How to Wash Jogging Sets Without Getting Bobbles
Short answer: Pilling on a tracksuit set happens when the fibres in the fabric rub against each other and against other textiles in the wash. You avoid most of it by washing the set inside out, at a low temperature and with similar clothes without zips and hooks.
What pilling actually is
Pills are short fibres that have been pulled out of the yarn and rolled into a small ball. They are not caused by washing as such, but by friction. So it is not the wash that should be avoided, but the rubbing during the wash.
Turn the set inside out
The outside is what you see, so that is what needs protecting. Turn the pieces and the inside rubs against the drum, and the pills form where nobody sees them. It takes two seconds per piece and is the most effective single change.
Sort by type, not only colour
Zips, hooks, buttons and velcro are what pull fibres out. So wash sweat sets with other soft garments and never with jeans, jackets or towels. See bamboo tracksuit sets for women and keep them out of the rough wash.
Fill the machine half full
An overfilled machine creates more friction, because the laundry cannot move freely and rubs against itself instead. A half full drum actually washes cleaner and is gentler on the fabric. It feels like waste, but it extends the service life noticeably.
Temperature and programme
Thirty degrees and a gentle programme with a low spin are enough for ordinary dirt. A high spin presses the laundry against the drum and creates exactly the friction that makes pills. See bamboo tracksuit sets for men and treat both pieces alike.
Leave out fabric softener
Softener lays a film in the brushed inside that collapses the pile. The fabric turns harder, and hard fibres break more easily and become pills. Use a liquid detergent without bleach, and dose slightly less than the packet says.
The tumble dryer is worst
Tumbling is an hour of constant friction at high heat. It is the single thing that creates the most pills on a tracksuit set. Hang the pieces to dry instead, and lay heavy ones flat so the shoulders are not pulled out.
Remove the pills that are there
Use a fabric shaver or a sharp blade on a flat surface, and work in one direction. Do it when the fabric is dry. Pills come back, but a set cleaned once a year looks markedly newer than one that never is.
The fibre sets the baseline
Long, smooth fibres such as bamboo viscose pill least, because there are fewer ends to pull out. Short cotton fibres and cheap polyester blends pill most. Washing can delay the problem, but it cannot turn a poor fabric into a good one. See also washing guide for bamboo clothing and why quality clothing is cheaper in the long run.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my tracksuit set pilling?
Because short fibres are pulled out of the yarn by friction. Washing, spinning and tumbling create the rubbing, and fabric with short fibres loses most.
Does turning the clothes inside out help?
Yes, noticeably. The pills then form on the inside where nobody sees them, and it costs two seconds per piece when sorting.
Can pills be removed again?
Yes, with a fabric shaver on dry fabric. They come back, but a set cleaned once a year looks markedly newer.
See our range of bamboo tracksuit for men.
