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wallyk

Would rather be ski'n
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Feb 2, 2018
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505
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The MinnieApple
Daughter got her first speed suit this winter, hand-me-down from an awesome coach, and Mrs. WallyK needs some advice about how to clean before all gear goes into storage.....my idea to just "throw" into storage or hand wash and line dry when weather allows were not well received.
 

hbear

Out on the slopes
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Aug 17, 2016
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890
We throw in the washer and lay flat to dry. (Take pads out).
No issues. Our daughter has a light suit (Vonn one) and as such tend to wash it every month or 6 weeks max between washes.
 
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wallyk

wallyk

Would rather be ski'n
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Feb 2, 2018
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505
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The MinnieApple
I'd suggest Mr WallyK hand wash and dry in the furnace room. :D

Love it.........I'm banned from the wash room.......my idea of washing: separate red, whites from other colors and just do on cold. Not the most effective solution in a house where I'm the only male.
 

scott43

So much better than a pro
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Nov 12, 2015
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Great White North
Love it.........I'm banned from the wash room.......my idea of washing: separate red, whites from other colors and just do on cold. Not the most effective solution in a house where I'm the only male.
Me too. I'm not even allowed to wash my hockey gitch..
 

Rudi Riet

AKA songfta AKA randomduck - a USSS coach, as well
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Definitely use a sport wash on a speed suit, as it'll break down the funk that accumulates on the lycra (so many speed suits smell like they've lived in Animal House).

I wash a lot of tech fabrics (speed suits and higher-end road cycling stuff), so I've used a lot of tech detergents over the years. My faves: WIN (developed by the U.S. Olympic Training Center), Rockin Green Platinum Series Active Wear, and DeFunkify. The first one is a liquid, the other two are powders. For the powders, I find they work better if you dissolve them in a bit of cold water before loading your washables. Go for the unscented versions of these detergents, as the perfumes in these detergents tend to be very strong.

I've used the more commonly available Tide Sport with Febreze, and it didn't do well by my tach fabrics. It tended to set in the funk.

To keep the fabric tight and as pill-free as possible, wash the speed suit inside out. Wash with cold water wash and rinse (hot will set in odors) on delicate cycle. Hand wash if you're worried about how gentle (or not gentle) your washing machine is. Wash it alone, or with other soft tech fabrics. Make sure the zippers are zipped up.

And always hang dry - never put a speed suit in the dryer, it'll get thrashed, stretched, and beaten to death.

And before you put it away for the season, give it a double wash.
 

QueueCT

Getting off the lift
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Oct 30, 2017
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268
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Southwest CT
We wash about 3 or four times a season. Just did the final one yesterday before storing. Agree that hand washing is likely overkill. Inside out, cold water, gentle cycle, flat dry on a rack or hang. Not sure about detergent, we use the old standby Woolite and it seems to work. Got three years out of one suit and two year out of the other. My daughters need to go up a size now but don't want to give up their suits. Still in great condition except a few small holes where the boot buckles get covered.
 

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