stink plateau! LOL

    • Raya January 5, 2011, 5:17 pm

      Hahahaha. “Stink plateau” LOL

  • Kate January 5, 2011, 2:30 pm

    Heavy sweat-er does not even begin to describe me, so I have no choice but to wash my clothes right after every workout. Even after an outdoor run in sub-30 degree weather, I am covered in sweat. I don’t think my fellow gym goers would appreciate me wearing things after one day!

  • gabriella @ embracement January 5, 2011, 2:32 pm

    I definitely rewear. Especially my nike tempo shorts. My shorts dont get sweaty so what’s the difference? They don’t smell either so I usually think it’s fine. Tops less often because they’re right against my skin, but even so depending on the workout I’m doing I can get at least 3 uses out of them. If I’m going to a class I always wear fresh to spare those around me, but honestly I really don’t smell anything bad about them and can’t afford more!

  • Laura January 5, 2011, 2:32 pm

    I guess I don’t think about how gross this is until you pointed it out… hah! But I actually am not a heavy sweater. I never rewear tops, but I rewear sports bras (for the same reasons – I’m picky about them but it’s too expensive to buy more!) and pants… way too many times 🙂

  • Theresa @ActiveEggplant January 5, 2011, 2:32 pm

    I’ll re-wear sports bras…but only because I only own 2 that work for me (they’re $60 a pop) and I can’t imagine doing laundry every day so they’re clean all the time! I alternate though – one will be airing out while I’m using the other. After 2 uses they get washed though…so I get 4 days of workouts out of them, I guess. I don’t usually re-wear tops because they’re too smelly – I sweat a lot. but in a pinch I’ll wear one again – like if I have an easy yoga session and I’m not too sweaty. I NEVER re-wear shorts/bottoms though. EVER. I don’t wear undies with my workout pants & re-wearing them just seems way too gross!

    I also just discovered “sport wash” for my workout gear. Mostly because of my husband’s NASTY smelling workout shorts. this stuff is amazing. Totally gets rid of the smells that tend to get “stuck” in the wicking material. I don’t necessarily think this makes them any “cleaner” just magically less smelly when they come out of the dryer. …which begs another question…am I the only one that dries my workout clothes in the dryer? Or does everyone air dry?

  • Michelle January 5, 2011, 2:33 pm

    GREAT debate! Hmmm… I will very rarely rewear sports bras. I sometimes rewear shorts (but NEVER the ones with the undies in them). And I never rewear shirts… I have enough that I don’t need to!
    What’s your stance on socks?

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 2:34 pm

      I will also rewear socks like… three times? LOL

      • Michelle January 5, 2011, 2:36 pm

        I’ll rewear socks if I didn’t run in them and just did a strength workout and some light elliptical. Running brings a whole new sort of stank for me!

      • Molly @fuelherup January 5, 2011, 5:51 pm

        NO DON’T REWEAR SOCKS! YOULL GET WARTS! oh caitlin youre killing me here!

        • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 5:53 pm

          hahah no way! warts is a virus.

        • Molly @fuelherup January 5, 2011, 7:03 pm

          haha yep, but, and I quote from my sister’s pediatrician, “If you want to get plantar warts, walk around barefoot and rewear socks.” It happened to my little sister, and she wasn’t sweating in her socks!

  • Carol January 5, 2011, 2:34 pm

    a) I have to pay cash to do a load of laundry.
    b) it’s in the basement, 3 floors down!
    So therefore I re-wear my workout gear! And since I look like I swam across the river after a run or boot camp class, I do tend to sweat a tad! I hang the clothes up to dry and they’re good to go the next day. I do have technical underwear, which I bought enough pairs to wear once, but everything is worn repeatedly. After all, I’m not in a fashion show…I’m running. Besides…I am so fast, the stink is but a memory by the time anyone else smells it! LOL!!

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 2:35 pm

      “I am so fast, the stink is but a memory by the time anyone else smells it!”

      ZING.

      • Carol January 6, 2011, 12:23 am

        Oh, and after running clinic, say like tonight where I pounded out just over 3 miles, I sit in pub in all my stinky, sweaty glory! I don’t bother bringing a change of clothes, as dang it…I want a beer and I want it NOW! No one complains…at least not to me. And if some guy is offended by a very natural woman sitting next to him…well, he doesn’t know what he’s missing out on.

        Good debate!

  • Stacey January 5, 2011, 2:35 pm

    Guilty! Yep, I do this as well. All of the time! It just seems like such a waste to wear something clean each time, and I just don’t have that many outfits to workout in.

  • Cassie @ Back to Her Roots January 5, 2011, 2:38 pm

    Oh I totally do this. I normally have one outfit picked out and those are my workout clothes for the week. I only have ONE good running bra and I have to go to a laundry mat to do my laundry. I rewear it ALL. I mean, it’s just gonna get gross again anyway.

    It’s not gross. It’s green!

  • Andi January 5, 2011, 2:42 pm

    I love this post! I re-wear my workout clothes RELIGIOUSLY. You’re totally right, workout wear is not even close to cheap and there’s no way to even keep up with the laundry when you’re a daily exerciser. Not to mention, nothing kills motivation more than having to wait another hour for your freshly washed gear to be dried and ready before you can head out the door. I definitely side with you on this issue 🙂

  • Anna January 5, 2011, 2:43 pm

    So glad to know I’m not alone in my re-wearing habits! I usually wear everything at least twice! (excluding undies/shorts with a liner…I don’t go comando). In the summer I’d just hop right in the shower in my clothes to rinse them and hang them to dry. Now in the winter when I don’t sweat quite as much I just toss them in the sink and rinse them off and hang them to dry. I’d love to have a weeks worth of good bras, but then I wouldn’t have any money to buy food!

    I do try to wear clean clothes if I am going to be running with somebody…which only happens every month or so. Since I only run outside I figure nobody will notice that I stink. 🙂

  • Amy January 5, 2011, 2:45 pm

    I agree I totally re-wear my workout clothes!! I HATE HATE HATE doing laundry (really it’s the only domestic ‘chore’ that I can’t stand) so heck yes I’ll re-wear my pants and bra 2-3 times… the shirt I do change cause that gets uber sweaty and stinky lol 🙂

  • Michelle @ Turning Over a New Leaf January 5, 2011, 2:46 pm

    I rewear pants in general until they’re noticeably dirty, but I do wash my workout pants like… once a week. I try to avoid wearing any bra more than once before washing since they very quickly make my back, shoulders, and chest break out, and my shirts in general get stinky after one wear. So my upper half is always fresh! 😉

  • Alison @ Around the VeggieTable January 5, 2011, 2:49 pm

    Honestly, I try to rinse the sports bra and rewear it once or twice, and I do bottoms too, but never tops because I think they get too yuck. Boyfriend, on the other hand, has probably washed his running shorts 3 times the entire time I have been with him (over a year). It kills me.

  • Allie January 5, 2011, 2:51 pm

    Oh man, I’m with you Caitlin. I rewear my sports bras the most, only washing them at the end of the week (so 5 or 6 wears?). I rewear shorts and pants 5 or 6 times as well, shirts probably only 2 or 3 times only becuase the dri fit shirts start smelling bad so quickly. Since switching from cotton to synthetic sweat-wicking materials though, I find that my close start to stink much sooner.

  • MaryB January 5, 2011, 2:51 pm

    That’s disgusting! I don’t care if other people do it too, that doesn’t make it right. Wear them once, and wash them!
    This is just as bad as when you admitted you flossed your teeth in bed. Ick
    I (mostly) enjoy your blog but I really have to question your hygiene habits LOL

    • Susan January 5, 2011, 9:52 pm

      I know! I’m not even a heavy sweater and I still only wear workout clothes once. Flossing in bed? Ewwww! I must have missed that one.

  • Alayna @ Thyme Bombe January 5, 2011, 2:52 pm

    Maybe it is gross but I do it too! They’re going to be gross at the end of my workout anyway, so by then no one will know that the smell is leftover from last time! I try to wear clean things to the gym where I’m closer to other people, but when just going for a run outside, who would know the difference?

  • Beth @ Will Run for Books January 5, 2011, 2:52 pm

    I re-wear everything, all the time. It’s too expensive to buy enough different shorts, tops, bras, pants, socks, etc. to wear a different one every day until laundry day and I don’t have enough time to individually wash my clothes all the time. You are not alone. 🙂

  • elaine! January 5, 2011, 2:53 pm

    Unless I’m working out with other people, I wear the same workout clothes for a whole week before washing, except I’ll wear clean undies. If my socks are gross I’ll wear fresh socks too, to avoid blisters. If I’m in a group class, I’ll rotate shirts (either fresh or a shirt that has been worked out in once), but not pants/shorts. Then again, I’m one of those people who will wear jeans for like two weeks before washing them, too…

    1) I don’t like doing laundry
    2) If I’m not interacting with other people, what does it matter anyway?
    3) All that washing wears your clothes out so fast, and workout gear is spendy.

    To maintain the life of my clothes, I always wash them in cold water with a delicates detergent like Woolite and hang dry. Fabric softener (even a dryer sheet) usually ruins the wicking properties of technical fabric. Thankfully, workout clothes dry fast when you hang them. 😉

  • Sara January 5, 2011, 2:53 pm

    Hi Caitlin! I’ve been reading your blog for a while now but never comment since I read at work on my blackberry and commenting on it is a pain. But, this post made me de-lurk!

    I re-wear sports bras since I only have a few I like. I probably wear them twice before washing. Besides that, the only workout clothes I re-wear are cold weather running clothes. My gym clothes, even shorts, I wear once and wash, but my winter gear I’ll wear multiple times, especially my running tights. Not sure why. I don’t wash my drymax running socks that often either. They’re such perfect socks, I just never want them to lose their elasticity!

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 3:25 pm

      Hi! thanks for delurking 🙂

  • Colleen January 5, 2011, 2:54 pm

    I have no time nor budget to buy and wash multiple workout outfits. I tend to wear a least 2-3 sports bras a week (depending on the amount of sweat produced during a workout)and 2-3 shorts/pants per week (again, depends on the amount of sweat). I just hang them up so they dry. I do have a LARGE stash of socks, so those get changed every day.

  • Jaclyn January 5, 2011, 2:55 pm

    Sorry you are so stressed out – sounds like you need an intern!

    I TOTALLY, ALWAYS, almost always re wear workout clothes. Like you, I don’t have a lot of options so they always get re-worn at least once. I do tend to clean my towels after each hot yoga though.. as hot yoga is my main exercise, I can’t get too many uses out of clothes / towels, but generally more than once! Also, if you are running, they can’t smell you for too long, right!? ! You are running AWAY from them!! 😀 HA, love this!!

  • Shelly @ EpicOrganic.net January 5, 2011, 2:56 pm

    I stink too! The only thing guaranteed clean are my undies. But I re-wear sports bras, tops, and pants at least twice, sometimes 3 times. But I sweat a lot, so after 3 wears, they usually don’t pass the sniff test when I go to put them on. But yeah – I’ve had that same experience, running down the trail and wondering what the heinous odor is, until I realize – it’s just me, stinkin like an Italian hoagie.

  • Alaina January 5, 2011, 2:56 pm

    Um, DUH I re-wear workout clothes? While I sometimes like to go in my happy place a pretend like I have a closet full of beautiful, fresh workout clothes in every color and style… I don’t. And whether you re-wear workout clothes or not, you’re going to sweat and smell. If you aren’t sweating, you aren’t doing it right!

    • Alaina January 5, 2011, 2:58 pm

      So… awkward… I found a typo after hitting submit. Whoops! I am not questioning myself about wearing workout clothes for multiple uses. I DO re-wear them.

  • Suzanne January 5, 2011, 2:56 pm

    My husband and I just had a discussion about this! He says that since I bought new workout clothes with Christmas money, then I don’t have to re-wear them!

    I always wear things at least 2 times. Outfit A on days 1 and 3. Outfit B on days 2 and 4 and so on.

    I am glad that I bought new stuff for Christmas and now don’t have to have a minimum of 2 dirty outfits hanging off door handles and such.

    At the same time, I hate wearing something for only 30 mins – an hour and washing it.

  • Katy January 5, 2011, 2:56 pm

    Sorry, haters…but I’m with Caitlin. I totally re-wear my workout clothes, although I do keep a separate hamper for them, with a big bottle of Febreeze nearby.

  • Carina January 5, 2011, 2:56 pm

    When running, I don’t wear underwear under shorts or workout pants, so I always rewash those. And I’m finally at the point where I have 5 good sports bras and I only run 4-5 days per week, so I always wear a clean one. And I have tons of shirts, so I wash those too.

    When I do a non-running workout, I sometimes wear underwear and then will rewear the pants.

    But I generally work out and run with others, so I’m usually wearing 100% clean stuff. Plus, I live in Texas and it’s hot here a lot of the year. Clothes are dripping wet when I get home for many months of the year.

  • Elyse January 5, 2011, 3:00 pm

    I sweat up a storm (my shirt is usually pretty damp when I get home). So I wear new workout clothes every time. My smell usually offends me when I get home so I would never want to offend others at the gym!

  • CarrieBeth January 5, 2011, 3:03 pm

    i re-wear my clothes too! it just doesn’t make sense to me to have to wash that often! plus i’m not really around other people when i work out. so there 🙂

  • Meghan January 5, 2011, 3:03 pm

    hahahah I too hang up my sweaty sportsbras so they dry and I can rewear them again! I also will rewear tops and shorts ONLY if they don’t smell though. I would say you’re fine in your smelly gear as long as you’re workin out solo 😉

  • natalie January 5, 2011, 3:05 pm

    wow i am shocked by how many people do this! i thought for sure you were alone 🙂
    No, I definitely only ever wear anything once. And I am not that heavy of a sweat-er. But if you can make it work, then good for you! I just feel gross.

  • carlee January 5, 2011, 3:10 pm

    I don’t rewear my worklout clothes! Only sometimes! But I always wear my bra for like a week lol and I rarely wash my jeans! Unless they get stinky down there or I spill something!

  • Amber from Girl with the Red Hair January 5, 2011, 3:11 pm

    Haha I’m the same way with bottoms + sports bras. I wash my running tights once a week and run in them 3-4 times a week! Sports bras I hang to dry and then re-wear 3-4 times as well. But tops I usually only wear once, SOMETIMES twice.

    I only wear my hot yoga clothes once though! Then straight in the hamper!

  • Shannon January 5, 2011, 3:11 pm

    This never even occurred to me! Why not! Thanks Caitlin for majorly cutting down on my laundry 😀

  • Val @ Balancing Val January 5, 2011, 3:14 pm

    For the record I wear . . .

    Sports Bras

    Workout Pants

    2 times before I declare it laundry. Im ok with it as I just dont have time to do laundry.

    I cant do this with shirts though . . . im a sweaty beast even when im NOT working out!! :O

  • ashley January 5, 2011, 3:14 pm

    I can’t stand the way they feel after one wear – I can feel the ‘film’ or something from my sweat! Cannot deal!

  • Jennifer @ Frost Bites January 5, 2011, 3:15 pm

    Oh good, I’m not the only one, then….Yes, I confess…I do re-wear workout clothes BUT only my sports bra and shorts for no more than 2 consecutive workouts during the week. Join the club!

  • Callie @ Callieflower Kitchen January 5, 2011, 3:16 pm

    I rewear pants and sports bras, but not usually tops because they get too gross 🙂

  • Lisa January 5, 2011, 3:17 pm

    I reuse certain parts of my workout gear…usually 2 workouts and then I wash them. If I didn’t I’d be doing laundry every freakin’ day!

  • Cynthia January 5, 2011, 3:18 pm

    I have to admit that I am the same way. If I can get away with it, I rewear my workout clothes several times before I wash them.

  • stephanie January 5, 2011, 3:19 pm

    i ALWAYS wear my clothes at least twice, unless it’s laundry day when i work out! i mean, they’re just going to get sweaty again, so why bother? 🙂

  • Cat January 5, 2011, 3:20 pm

    Glad you posted this 🙂 Made me smile! I re-wear workout clothes ALL.THE.TIME. And I’m a trainer and have TONS of workout gear 🙂 I don’t sweat a ton and live in San Francisco (AKA it’s never hot), so it doesn’t seem like a big deal. Typically I re-wear pants up to 3 times, but sports bras and tops less. The other thing is that I’m really picky about what I wear, technical and fit-wise, so even though I’m willing to pay for more clothes, sometimes I just really want to wear a specific piece for a particular workout and if I wore it the day before, I’m just gonna put it on. Also, I’m lazy about laundry too 🙂

  • claire! January 5, 2011, 3:21 pm

    Haha love this debate. I occasionally re-wear, but usually just sports bras or dry-fit shirts. Anything cotton gets nast-ay. But I NEVER re-wear shorts. I only wear the ones with built in undies, and one time I got a UTI from chilling in my sweaty shorts for too long. Never again!

  • Jillian@ Reshape Your Life January 5, 2011, 3:21 pm

    I definitely re-wear workout clothes… Mainly because I don’t have many (I only have one pair of workout capris! and only two comfortable shirts!) And let’s face it… I despise laundry. But I get stinky pretty quickly (I blame it on being Portuguese and French)so I can usually only wear the tops twice before they are to fowl to even think about putting on, the bottoms are fair game for at least 4 though. But I always have fresh undies on…

    That said though, I can’t re-wear workout clothes in the summer, I sweat WAY too much. 🙂

  • john January 5, 2011, 3:22 pm

    Caitlin,
    You are AWESOME.
    John

  • Katy (The Singing Runner) January 5, 2011, 3:22 pm

    I will rewear a sports bra and sports (or pants/ tights). I will never rewear a shirt because I sweat A LOT! I have a lot of socks, so I don’t have to worry about that.

    Honestly, between everyday clothes, workout clothes, and PJ’s, that’s a LOT Of laundry! We are actually doing the environment a favor by re-wearing workout clothes. 😉

  • Avery January 5, 2011, 3:23 pm

    I’m not gonna lie.. I would have to have a reeeally good excuse to wear my workout clothes more than once! Anything wet that is left to sit out will start to grow fungus or mold, even if it does just dry out. I’m a heavy sweater too, and my clothes start to stink up real fast, so I always wash them unless I just went on a walk or something and hardly break a sweat. I totally understand not wanting to spend extra money on workout gear. I’m just too afraid that 1) I’ll get an infection or breakout, or 2) people will be repulsed by my stank! But hey, more power to ya! 🙂 I would just be careful!

  • Muna January 5, 2011, 3:23 pm

    I re-wear my shorts/pants all the time and shirts just when I wasn’t drench in sweat. Winter is a great time to re-wear workout clothes! 😀

  • Elisha January 5, 2011, 3:24 pm

    I can’t believe you admitted that! ha ha. I used to re-wear work out clothes twice, but that was when my workouts consisted of me mildly pushing myself on the eliptical, so I would barely break a sweat. Now I never re-wear. I’m with you on the laundry thing though. It’s my most hated chore 🙁

  • Mrs. Muffins January 5, 2011, 3:26 pm

    I admit that I’m surprised by the number of people (including you!) that rewear workout clothes but at least now I feel more normal. Typically, I only re-wear my sports bra, because like you said, they’re expensive and it’s hard to find good ones! I’d love to have more though so I can switch them out.

  • Paige @ Moxie & Marmalade January 5, 2011, 3:28 pm

    I’m the same way — I get at LEAST 3 uses out of my gym clothes (bra, shirt, pants). I figure I’m going to be stinky in the end, so what’s the big deal if I’m stinky at the beginning, too?

  • Joanne January 5, 2011, 3:30 pm

    That’s too funny: You shower before a race but you wear workout clothes 5 or 6 times AND you’re a heavy sweater! That just means you’re a die hard and you care about the environment. Well…you care about nature anyway as for your fellow man… the odor might be hard to take but if you run in a crowd (kind of like passing gas) no one knows who it is.

    Run on Caitlin!
    I’m bad – I wash my stuff after every run and I’m not a heavy sweater. Just paranoid I guess.

  • RED January 5, 2011, 3:32 pm

    I never wear my pants/shorts more than once and very rarely I’ll wear a bra again but only if I didn’t sweat but even still I usually wash it anyway. I suggest hang drying your bras instead of using the dryer. Dryers are what really shortens their life span.

  • Lisa (bakebikeblog) January 5, 2011, 3:33 pm

    Wow – there does seem to be a mixed reaction to this post! I re-wear my sports bra a couple times – but always change my other workout clothes. I do have a tonne of workout clothes which makes that easier to do though!

  • suki January 5, 2011, 3:34 pm

    i sweat like crazy, so i have to throw stuff in the wash.

    i guess if it messed up the materials of the clothing, i’d do a little bit of hand rinsing, just so it doesn’t smell like sweat when i’m wearing it?

  • Mary Allison January 5, 2011, 3:34 pm

    I re wear my sports bras many many many times—shirts, sometimes.

    Shorts and tights are different story. I wear lululemon tights/yoga pants and they are so $$ and I think washing them a lot leads to deterioration. I rinse the crotch and hang to dry.
    You can stink Cailtin bc your cuteness makes up for it.

  • Julia January 5, 2011, 3:35 pm

    depends on the workout. SOmetimes I get way too sweaty to re-wear, but if not, I will re-wear pants and bras….even socks. Esp if Im just gonna work out at home, or gonna go on a solo run where I won’t be bumping into anyone, I dont mind wearing stinky clothes. Always wash the undies tho! Also, for quick dry items such as running shorts and dri-fit clothes, I will hand wash in the shower after my workout and hang to dry. Usually good to wear by the next morning

  • Kate (What Kate is Cooking) January 5, 2011, 3:35 pm

    Uh… I’ve definitely reworn my workout clothes for a week 🙂

  • Steph January 5, 2011, 3:39 pm

    Glad to hear I am not the only one, ha!

  • Janna January 5, 2011, 3:39 pm

    I`m so glad you brought this be I really have been wondering the same thing.

    I think it depends on how sweaty I got during the workout. Also, I have a lot of shirts so I usually don`t re-wear those, I also have a lot of tights so same thing. But with shorts and sports bras I will usually re-wear – unless I got really sweaty and then I will probably wash them.

  • Teri January 5, 2011, 3:40 pm

    Haha! I was totally reading this thinking “didn’t she say she changes underwear sometimes 3 times a day???” now I know why you need to! I always wash my work-out clothes but I also tend to wear them the rest of the day, so by the time I’ve changed out of them they’re pretty gross.

  • Courtney January 5, 2011, 3:40 pm

    Oh, heck yeah! I re-wear sportsbras most of all, but also shorts and leggings (But I have tons of t-shirts from Cross Country, Track, and 5ks, so no need there). Workout clothes are so expensive! (Plus, what’s the point of washing the sweat out very often only to sweat in them more?) I am NOT a germophobe (Which my sister and boyfriend find repulsive, especially when I eat off of a cereal bowl twice or smell an article of clothing before putting it on). So, I am definitely with you there.

  • Ali January 5, 2011, 3:42 pm

    I honestly don’t think I could re-wear my workout clothes, especially not sports bras! I sweat so much that it would be beyond gross to do so in my mind (as a heavy sweater). I could maybe wear a pair of shorts twice but even this is not something I like to do.

  • Amy January 5, 2011, 3:42 pm

    Another re-wearer here! I don’t sweat that much, but more than that, I value efficiency: Why waste time washing something that I’ll sweat in again in 24 hours?

  • Sarah @ See Sarah Graduate January 5, 2011, 3:44 pm

    I’ll rewear shorts a few times but as far as tops and sports bras, there’s no way I can wear them more than once after a tough workout. I sweat waaaaay too much! When I’m in classes, I usually have a workout in the morning and then one at night and I even hate wearing the same tops and sports bras to those. :/

  • Nikka B January 5, 2011, 3:46 pm

    My name is Nikka and I am a re-wearer!
    I lay everything out after a work-out so it can dry out (not stay damp in my drawers) and then I will re-wear my bottoms and sports bra no problem. The only thing is I don’t re-wear my t-shirts b/c I use a natural deodorant which lacks antiperspirant 😉

  • Jessica @ Jessica Balances January 5, 2011, 3:48 pm

    I am shocked that so many people re-wear workout clothes! But oh-so-happy, because I do too – now I feel like less of a freak. 🙂 Thanks for opening up a forum for all of us re-wearers out there!

  • Jen @ Canoe of Life January 5, 2011, 3:59 pm

    I re-wear my sports bra definitley- at $40+ it’s too expensive to own a lot of them. I will re-wear pants, but typically go with a new top. Nobody seems to notice, and nobody seems to care. I figure if I can’t smell me, they can’t either…

  • RhodeyGirl January 5, 2011, 4:01 pm

    I kinda thinks it’s gross haha!

    You could get an infection from those tights- they’re tight, after all!

    However, if you’re running outside I completely get it since you’re alone and can enjoy your stinky world. At the gym though…. ewwwww 🙂

    I rewear my long sleeve shirts, but I only wear them on top of my clothes until I get to the gym. Even then, I wear them max twice. I guess I am an overwasher.

    Regular clothes are a different story, especially fancy pants ones!

    • Ellen January 5, 2011, 6:40 pm

      I do the exact same thing as you!

      This post and peoples responses makes me want to be extra careful at the gym to disinfect equipment etc. since bacteria is literally growing on peoples re-worn clothes.

  • Annie January 5, 2011, 4:01 pm

    I definitely rewear my sports clothes! Sports bras get worn twice – I just got two new ones that I love, but I’m still wearing them twice. Shirts and pants depends on the level of sweat. When I run, my elbows get really sweaty, so shirts get changed more often.

    I’m glad someone else admitted to this!

  • Clare January 5, 2011, 4:11 pm

    My workout clothes don’t always get a washer/dryer treatment right away but at the very least I handwash them and hang them to dry.

  • Maribeth January 5, 2011, 4:14 pm

    HAHA this had me cracking up. i always rewear workout clothes, especially shorts and sports bras- i don’t want to be wasting the time/energy to be doing laundry more than once a week. the smelliest clothes are those shirts that are supposed to keep you warm or “wick” the sweat off. they seriously make you smell worse. my bf and i laugh hysterically when i come back from a long run with one of those.

  • Amy January 5, 2011, 4:15 pm

    haha A few times I have caught myself smelly especially…ripe. I totally wear my workout clothes multiple times before washing for the same reasons. If I get dressed and think I am indeed smelly, I will make sure I only run outside alone that day. I try not to offend people at the gym!

  • Cyclist Kate January 5, 2011, 4:17 pm

    I used to re-wear sports bras (I only had one!), but then I read that the sweat actually makes them break down faster, so I wash after every sweat-sedh in cold water (I wash everything in cold to save energy) and hang to dry now…makes them last MUCH longer! If I don’t sweat in it, though, I’ll re-wear until I sweat in it, however many times that takes. I never re-wear pants because I don’t wear underwear under workout clothes (I mostly wear stretchy yoga-esque pants) because #1 they smell like va-jay-jay after one use and #2 re-wearing increases incidence of UTI’s and yeast infections. Pretty much, if it goes on top and doesn’t feel dirty, I’ll wear it again, but if it goes on the bottom or it feels grimy, it’s getting washed in cold and hung to dry.

  • Cara January 5, 2011, 4:18 pm

    I will def wear my cold weather running clothes more than once (i.e running tights, under armour tops, and jackets) in the summer though I sweat WAYYYY too much to do that.

  • Sarah January 5, 2011, 4:18 pm

    I row and train twice a day so what I do is wear the same workout gear for my morning and afternoon workouts despite the fact that my clothes are usually SOAKED in sweat after morning practice. I usually just hang it up and let it dry/air out then wear it again in the afternoon. Then I usually take my workout clothes home and rinse them out and wear them for 2 more workouts. After that they go in the wash. I’m in college and laundry is EXPENSIVE and time consuming. There are boys on the team who re-wear the same spandex all week which I think is super gross though. I can smell them when they walk into the room. I find it super gross though when i go to get my sports bra in the afternoon and its stiff from dried sweat. Mmmmm. I’m glad you/ lots of other people do it. Its green, economical, and a time saver.
    LOVE your blog by the way. I think its so cool you went to Pitt cause that’s where I go. I think your attitude and lifestyle are awesome!

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 4:26 pm

      Yay PITT! Do you live on campus?

      • Sarah January 5, 2011, 4:33 pm

        Nahhh I lived in Tower B freshman year and then Panther Hall (idk if that was around when you were there though…its pretty new). But i moved off-campus cause I wanted a kitchen!

  • Liz January 5, 2011, 4:27 pm

    I don’t sweat very much so when I got my summer running gear, I only bought a 1 pair of Nike shorts and an Under Armor Compression t-shirt. I would wear the shorts for about 3 runs before throwing them in the laundry, but would hand wash my shirt almost every time (as it took 5 minutes to dry!) Depending on the day, I would transition and go for a long bike ride right after with no problem. I love that shirt and would wear it even when I wasn’t active (cleaned of course).

    Now that it’s the winter, I wear pants, tights, the same compression shirt and a thermal top (plus a sweat if super cold). But since I barely break a sweat, they get cleaned with the regular stuff at the end of the week.

    Now that I’m doing hot yoga regularly, my clothes (same top lol + black quarter shorts) and the towel are washed (either hand or machine) before each class.

  • Julie January 5, 2011, 4:31 pm

    Absolutely. Disgusting.

  • Shanna, like Banana January 5, 2011, 4:32 pm

    Oye!

    99% of the time I will not re-wear workout clothes. But if I happen to not sweat during a workout (light run, elliptical, etc), then I’d consider wearing them again. And I have done it on vacations. BUT if I get sweaty to the point that the sweat appears on my clothes, they get washed. No question about it!

    Bikram clothes go straight in the wash when I get home..I literally peel them off at the Washer!

  • Shah'ada January 5, 2011, 4:32 pm

    I usually wear my bras twice. But everything else gets washed every time. I sweat like crazy and I how super sweaty clothes get crusty as they dry lol. If I didn’t sweat very much, or my clothes didn’t get stinky, I would definitely re-wear clothes!

    • Shah'ada January 5, 2011, 4:33 pm

      And yes, bikram clothes are washed ALWAYS, hands down, no questions asked. Soooooooo wet!

  • Lauren January 5, 2011, 4:32 pm

    Haha! I do this too! No worries! It’s cool. 🙂 I don’t sweat, like at all, so it’s not really an issue for me. Less wash! No harm in that- you’re saving the environment! haha

  • Heather January 5, 2011, 4:35 pm

    I sweat at the bra line, so I don’t re-wear sports bras, but I will re-wear tops and running skirts. I run on a treadmill at home, so I have an advantage of climate control 🙂

  • Heather January 5, 2011, 4:38 pm

    I’m sure a dozen or more people have mentioned this ( i love you, but i’m not reading 312 comments to make sure I’m the only one mentioning this 😉 ), but rinsing the clothes in water (especially when i’m after work out showering) and then ringing them out and hanging them to dry seems like a v. happy medium.

    and i LOVE your contradictions.

  • Janene @ One Run at a Time January 5, 2011, 4:38 pm

    As an outdoorswomen, I think my sense of smell has been shifted a bit. Running clothes that have been worn a few times don’t even COMPARE to clothes that have been drenched in river or ocean for weeks at a time. THAT smell NEVER comes out, trust me.

    Long story short, I most definitely re-wear running clothes, especially since (like you said!), they can be expensive and I can’t afford more than two of anything!

  • Vicky @ eat live spin January 5, 2011, 4:40 pm

    I am a clean freak and use Tide with Febreeze… I never wear any of my workout clothes twice! And for the sports bras… I wash them with my workout clothes or I use a special detergent for bras that you can soak them in and then you just wring them out and let them air dry… no rinsing!

  • Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine January 5, 2011, 4:40 pm

    I rewear everything at school a few times, but at home I only rewear shorts. I don’t think it’s gross, but when I’m not the one doing my laundry or paying for the laundromat, I’d rather just wear a fresh outfit!!

  • Amy January 5, 2011, 4:42 pm

    I sweat way to much to wear more than once. Until I bought an Icebreaker shirt. It is the best and I only wash it after wearing it several times… best of all is it does NOT stink even when it is drenched with sweat. I just let it dry and rewear it!

  • Em January 5, 2011, 4:43 pm

    After reading this and the comments, now I don’t feel so bad anymore – thanks haha! I rewear tops, sports bras and pants 2-3 times…I don’t sweat too much but when I do sweat badly (during the summer) I’ll rinse in water in the shower, let it air out and then rewear again!

  • Ali @ Ali on the Run January 5, 2011, 4:43 pm

    Oh my gosh. Favorite post ever. This entire thing is so true about me. I have a few things I can’t wear TOO many times because they really hang onto the stink. But yeah, sports bras, tops, running tights, all go days without being washed. Just not underwear or socks. Those are one-time deals.

  • Jen January 5, 2011, 4:44 pm

    I hope you’re not machine-washing your bras, that will only kill them faster. As a buyer of expensive bras (more by necessity than choice) I only ever handwash my bras. Even one cycle in a washing machine is enough to permanently destroy the support.

  • Emily January 5, 2011, 4:45 pm

    I’m not going to lie, that amount of non-washing is a little extreme for me. In my undergrad days I would re-wear some stuff that didn’t get too gross, but I am usually a wear once and washer for base layers. I always sweat more than I get red faced or anything like that. I feel that my clothes are pretty stinky and since I’m usually a gym-goer I am always aware of my smell and if it will offend people (I hate being on the treadmill next to the stinky guy). I think it would be different if I was more of an outdoor runner. No judgement though, I promise!!

  • Michelle January 5, 2011, 4:46 pm

    I don’t know how everyone thinks no one at the gym notices they rewear clothes! I notice! And I wonder how often the clothes get washed. I cringe the most when I see women putting their sweaty clothes back into their locker! I’m also not into this whole laundry is wasteful business. Do we say drinking 8 glasses of water/day is wasteful b/c we pee it out? Wash your clothes by hand in a sink/bucket/container to help save water!

  • Kristy January 5, 2011, 4:47 pm

    If I didn’t sweat too bad, I will re-wear them! Glad to see I’m not alone!

  • Heidi - apples under my bed January 5, 2011, 4:47 pm

    Oh yes, I’m a stinky runner/workout gal too 🙂
    Heidi xo

  • Christina January 5, 2011, 4:48 pm

    I totally agree! Up here in Michigan, it never gets warm enough in the winter to break a real sweat, even after a 6 or 7 mile run, thus it would be useless to wash every time I exercise. But in spring Lacrosse Season, I usually alternate two bras during a week, and wash shirts every two times I use them, shorts every four times (all this is bunk if we play in mud or itchy grass, because then I must wash, or bad skin things happen). Summer isn’t too bad; usually I do what I do during Lax.
    To combat the bacne that comes from sports bras, I just put half a cup of baking soda in the wash with my workout clothes, which I wash in anti-microbial detergent. That usually stops (prevents) the breakouts.
    Trust me, you aren’t as alone as you think, there are tons that do the same thing you do. Great blog post!

  • Miranda @ MirandasJeans January 5, 2011, 4:49 pm

    I def rewear my workout clothes, for the amount of times that I want to get out and workout only to find all my clothes have been worn, I’ve learnt my lesson! So after only the first use I will hang my clothes to dry and ‘air out’ so that I can wear them again without having to wash them. No worries, I bet most of us stink :-p

  • Maggie January 5, 2011, 4:50 pm

    I totally repeat clothes and sports bras. I probably go by the 2 times for bras rules and then maybe 1-2 times for shirts (depending how much I sweat), and then a few times for shorts.

    I’ve actually been thinking about this a lot as I’ve started doing my cardio workout in the AM and then taking strength training classes in the PM. So I’m working out for about an hour and a half or so each day, but broken up into 2 segments between which I change into (moderately) professional clothes for work. So when I go to change back into my workout clothes at night is that a second wear or part of the first wear?

    I’ve mostly gone with part of the first wear. Or, what I’ve actually been doing, is wearing the same thing (not changing, sleeping in my workout clothes) between my PM and AM workouts. Is that really gross? If my shirt is really sweaty I change it… 🙂

    Thanks for bringing this up. I love it!

  • Melissa January 5, 2011, 4:52 pm

    Wow! I have never considered re-wearing my workout clothes and cannot believe how many people do. Whoa. I didn’t even know people did this–but I’m not judging…just intrigued. I run alone outside so I guess I’ve never smelled anyone but I do know that I am RANK when I get back after a run and am nauseated by my own clothes. i just cannot imagine re-wearing them without washing, I guess.
    interesting topic! Lots of stinkies out there!

  • Jessica January 5, 2011, 4:59 pm

    I will re-wear my workout clothes as long as they don’t smell *really* bad. If I go on a super long run, and I’m drenched in sweat, those clothes get put in the dirty laundry pile.

  • Michelle January 5, 2011, 5:00 pm

    Guilty as far as sports bras and pants are concerned…and I’m a heavy sweater, too. In my defense, I probably wouldn’t re-wear anything if I had laundry in my apartment. I live in NYC, so doing laundry requires a trip to the laundromat, so it occurs infrequently at best.

    Like some of the others have mentioned, I will take off my sports bra in the shower and clean it in there, and hang to dry. That way, it’s technically getting washed between wears. The sports bra is the most important since I require a heavy-duty one, and I agree, those things are expensive!

    Shirts I never re-wear, because they are too stinky, but for me, getting a fresh shirt every time is no big deal because I generally just wear cheap tanks from Old Navy that I stock up on when they’re on sale.

    Pants will get two or three wears (hung to air-dry between wearings).

    • Catherine January 5, 2011, 5:38 pm

      I hear ya on not having laundry in your apartment. I’m a sports bra and pant re-wearer too, and like you, if I had laundry in unit I’d probably wash a lot more often.

      • Jazz January 5, 2011, 6:14 pm

        We ordered ourselves a little Haier portable washing machine for our appartment, plugs into the sink… It’s awesome!

  • Molly @fuelherup January 5, 2011, 5:16 pm

    I love you, Caitlin, but I am SO grossed out right now! Apparently a lot of people out there re-wear, but I will never re-wear ANYTHING after a sweaty workout! THat sounds horrible for your skin, and also…just….blech. I swear in my 7 years of upper level cross country and track, I’ve never met a single person in real life who does that. To each his own, but….I just can’t imagine! I almost don’t believe it!

  • Johanna B January 5, 2011, 5:18 pm

    I rewear pants but not underwear or tops and my pants are loose so I don’t feel they get as sweaty. Good excuse, huh!

  • Raya January 5, 2011, 5:19 pm

    I re-wear SOMETIMES, but I’m a heavy sweat-er also and I just can’t handle the stink myself. But if it was a light workout, I will re-wear. OR if my sports bra has dried from the day before, I will re-wear that with no problem.

    I also didn’t know they made special athletic detergent…I might need to get some, all my workout gear is starting to smell the same!

  • Kelly January 5, 2011, 5:23 pm

    I usually do not re-wear workout clothes, which is why 7 days of clothes = a pile of workout clothes that comes up to my knee when folded and stacked on the ground. Sometimes I re-wear my sports bras (like on vacation), but I rinse them out in the sink with soap and hang them up to dry.

    If you were lucky enough to have tiny boobs (haha sarcasm) like me, you could get by with the cheap sport bras from Target. 😉

    • Allison @ Happy Tales January 5, 2011, 5:28 pm

      Love this! I also can get away with target sports bras 🙂

      • Catherine January 5, 2011, 5:37 pm

        Aren’t those Champion ones from Target great?! Inexpensive too!

        • Allison @ Happy Tales January 5, 2011, 5:41 pm

          YES!! And I also recently bought a Champion black outwear-jacket thingy from Target this past winter that I loooove. It has thumbholes in it to put your thumbs through in case your hands get cold (but not cold enough for gloves…Charlotte weather can be a litte crazy sometimes) Temperature regulation is KEY!

    • Rachel @ Fit Fun and Fabulous January 6, 2011, 12:21 am

      My girls are too big for the Champion bras at Target, but I save money by buying name brand quality bras at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc. They have GREAT deals on name brand workout gear.

  • Allison @ Happy Tales January 5, 2011, 5:27 pm

    Yikes, all of this fungus talk is really grossing me out! I actually DO rewear sports wear (sports bra, shorts, tights, not really tees/tanks, though..) But I don’t sweat too much, so I figure its okay. If something is nasty sweaty and smelly though it DEFINITELY goes directly into the washer. Here’s a question… how often do you wear a hat/visor before you wash it?!? I wash mine by hand about twice a month.

  • gina (fitnessista) January 5, 2011, 5:33 pm

    girl, we need to get you some lulu circle mesh or silverescent asap. it’s anti-stink… you’d be a great product tester for it 🙂

  • Catherine January 5, 2011, 5:36 pm

    I re-wear sports bras (I have 4 that I cycle through, airing them out in between wears) and workout pants, but always wear different socks and tops, because those are the things that get most sweaty/dirty. I’m not a huge sweater though, so I’d actually never really thought anything of it hahaha

    I’ve heard that hand washing sports bras can help not keep them lasting longer. Sometimes I’ll wear mine into the shower with me, suds it up and rinse it off, then let it air dry in the bathroom.

    If I had laundry in my apartment and not a mile away, I would probably wash more frequently though. lol

  • Heather January 5, 2011, 5:45 pm

    ya….eewww..I totally can’t do that. i sweat a lot and my clothes smell awful after just onew ear and are soaking wet. esp. in the southern summers. I can’t imagine putting on my gross clothes again after a run!!!!! AAHH!!! I would imagine the bacteria and such is pretty gross, but I am def not a scientist. but ya. ew. sorry!

  • Heather January 5, 2011, 5:45 pm

    ya….eewww..I totally can’t do that. i sweat a lot and my clothes smell awful after just onew ear and are soaking wet. esp. in the southern summers. I can’t imagine putting on my gross clothes again after a run!!!!! AAHH!!! I would imagine the bacteria and such is pretty gross, but I am def not a scientist. but ya. ew. sorry!

  • Kelly January 5, 2011, 5:45 pm

    I never rewear tights because I don’t wear underware with them and I think that is icky. haha..sorry!

  • Stephanie January 5, 2011, 5:48 pm

    Definitely re-wear shorts and tops but never bras or underwear. I have 5 identical sports bras that I bought on clearance a while back. They’re still expensive but I think it’s worth the expense. I suffer from really bad breakouts on my back if I re-wear bras. I never wear tops or shorts more than twice either and if it’s a really sweaty day, then I just toss them in the basket. I used to wear the same pants and top all week (4-5 times) but then I got a cyst on my you know what. Hurt like hell and I had to take two weeks off of “sweaty events” to let it heal. Haven’t done it since.

  • Lauren @ Team Giles January 5, 2011, 5:50 pm

    I’ll re-wear sports bras about twice and I have only one really good pair of running tights, so I’ll re-wear at least twice on those too… my shirts though, gosh I go through a ton a week… I never re-wear those… only because I’m a nerd and think someone would see me wearing it twice. oh the vanity…

  • Heather January 5, 2011, 5:51 pm

    This is so funny! I was just at the gym – rewearing my sports bra and top from yesterday when I noticed this huge garlicky smell lingering in the air. It got worse and worse until I realized it was me, and that I cooked dinner in my workout clothes last night!! I stank so bad. Nothing quite like garlic and sweat!

    I usually rewear everything a few days in a row (not the undies of course!). Occasionally even the socks (but that is usually by accident). I’ve even had a friend borrow my dirty socks from my gym bag because she forgot hers….

  • Rae @ Forays in the Kitchen January 5, 2011, 5:53 pm

    Here’s the thing. I don’t sweat, I _rain_. Literally, I am disgustingly wet when I’m done with a workout – so I really can’t re-wear my workout cloths. I’ll only rewear them if all I did was some low-key yoga or pilates if I didn’t sweat much. But I have this friend who I used to train with who did rewear her cloths … and honestly? It was all I could do to stay up-wind from her. :/ Anyway – are you more at risk for getting yeast infections if you re-wear dirty items? To each her own!!

  • Molly @fuelherup January 5, 2011, 5:54 pm

    I also just have to point that 99% of the time, people who stink smell a lot worse than they think they do. just saying 🙂

  • Courtney (greeneyedrunner) January 5, 2011, 5:55 pm

    i definitely re-wear them! bras, tops, pants, socks…i’m in college and laundry + detergent is expensive! not counting the water bills that i’d rack up! i stink, i admit it. i’m a huge sweat-er, but it comes with the territory of being a california runner i guess. if pants stink i’ll wear them for one last run before i wash them. same for other clothes actually, but occasionally i’ll try to stay away from others at the gym haha.

    • Courtney (greeneyedrunner) January 6, 2011, 2:22 pm

      I do handwash when necessary! I won’t rewear t-shirts but if they wick sweat and aren’t underarmour I definitely will.

  • Cindy January 5, 2011, 5:57 pm

    I had to go and do a load of laundry before I could comment. 😉

    Unless I have been on a slow walk or done weights and not sweat, the clothes go in the laundry with everything else. If I need the bra/shorts for the next day I hand wash and air dry.

    I’m also a huge germaphobe after growing up in a house where nothing got cleaned and people’s hygiene was questionable at best. However, I have been known to rewear jeans 2 days in a row.

  • Jen January 5, 2011, 6:01 pm

    376 comments?! Holy balls!!

    I will wear my workout clothes (sports bra, shorts, shirt) at least twice before washing.

    Jen

  • Kim January 5, 2011, 6:05 pm

    I work 15 days a month in a row on the road. I can’t pack 10 workout outfits. I wear stuff twice, sometimes wash them in the hotel sink if I have time for them to dry out…no big deal. I mean not like I know any of the strangers on the hotel treadmill anyhow! 😉

    Totally not a big deal. Think of all the water and energy you’re saving by limiting your wash! Eco-chic!!

  • Jazz January 5, 2011, 6:10 pm

    I re-wear for sure, usually my clothes don’t even stink.. I just run outside and then hang up my clothes when I get home..When they dry they usually still smell like laundry detergent!? I probably wash them every other time?!

  • Linda January 5, 2011, 6:13 pm

    I re-wear pants and bra, but I change t-shirt every times I workout…

  • postcollegecook January 5, 2011, 6:24 pm

    Oh yes, I definitely re-wear workout clothes – bras unless they are soaked after a long run, shorts and tights (I swear they don’t get stinky)… I won’t do shirts unless I’m on vacation and desperate. For some reason bras are ok but shirts aren’t!

  • Ashley January 5, 2011, 6:25 pm

    Hilarious confession! I always have to wear fresh stuff – bra at a very minimum, and if it was a VERY LIGHT SWEAT SESH then i might re-wear the shirt or shorts, but only that 1 extra time at most! I’ve just given in and bought lots of workout outfits. My husband jokes that I have more workout clothes than real clothes : )

  • Alyssa January 5, 2011, 6:28 pm

    Oh hell yeah I re-wear my workout clothes! Not like i NEED to because I have a ton, but seriously, I will wear the same sports bra (Moving Comfort Fionas– like you!) and compression shorts for WEEKS! I will admit, I also do this with my regular bras and jeans too. I usually wear a new t-shirt/top each workout though because I do sweat a lot and that’s the clothing article that gets the most BO. But especially since I don’t “go to the public gym” or classes or anything (I have a workout room and treadmill at my house or just run outside)… I totally rewear my stuff. I think maybe if I was going to go on a run/hike/gym trip with a friend or boy I would def wear clean clothes. Oh and of course I always were new undies and socks! That would be crossing a line. And it’s not really an issue of me avoiding laundry… i actually enjoy doing laundry. I think I just feel if it’s still wearable and not totally raunch it would be dumb to wash it when you are just going to wear it again tomorrow.

  • Shell January 5, 2011, 6:29 pm

    Call me a clean freak but i just couldnt wear old gym clothes i just wouldnt feel right:) but hey thats me. I do however think its totally unacceptable to rewear undies that is just plain gross!!

  • Samantha January 5, 2011, 6:35 pm

    i most definitely wear my gym clothes a couple of times before they get washed, and i’m a heavy sweater too!

  • Jen January 5, 2011, 6:42 pm

    I am also a heavy sweater… I rewear my sports bras at least twice before I wash them, sometimes 3 or 4 times depending on how much I’ve sweat. I ALWAYS reuse my workout pants – usually twice, but never my shirts. That’s mostly because I double my shirt as a towel for my face, so they are completely soaked with sweat and don’t dry out fast enough to use the next day. And I don’t rinse anything before it dries. It might be gross, but so what? I’m okay with it.

  • Bekah January 5, 2011, 6:42 pm

    I wear my workout clothes as many times as I possibly can with out stinking them up too much. Some one else does the laundry, so I’m just being nice to them, right? 😉

  • 'laina January 5, 2011, 6:45 pm

    I’m sure it’s been said a hundred times by now, but I would at least rinse out all of the gear, and hang to dry. The sweaty bits can get a yeast/ bacteria infection, like jock itch, yes even under the boobs and pits.

  • Stacey January 5, 2011, 6:47 pm

    Personally, I think it’s gross! I rarely ever re-wear workout clothes, Maybe in the winter if I just lift and the gym is freezing cold and it’s hard to work up a sweat, then I might.

    I remember you mentioned this a while ago and then the nekkid debate popped up. At the time I remember thinking it’s funny you think wearing the same shirt you wore during the day to bed is gross, however you will run in stinky dirty workout clothes. 🙂

  • miss posy January 5, 2011, 6:49 pm

    I think all good runners re-wear their stinky workout clothes 😉 And good sports bras ARE SO expensive!

  • Rachel V January 5, 2011, 6:50 pm

    If it makes you feel better, I wear EVERYTHING as many times as I can (excluding underwear)…I even sometimes rewear socks if I only wore them for a short time, as long as they don’t smell. I hate laundry and because I have to go to a laundromat it is expensive. Anything I can do to save a few quarters and an afternoon! fYI, I don’t wear dirty/smelly/stained clothes…I just rewear the clothes that can be considered “lightly used”.

  • Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete January 5, 2011, 6:51 pm

    Wow, I can’t believe how many comments are attached to this post! haha.

    I only rewear sports bras if I’m on vacation. I will rewear shorts/pants once more, but with a brand new shirt and undergarments. I sweat like a beast, and it seriously grosses me out to rewear a salt encrusted sports bra/shirt again!

  • Kennedy January 5, 2011, 6:51 pm

    I love this post Caitlin! I’m definitely of the same mind when it comes to this topic. I re-wear my bras and bottoms, socks even sometimes. But my tops go directly into the hamper since I’m a heavy sweater. My thinking is similar to of other commenters: 1) I’m being environmentally friendly, 2) I’m increasing the life cycle of my workout clothes, and 3) I often run on my own so I’m only offending my own nostrils! 🙂

  • Julie @ Wearing Mascara January 5, 2011, 6:52 pm

    Seriously the picture of you smelling your armpit is hilarious. I haven’t read the comments section yet but here I go: I do the exact same thing. Ahhhhhhh it feels so good to tell someone! However, I absolutely, positively never do this with my Bikram yoga clothes (including the towels). I tend to just do laundry every night I do Bikram or every other day when it piles up. One confession I have (regarding yoga) is that I rarely wash my yoga mat which I think is pretty sick. I need to do this at least once a week but I rarely do…

    Thanks for this honest, awesome post with the pictures! Haha

  • Annie@stronghealthyfit January 5, 2011, 6:55 pm

    Totally ok. I backpacked for 12 days in the Adirondacks once, and was only allowed to bring 2 pairs of underwear, one pair of pants two shirts. Normal workouts in the “real world” are way less dirty and stinky than that experience. I do the same thing you do.

  • Alina January 5, 2011, 7:01 pm

    OK! I re-wear pants a couple of times, maybe 3 or 4? Tops I’ll do twice, and bras 3-ish? I think as long as you’re clean, and wear a good deoderent, then you’ll be fine!

  • Alina January 5, 2011, 7:01 pm

    OK! I re-wear pants a couple of times, maybe 3 or 4? Tops I’ll do twice, and bras 3-ish? I think as long as you’re clean, and wear a good deoderent, then you’ll be fine!

  • Dee January 5, 2011, 7:03 pm

    Fun news to share: I spotted an Operation Beautiful note posted on a bulletin board at the university located in Fairbanks, Alaska!!

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 9:12 pm

      Did you get a pic??? So awesome!

  • Natalia@TheHealthScript January 5, 2011, 7:03 pm

    Omg Caitlin, after reading this I love you 10X more!
    I always have a pile of running clothes in the closet, and yes they have been used a few times! I don’t see the slightest problem with it but it makes other people gag when they find out. I mean sure if my goal was to remain nice and clean this would be an issue but since the whole point of running is to get a good sweaty workout, putting on sweaty smelly old clothes doesn’t get in the way.
    I wear bottoms for about a week (typically around 4 runs), I wear tops for 2 runs, and sports bras for eons. I feel like the people in my neighborhood will pick up on this so I never wear the same shirt again until a few runs later, this way it looks like I’ve had time to put that dirty shirt in the laundry. It’s my little secret. Unless they come over to say hello, then all hell breaks loose.

  • Jenna January 5, 2011, 7:11 pm

    Hey, so I know you already have a billion comments to read but I just wanted to say that I’m glad someone finally put all of their cards on the table in this subject, hah. I definitely reuse my workout pants and bras a few times before washing them and no one seems to notice…so unless it’s causing you bodily harm, I don’t see a problem with it. Just thought I’d leave some positive feedback 🙂

    • Caitlin January 5, 2011, 9:12 pm

      I am so glad I’m not alone!

  • Grapeful January 5, 2011, 7:14 pm

    For some reason your site was down for me around 4pm est but I’m glad it’s back up!

    Personally, I wouldn’t wear work-out clothes more than 2x given the expectation that one sweats a lot during a work out. If I found myself completely drenched, I wouldn’t do a second wear. I think it’s really just personal preference though and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Afterall, you are just going to sweat once again.

    I think it’s just one of those things like making your bed. Why do you make your bed if you’re just going to sleep in it again? Some people do out of principle and sloppier people won’t, but it’s all the same. I would even draw a comparison to washing your hands before you eat. Of course there are exceptions… but in reality, the average joe isn’t decreasing his chances of getting sick significantly by doing so. JMO. Of course I always wash my hands before a meal and after a restroom visit because it makes me feel better.

    But bottom line, you’re the one wearing the clothes so it really comes down to whatever your want to accept. This also reminds me of how you once posted about not re-wearing nighttime wear. Everyone’s got their quirks, right?

  • natalie @ http://healthybalancingact.blogspot.com/ January 5, 2011, 7:14 pm

    i totally get why you would re use your work out clothes my washing machine is always full of workout clothes it becomes extreme! re using tops tho? nah i couldnt do it i wash tops jocks and socks every wear, bra and bottoms every second. id be too worried that people who see me at the gym and on my runs would notice i wear the same clothes..glad you dont re use your yoga towel..they do get rather feral
    i guess it just helps alot that i still live at home and my mum does my laundry

  • Sarah January 5, 2011, 7:14 pm

    I re-wear it all…many times 😉 Don’t tell anyone!

  • Gail January 5, 2011, 7:19 pm

    Ha, I totally wear running tops, bras, pants more than once (especially in the winter). I do draw the line with socks, undies and shorts. If I am working out at the gym or taking a class it is always fresh but if it is just me running then I am a repeat offender.

  • Heather January 5, 2011, 7:26 pm

    I’ll wear workout clothes again unless it was a super sweaty workout. I hate laundry so if I can prolong having to do it I will. I won’t wear more than 2X though.

  • nicole January 5, 2011, 7:27 pm

    HA! I just posted last night about how I need to find a detergent to get the stink out of my workout clothes bc they stink! The only way I will re-wear anything is if I only went for a walk and didn’t sweat. And OH GOD the bottoms???? The first thing I thought of was your clean underwear to bed post (as you noted) and if you think THAT’S gross, think about all the crap that’s being left behind on the crotch and ass of your pants/shorts? TIGHTS especially??!!! I love you girl but yeah, I’m siding with BFF and Husband!! 😉

    • Christine January 5, 2011, 7:37 pm

      add a cup of white vinegar in addition to your regular detergent when you wash and the stink will be gone! don’t worry, your clothes won’t smell like vinegar!

      • nicole January 5, 2011, 7:44 pm

        Thanks!! I will try it!!

  • Sarah January 5, 2011, 7:27 pm

    I re-wear my workout clothes MANY times over, and I live in a very hot climate. No one seems to notice, not even my husband 🙂 I agree that workout clothes, especially good sports bras, are far too expensive to wash all of the time!

  • Lindsey @ Cardio Pizza January 5, 2011, 7:28 pm

    Whenever I run out of workout clothes I buy more….haha Maybe I should consider re-wearing some!

  • Evan Thomas January 5, 2011, 7:30 pm

    It depends on how sweaty I get. Usually it’s too sweaty to rewear the t-shirt, but I almost always rewear shorts. And sometimes I’ll sleep in a shirt first before working out in it to save on laundry.

  • Elizabeth January 5, 2011, 7:30 pm

    I am REALLY surprised so many people rewear workout clothes. The thought of doing it grosses me out..especially socks! I don’t care if others rewear as long as they don’t stink. Normal clothes or workout clothes – smelly is not okay with me. Deodorant and clean clothes can prevent a lot of stinkiness during a workout IMO.

  • Leah January 5, 2011, 7:35 pm

    I re-wear my workout clothes a few times before washing. But always change my socks, and underwear…

  • Charlie January 5, 2011, 7:36 pm

    I rewear workout clothes. Even socks! It is too expensive to buy a lot and I have to pay 2,50$ to do my laundry so I can’t do it 3 times a week!! In the summer and at the gym, I wear more tanks than t-shirts so at least it doesn’t stink as much ;).

  • Lauren January 5, 2011, 7:38 pm

    I am so happy you posted about this because I do the exact same thing and always wondered if I was the only one. I reware workout clothes 4-5 times in the same week. And I start to wonder if people at the gym notice I’m wearing the same thing over again. Oh well, I really don’t care very much.

  • Paula @ Eat, Watch, Run January 5, 2011, 7:39 pm

    Wow. No clue so many people did this (from the comments). I’ve done it on travel when I had no choice, but otherwise…pretty gross. I’d worry about bacteria.

  • Christine January 5, 2011, 7:40 pm

    I rewear shorts, but anything that gets to sweaty I wash. I don’t need great sport bras, though, so I buy the cheap $20 dollar ones for Target.

  • Jen January 5, 2011, 7:40 pm

    I only exercise outside or in my living room, so I almost always re-wear workout clothes. In the summer, I wash shirts after each use and shorts after two, but now that I’m out running in 20 degrees (or lower, I think it was around 18 when I ran this morning), I don’t break a sweat except around my hat line on my forehead.

  • MelanieF January 5, 2011, 7:42 pm

    I work out from home (eliptical + weights) and I re-wear my workout clothes all the time. It’s just a waste of time for me to wash them every day. So I re-wear them 2 or 3 times during the week. Sometimes I stink, but only my cat will know that 🙂

  • Kathryn January 5, 2011, 7:48 pm

    I will re-wear bottoms and occasionally (like If I’m traveling or out of clean ones) but definitely not tops or socks. I sweat A LOT. I will say, if I’m traveling, sometimes I’ll just rinse my clothes out and hang them to dry since I dont have space for a bunch of outfits. I do think whatever works for you is fine though 🙂

  • Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) January 5, 2011, 7:48 pm

    I hardly ever rewear, but I also don’t think it’s offensive at all. I just have the habit of automatically throwing everything into a healp in my clothes basket, so it gets washed the following day.

    (p.s. Stinkiness is part of the sport, I think! :mrgreen: )

  • Lauren January 5, 2011, 8:02 pm

    I can’t believe so many people rewear their workout clothes! It definitely makes me feel less like a weirdo since I wear some things a couple of times before I wash them. Such as running pants and running jackets.

    The one thing I will never do is wear dirty workout clothes to the gym. I only rewear stuff when I run outside. I don’t want to be the smelly girl in class or on the stair stepper, but I am not judging!

  • Kath January 5, 2011, 8:05 pm

    OMG…..5-6 times!?!?!? Caitlin I am shocked 🙂

    I will say, when I have a particularly light workout, like just biking or yoga, I will re-wear something and it feels pretty sneaky!

  • Cassie @ A Very Busy Mind January 5, 2011, 8:08 pm

    I try not to ever re-wear. Any of it. I’m a sweat machine, and a lot of times I wad my workout clothes up and throw them in my gym bag after a workout…and they sit in there all day…and when I take them out that night they’re still a little wet…*cringe* – it totally grosses me out.

    That being said, I will wear shorts again if I have to (i.e. if I’m behind on laundry). I’m actually did that today.

    And on sports bras costing too much to have enough to wear a fresh one every day – agreed. I’ve slowly built up my collection, and even those are relatively inexpensive (Target).

  • Rachael January 5, 2011, 8:10 pm

    My record for not washing my workout clothes was six weeks. I was doing Bikram daily, so in addition to being pretty fragrant, I was also probably a hive of bacteria.
    Thanks for this – it’s good to see so many comments and know that normal people don’t always wash their clothes, not just those of us who play at being pioneers:)

  • Katie V January 5, 2011, 8:21 pm

    Oh I’m completely with you! I live in an apartment building where I have to go all the way to basement to do laundry and PAY FOR IT! So I re-wear for sures. 4-5 times for bras and bottoms. 2-3 for tops. If it is a particularly offensive day I make sure i take the stairs to avoid being caught in the elevator with an unsuspecting neighbour! lol

  • Mary (what's cookin' with mary) January 5, 2011, 8:24 pm

    GREAT post Caitlin! I loved reading what most said… verrrry interesting. Here’s what I go by: If it smells after it dries, wash it. 😉 For me, that’s pretty much always a yes after a bike ride, spin class or stepmill for 30min+. I honestly don’t care if other’s I am at the gym with wash their stuff, but I know I don’t like being trapped next to them on a cardio machine or spin class. Once I acutally stopped my workout early, but I will say… it was pretty gagariffic. I’d guess 5-10 wears with no washign and heavy sweating PLUS cologne YUCKKKKKKKO

  • chelsea January 5, 2011, 8:26 pm

    i wear the sports bra a couple times..not the top or bottom though..expecially the bottom..when i sweat i sweat alot (expecially down there)

  • Chetney (Czesia's Adventures) January 5, 2011, 8:40 pm

    I’ve been without my own personal washer and dryer for the last 3 years and two apartments HAHA! needless to say, things like stinky work out clothes don’t bother me anymore..it’s not like I’m going to be huggin on someones mama or something after a hard schweaty workout!! 🙂

  • 'Dee January 5, 2011, 8:46 pm

    Um, no. I do not rewear. I had no idea this many people are comfortable in bacteria-ridden clothes but I almost wish I still didn’t know! Not even a quick rinse in the sink? When I travel for work, I only pack one “outfit” but rinse it out and hang to dry each day. I’m such a sweaty runner that I’d be downright crusty if I did not do that. Ew.

    But I guess to each their own! Who’d a thunk I’d be in the minority here!

  • Kris January 5, 2011, 8:51 pm

    So many comments! I didn’t have time to read them all, but I’m w/ the majority — I rewear. The first time I wear after laundering, I hang to dry. Once they’re dry, I check for the stink factor. If they stink, into the laundry pile. If not, they get folded to be worn again. I wear my socks 2-3 times, but bras, tops and shorts only twice or so. If something was stinky, I def wouldn’t rewear, but I’m not much of a sweater or a stinker 🙂

  • shelley January 5, 2011, 8:57 pm

    I definitely re-wear! I don’t go to a gym, so the only person that needs to put up with the stench is me 😉 Plus I only have one good sports bra (that needs replacing now anyway)and not many work out clothes so it doesn’t make sense to wash after each use.

    If I was doing that much laundry, I’d find it hard to get motivated to actually use my work out clothes in the first place I think!

  • salah@myhealthiestlifestyle January 5, 2011, 9:01 pm

    I always re-wear my workout clothes! Especially this last semester when I didn’t have a washer and dryer. Going to the laundry mat was something that I didn’t want to do every week!

  • Britt @ Runnerbelle January 5, 2011, 9:01 pm

    I DO NOT re-wear! Ick! I just hate putting clothes I sweated in back on my non-sweaty body. I’d probably have a lot less laundry if I did re-wear but I just cannot do it.

  • Carla @ Will Run for Health January 5, 2011, 9:02 pm

    I’m a bit late to this party but I just wanted to admit…gulp…that I reware my workout clothes too! This has long been a shameful secret of mine and it feels good now that I know I’m not the only skunky monkey in the blogging world 🙂

  • Lee January 5, 2011, 9:27 pm

    Haha, there are 379 comments on stinky workout clothes!

    I rewear stuff if I did weights and didn’t sweat a lot in them. But if I run, I always wash them.

  • Maren January 5, 2011, 9:37 pm

    haha I wish I had time to read all of these comments because I bet they are really interesting and hilarious! I NEVER re-wear anything, but not because I think it’s disgusting…well I guess when I take off my bras and I can barely get them off because they are stuck to me…I definitely think that’s disgusting!! But I just never thought to re-wear stuff. Maybe that’s why I always have to buy new sports bras!! 🙂

  • Carpensm @ A Life Without Ice Cream January 5, 2011, 9:40 pm

    Yup I’m totally a re-wearer too… I don’t have a specific number of times, it really depends on what I’m doing in them and how much I sweat.

  • Whitney January 5, 2011, 10:00 pm

    I do the same thing. Thank goodness for Frebreeze Sport spray.

    When I do wash, I use regular detergent and borax (helps remove the stank).

  • Mary @ Bites and Bliss January 5, 2011, 10:04 pm

    I re-wear my sports bras all the time but change shirts, shorts, and socks just because I get SO sweaty in them at the gym.

  • Susan January 5, 2011, 10:09 pm

    I do think it’s gross to re-wear, but if you’re running alone and the only one smelling your stink, then to each their own. But do you re-wear your stinky exercise clothes to yoga? If so, that’s kind of rude.

    • Caitlin January 6, 2011, 9:31 am

      Naw, clean clothes to yoga. That would be rude!

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin January 5, 2011, 10:19 pm

    I rewear my workout clothes too. Even if I do stink, I figure I’m at least doing something good for the environment. 😉

  • Kayla January 5, 2011, 10:22 pm

    If I’m not too sweaty I will rewear my sports bra – because I don’t have that many either. Sometimes I’ll rewear pants if they aren’t to the point of standing up on their own. I don’t usually rewear shirts though. But if I’m really sweaty it all goes in the wash right away – like my clothes last night after Zumba – I was a hot mess!

  • Jill January 5, 2011, 10:24 pm

    I do the hang it up to air out trick –but I do consider what I wear to yoga, I really don’t want to reek there. Running is a whole different ball game. Wear it more and wash less!

  • Kim @ Kim Lives Healthy January 5, 2011, 10:31 pm

    HEARD THAT! I always rewear workout clothes, and usually rewear business clothes until they NEED washing (aka they flunk the sniff test) – what? But yes, clean undies for bed is a must!!! Especially if you’re sharing your bed 🙂

  • sabrina January 5, 2011, 10:45 pm

    Anything that touches your body directly (socks, underwear, tights, sports bras, etc.) and/or absorbs sweat, should only be worn once. Sweat produces bacteria that causes all sorts of issues! At the very least, hand wash in the sink and hang to dry. I don’t buy the “better for the environment” argument, because even with machine washing workout clothes, I still only wash two loads of my own laundry per week. Remember: you never think you smell as bad as you actually smell!!

    • Shell January 5, 2011, 11:01 pm

      TOTALLY agree Sabrina!!

  • ashley January 5, 2011, 11:15 pm

    blah. that is the GROSSEST thing i have heard of. you know-your breasts CAN get infected. it’s called mastitis. and most often happens to women when breast-feeding. if there’s a way for milk to come out-there’s a way for bacteria to get in. warm moist places are where bacteria THRIVE. and the smell that your armpits or whatever have is mainly due to bacteria. double triple blah. plus clothes wear down and detiorate faster when they’re left soiled. your bras might last longer if they weren’t sitting with stinky sweat (and whatever else you sweat out) all the time. please post about how you quit this!

    • Caitlin January 6, 2011, 9:32 am

      Hahah after 5 years of doing this, I highly doubt I’m going to get mastitis or something if I haven’t already.

      • Sara January 6, 2011, 8:00 pm

        This is essentially what I thought of as soon as I read your post and some of the OMG DIRTY CLOTHES!!!! comments. A lot of people seem really worried that rewearing clothes will lead to the plague but, uh, has anyone posted yet to say that they used to rewear and then stopped because they had health problems? I’ve reworn workout clothes forever and have had zero skin ailments and, in fact, fewer health problems than most people I know.

        I think we’ve been trained by media / advertisers to fear anything that isn’t completely clean (including our bodies) — if we’re afraid of anything slightly dirty, we need to buy more shampoo, body wash, dishwasher detergent, Clorox wipes, laundry detergent, etc. I started washing my hair every three days (with quick showers between) about a year ago and my hair still looks/feels fine. I drink from my water bottle most of the time at home and don’t wash it as often as I probably “should” and I haven’t had any problems there either. If I can’t find a clean pair of socks or am just feeling lazy, I might re-wear a pair — and I haven’t had any foot issues. I’ve been an elementary school teacher for a few years and rarely get sick. Last year, my school went swine flu crazy and installed hand sanitizer dispensers in every classroom, the office, random hallway locations, etc. and I got in the habit of constantly putting it on. I got sick more last year than in any year since I started teaching and I really think it’s because my body stopped being able to fight off germs.

        In other words, KEEP WEARING THOSE “DIRTY” CLOTHES! 🙂

  • Julie January 5, 2011, 11:26 pm

    Haha this is pretty funny. I have to admit I’m guilty of rewearing too. I never rewear shirts (because I sweat WAY too much), but sometimes I’ll rewear sports bras and always get lots of use out of pants/shorts before washing. What is it about pants that we don’t think we have to wash them?!

  • Andrea @ Run, Eat, Date, Sleep January 5, 2011, 11:35 pm

    The Tide Sports detergent helps immensely with the stank! I re-wear mine about the same amount you do. I figure if I’m the only one out running on my road, who else is going to smell me? But I’ll wear fresh clothes to the gym.

  • Laura (Starloz) January 5, 2011, 11:44 pm

    i re-wear bras A LOT, i need to stop that.

  • Errign January 5, 2011, 11:51 pm

    I will re-wear sports bras & stretchy yoga-type pants, but only if I hang them up to dry in between & they’re dry. Never shirts or socks.

  • Ally January 6, 2011, 12:05 am

    Girlfriend, that is foul! Haha. But seriously. Would you wear your underwear two days in a row? Why are bras/workout clothes different?

    I only ever re-wear pants, and only twice at the most. I re-wear a bra in an ABSOLUTE emergency. Re-wearing workout clothes seriously freaks me out. They are so stinky, sweaty and dirty – plus the sweat just rots them!

    I love that you are open and proud about it, though 🙂

  • Hillary January 6, 2011, 12:21 am

    lululemon makes ANTI STINK clothes! Silver luon, silverescent, & swiftly tech’s all have silver thread in the fabric to make it anti-microbial a.k.a. anti-stink. Problem solved!!!

  • Susan January 6, 2011, 12:29 am

    Ummm eww, not only do I not re-wear I usually won’t even leave my stinky clothes in the hamper I set up my laundry so that I can wash a load that includes my workout clothes immediately after exercising.

  • Amanda January 6, 2011, 12:30 am

    OMG this is hilarious! I am guilty of re-wearing things if I didn’t sweat that much in them. I sweat A LOT when I run so I tend to wear once. I’m fortunate that I have a great many sports bra’s to rotate.

    I don’t use special detergent just woolite, cold water and no fabric softener. Never thought I’d see the day when I’d have enough work out gear for its own wash cycle! lol

  • Stacie January 6, 2011, 12:35 am

    You are a VERY brave girl! I do not re-wear. I wash my workout clothes as soon as I get them off my body. I wish I didn’t mind it. I hate doing laundry! haha Do you re-wear socks too? I have heard that that will get ya athletes foot!!! Scary! haha Love this topic! Too funny.

    • Caitlin January 6, 2011, 9:32 am

      Haha yes i rewear socks… never had any problems.

  • Meredith January 6, 2011, 2:09 am

    Girl, you nasty! J/k! I don’t see anything wrong with re-wearing sports bras, or even tops if you are lifting or doing yoga (something not super-sweaty.) My biggest worry is that you will get a yeast or fungal infection due to wearing your workout tights/shorts/pants one too many times.

  • Laurie January 6, 2011, 7:00 am

    Nope. Too sweaty, too stinky and my name around this house is Supernose. I think I’d just knock myself out, and they are so wet, I’m actually getting a little nausea now as I type and think about it. My husband on the other hand, hasn’t washed his workout clothes since 2004. I don’t get it. The one thing is, I don’t think he work out hard enough to break a sweat.

  • Claire January 6, 2011, 8:13 am

    No way! I work out every day and never rewear. Nasty! I have three kids and a husband, trust me, a tank and a pair of shorts adds very little to your laundry load.

  • Melissa @ Be Not Simply Good January 6, 2011, 9:12 am

    LOL! I don’t ordinarily rewear workout clothes. If I was on vacation for a week, I might have to, because I simply don’t have seven sets of workout clothes. Or, then again, maybe I could do a quick wash in the sink and rotate them. 🙂 I am a sweaty runner, and I probably work up enough of a stink the first time. Seriously laughing my butt off here…

  • Dori January 6, 2011, 9:41 am

    I always re-wear my workout clothes. My rule is I can keep wearing them until they smell. Sometimes they smell after one or two uses, sometimes not until after four or five, depending on the workout. I don’t think it is gross at all, and since washing workout clothes too often isn’t good for them, all my clothes will last so much longer! Really, you’re only wearing them for like an hour each time.

  • KD January 6, 2011, 10:17 am

    wow. looks like i’m in the minority, but i never rewear my workout clothes. although i am a super sweaty beast and when i’m done with a workout all my clothes are wet/smelly, so there is no repeating. the only time i MIGHT do it is in the winter with my running tights, if i only ran like 2-3 miles in the super cold (ie, too cold to work up a good sweat). i guess i’m kind of gross – there is NO WAY i could rewear and not be offensive to EVERYONE around me, and, uh, myself. but hey, if it works for you – more power to you! whatever makes you happy just go with it. i also have a TON of workout gear, so i rarely have ‘nothing’ to wear (of course i have my favorite shorts – that i wear first right out of the laundry!) i’m also one of those people that washes my jeans between each wearing, but i’ll put the exact same sweatpants on every night when i get home from work, without washing, for a week. weird.

  • Rob Runs (Slowly) January 6, 2011, 10:43 am

    I rewear too. I just don’t have enough clothes to wear a fresh set every time (especially since I wash and air dry all of my tech fabrics). I hang them on a towel rack in the bathroom to kind of air out and wash them when they’re really super stinky. If I’m running with a group I usually make sure I have fresh clothes but if it’s just me and the road nobody cares!

  • Meaghan January 6, 2011, 10:45 am

    I don’t rewear workout clothes cause I will sprout some serious backne, plus they never seem to dry. However, I do plenty of other gross things, so no judgment 🙂

  • Crystal January 6, 2011, 11:37 am

    As someone who has been battling a case of tinea versicolor (google it) for nearly a decade, I never rewear. In fact, I usually wash my and DH’s workout clothes immediately so that they’re not festering in the hamper. I have a really efficient washing machine and we air dry, so I don’t feel too much green guilt.

  • Amber K January 6, 2011, 1:43 pm

    I work out in a gym and I can’t stand it when someone hops on a machine right next to me and reeks!! I can’t concentrate knowing I am breathing in that heavy stench. Outdoors I wouldn’t think it would be as bad, but in an enclose space? Come on people!

    I never rewear anything, I feel disgusting after a work out and have to immediately drive home and shower. And I’m actually a light sweater. So light that I never wear deoderant ever, as I find it a waste of money when I don’t need it.

  • RunningOnCoffee January 6, 2011, 2:15 pm

    I think I have learned that my back will break out if I don’t change out of my workout wear right away (you know, go for a run after work, then make dinner, then eat it, then finally get around to showering). So now I try to change out of those clothes quicker, and I do not rewear. I wash my stuff in cold water and hang to dry, so I don’t think I am destroying my workout clothes. I used to rewear running shorts when I wore underwear with them. But running shorts with built in briefs do not require underwear, and therefore they are worn once before washing.

    I have worn winter running tights a second time before re-washing when I was out of town and it was really cold and I had to wear the warm pair for both (short <3 mi) runs before I could do laundry. I rewore a sports bra once when I managed to cycle through all FIVE of my good ones before doing laundry, but doing it made me feel icky, and I realized that I should not be letting those dirty clothes sit for that long before washing!

  • Er January 6, 2011, 2:37 pm

    I can’t believe people actually rewear socks. That is disgusting & seriously you can get a pack for a few bucks!

    I had three-a days for field hockey and it required completely taking off all of my clothes and putting new clothing on between each session. Plus our athletic trainer told us to do that because anything that has had sweat on it can grow fungus and bacteria to make you break out, develop a rash, etc.

  • ally January 6, 2011, 4:43 pm

    I personally re wear workout clothes a few times and think nothing of it (although, I do usually wear a fresh shirt for some reason – even if I re wear a sports bra)

    My boyfriend on the other hand, plays ice hockey 2-3 times a week and if he doesn’t soak his hockey gear in athletic detergent every week, the stench in bathroom or wherever he lays his gear out, is so bad, I can’t be in that room at all..but running gear isn’t that bad at all :0) no worries!

    • Kim July 27, 2011, 2:55 pm

      Hockey gear can definitely smell horrrrible! Far worse than any smell a few of my workouts can produce.

  • Lacey @ Lake Life January 6, 2011, 6:50 pm

    As soon as I get home from working out I go in the shower and my workout clothes go in the shower 🙂

    • Ashley January 7, 2011, 12:59 pm

      Now that’s funny & works :)!

  • Mabelle@ Dance, Love, Dine January 6, 2011, 9:08 pm

    Funny I came accross this post b/c Ive been thinking about this same topic lately. Not the “stinking” part but the part about wearing the same work out clothes over and over again. I have to admit I do that too. But I can only do it 2-3 times tops when I go to the gym because then I feel people are going to start looking at me funny :). But yeah, you’re not alone!

  • Ashley January 7, 2011, 12:59 pm

    I have really really dry skin- eczema and don’t produce a lot of sweat no matter how hard I workout. High school soccer in Georgia included. Sooo, I rewear my running clothes a good 6-7x. Running underwear not included :). Saves on laundry too!

  • Shayla January 7, 2011, 6:54 pm

    Haha I love this post Caitlin! I love how I’m not the only one – I always re-wear my tops, sports bras, and pants, ALWAYS! I’m just too lazy to wash my workout clothes all the time – I just hang them to air dry and they’re good to go. We can be stinky together! 🙂

  • jo January 7, 2011, 8:49 pm

    Everyone has their priorities about what to spend money on but, it seems that purchasing a few extra sports bras is probably worth it.

  • Mihaila January 7, 2011, 11:11 pm

    I love how you reply to comments, lol. So vaguely and leisurely.Putting yourself out there for the world to judge, and not judging anyone else even if it’s a rude comment – Good for you – I re-wear all my clothes *multiple* times.

    -Mihaila

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 8:39 am

      Hahah everyone is entitled to their own opinions 🙂 I’m just not a very combative person.

  • kate January 8, 2011, 8:03 am

    Hellllo thank you for this! I thought I was the only stinko on the block! I re-wear evvvvvvvverything! I am verrrry large busted so sports bras that fit and support are extremely expensive meaning I have two(read: meaning I wear them a gazzzzilllion times before I wash them.) Luckily I have enough t-shirts to wear a new one everyday for a year. But I only do laundry once a week max and will re-wear my favorite pants two to three times a week, but normally I judge them by the smell! You’re not the only one, and I’m sure glad I’m not either!

  • Sara February 8, 2011, 10:25 am

    I always re-wear mine!!! I have a little secret behind it though 🙂

    I found Febreze SPORT: http://bit.ly/DhaniConstructionHero

    I just spray my outfit after I workout and its good to go for at least one more workout!! It gets rid of any sweat smell and nobody would ever know I’ve already worn them 🙂

  • Nat March 10, 2011, 10:17 pm

    Oh man. Can’t even fathom doing this. Solely because I sweat like four hairy men and my clothes are STANNNNKKKY.

  • Stephanie March 11, 2011, 11:26 am

    OK I am a little late on this post, but I definitely re-wear workout clothes, ESPECIALLY sports bra’s, shirts/tank tops and even socks on occasion (I am a “sweat-dripping-everywhere” kind of gal too). However, I will only wear running tights or shorts once (and in a pinch twice at max) before washing because…well… I don’t wear underwear when I am in them and I don’t want to get some kind of infection down there!

  • Mandy June 22, 2011, 1:32 pm

    I’m so glad you did this post (even though I’m a little late in reading it). I wear my work out clothes (top and bottom, and socks) twice, throwing them in the laundry every other day. I’ve always wondered how other people went about it. It’s too expensive to buy work out clothes for every day of the week. I first started doing the every other day thing when I noticed my back breaking out. I don’t sweat a lot so I figured I could get away with it before. Wrong!

    My sports bra is another matter. I usually wear it much longer than I should. I cringe just thinking about it. I wash it once a week. I need to invest in at least a second one but the good ones are crazy expensive.

  • Katherina @ Zephyr Runs June 24, 2011, 12:15 am

    I totally, absolutely support wearing workout clothes (and most clothes) for more than one use. Absolutely. How silly and wasteful to use once and wash.

  • Jamie July 27, 2011, 11:10 am

    I re-wear my workout shorts and sports bras. Usually not the shirts though. Im a big sweater buut not a big stinker except for my VFF feet! 🙂 The one set I never rewear is the clothes I wear to spinning – they get DRENCHED.

  • Kim July 27, 2011, 2:53 pm

    My approach is due to both my laziness and not having a washer/dryer at home. I wear my running shorts, which are the loose Nike Tempo-type, a few times. I hang them to dry in between wears and they don’t seem to smell at all. Same for my SmartWool socks. Those suckers are expensive, so I try to extend their life, and they don’t get stinky until they’ve been worn three or four times. Sports bras and shirts I’ll usually only wear once or twice though. And I always wash on the gentle cycle with special sports detergent. The lingering fresh scent is a little much, but at least the stink is eliminated really well.

  • Jamie October 25, 2011, 1:02 pm

    I don’t care if other people re-wear stuff but personally I won’t wear anything again after I take it off…even if it’s only for a few hours…I am completely neurotic when it comes to laundry…and if people look or smell like they have esPecially lax rules about personal hygiene you probably won’t catch me being overly affectionate…

  • calimichelle October 26, 2011, 5:12 pm

    I try to only wear each item once. But, I only have six sports bras (I know it seems like a lot, to me the $60/each was worth to keep my 34G girls covered for daily workouts)and no washer and dryer in my apartment. I never re-use tops and pants because I have quite the lululemon collection. But sports bras sometimes I do, if the sports bra has been used for spin or something else sweaty, not a re-use candidate. Only the ones used for yoga or something lower impact. I also use penguin sport wash for all of my gear. Does a good job of removing odors without making me smell like a field of flowers. For the love of Santa people, I don’t want to be in a spin class with you choking on your detergent scent and excessive fabric softener. Remove the smell, don’t mask with chemical scents.

  • Sara March 5, 2012, 4:56 pm

    This is my first comment I think, and I have to say I totally agree with you and loved reading this! Glad I’m not the only one 🙂

  • Leah March 6, 2012, 1:54 am

    When I lived in Chile, i was working toward my Spinning certification, and simply did not have enough pants or shirts to get me through the week, so I’d hang them to dry (like all Chileans). But, it did become offensive to ME! Riding on a seat is not the same as running al aire libre! Never again, nor with my tops or bras… I can’t fathom ever again beginning a workout already feeling dirty! But to each her own!

  • Judi Gaither March 5, 2013, 4:05 pm

    The problem with stinky workout clothes doesn’t even necessarily derive from re-wearing. It is a natural problem with polyester fabric. The fibers of the fabric are hollow and are able to trap odor causing sweat, proteins, bacteria, etc. It is difficult to wash these out of the hollow core of the fibers.

    But, there is a solution. There are many polyester excercise clothing that contain some type of odor control properties. For example, at least some Hot Chillys Base Layer Tops and Pants contain “Bio Del Mar” antimicrobial and odor control properties. The yarn fibers are permanently treated with antimicrobial properties that are dervied from proteins in crustacean shells. These proteins naturally inhibit the growth of fungi.

  • andrew July 2, 2013, 7:27 am

    I am one of few that need support for a condition called gynecaumastia and although I am not overweight I still have large breasts.I tend to wear sports bras and sportsbra tanktops,but not in feminine colors.Its bad enough I need to wear them which really goes unnoticed under a shirt which basically looks like I am wearing a tanktop under.No matter the moisture wicking properties there is only so much a sports bra can take which is why I have an extremely large amount to change.Many I have are of the same and the ones that are older tend to smell and those I really wear at home .The funny thing is that I am a 36D at 5-8 ft seriously do need the support.

  • Danni Taylor February 19, 2014, 9:26 pm

    If the smell doesn’t bother you and you are not concerned about others smelling you – no worries.

    I’ve had several female running partners and they were fastidious about their personal hygiene so then never wore running clothes twice.

    My male friends were the same. In fact I have given them advice so that they smell fresh and clean.

    One point: You say you wash your yoga towel every time presumable because it comes into direct contact with you skin and sweat. So do you running shirts, exercise bras and thongs. Why not wash them every time too?

    Danni

  • Sal Astuto October 28, 2014, 10:30 pm

    As a guy who power lifts at two separate gyms, juggling gym bags and clean vs dirty clothes is a PITA. I always wear under armoire type compression boxer briefs and fresh socks with every workout. On deadlift bench and squat days I use clean shorts and a fresh shirt. On all my acessory days I tend to not sweat as much and I will recycle.

  • Monica December 10, 2014, 1:45 pm

    I was just on a Google journey, found this and had to comment! (I recently picked up Tinea, likely due to handling my husband’s rancid hockey gear, joy.)

    The best inspiration NOT to wash after every workout is to be aware of your Western privilege and the environment. And this is absolutely not meant to be scolding! Just a bit of perspective 🙂 Tthink of those who don’t have enough water to drink and those who have no need for their morning run/yoga because their work is backbreaking and their diet does not allow for overeating.

    Don’t be over squeamish about a re-used item of clothing (except underwear of course). Yes you want to avoid health risks such as bacteria but that doesn’t require as much washing as some seem to believe. Be okay with nature, think about your impact on the world and be thankful for your lifestyle! 🙂

  • Penny December 17, 2014, 6:28 pm

    this makes me feel a lot better. as long as my exercise clothes aren’t totally stinky, I will re-wear leggings/yoga pants and sports tanks/sports bras a couple times before washing. I apply the same rule I do to all my clothes: if it smells fresh and isn’t stretched out or misshapen, they’re okay to wear! Especially since I live in apt and have to pay for laundry! However, I change my underwear after a work-out, after a shower, and/or before going to bed.

  • yalines November 5, 2015, 11:03 am

    I do the same thing,,, I wash once a week and will wear the same workout clothes 6 times before washing it,, but i do lay it out to dry and it is completely dry the next day…

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