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How to Wash a Football Kit
Due to the nature of football, your kits are guaranteed to need a wash after every match. From tackling to goal scoring, football is a high-intensity sport and whether it’s grass and mud stains or the unpleasant smell of body odour from sweat, caring for your kit is essential so you can turn up to every match clean and raring to go.
Here at Avec Sport, we recognise that your football kit is paramount to representing the club you love, which is why we are here to advise on the best ways to wash your kit to keep it looking and smelling fresh. Keep reading as we answer the most commonly asked questions on how to wash a football kit and share our top tips for preventing colour fades and damage, to ensure you turn up to every match looking like a professional.
Can you put football kits in the washing machine?
Yes, football kits can be put into the washing machine however, due to the delicate material most kits are made from, hand washing is preferred. If you are pushed for time and choose to wash your kit in a washing machine, we do have some tips that will help to ensure longevity and prevent damage including:
- Turn your kit inside out. To protect the colour, prints and stitching on your football kit from fading or getting damaged we recommend turning the pieces inside out before washing.
- Don’t use liquid detergent. Liquid detergents can ruin the fabric that football jerseys are made from and should be avoided. Instead, opt for a powder detergent that doesn’t contain bleach and is designed to protect the colours of your kit.
- Wash on a cold cycle. To maintain the structure and colour of your kit, make sure you don’t put it on a cycle higher than 30°C.
Can you hand wash football kits?
Yes, hand washing your football kit is arguably the best way to guarantee it gets a thorough clean and ensures there is no damage to your kit. The tips for handwashing follow the same rules as using a washing machine in that you should turn the kit inside out, and avoid using hot water and liquid detergents. The process for handwashing is simply to fill a sink with warm water (not hot), add a powdered colour protectant detergent and leave the kit to soak for no longer than 15 minutes. After this time, you should rinse out the detergent under cold water before squeezing it out and leaving the kit to hang dry.
Can you tumble-dry football kits?
No, most football kits will have a care label that advises against tumble-drying as the excessive heat can cause the garment to shrink. The best drying option to ensure your kit stays in the best condition is to leave it to air dry. We recommend avoiding the use of radiators as the heat may cause any prints to melt. Make sure to turn your garments the right way out after washing to avoid prints from sticking together in the drying process.
The team kits we have on offer here at Avec Sport are made from polyester which is considered to be a quick-drying material. On average it should take as little as 2-4 hours for your kit to be completely air-dried, depending on the temperature of the surrounding environment. If you are pushed for time you can place your football kits in the dryer on the lowest heat setting, however, we would always recommend air drying to keep your kits in the best shape possible.
What temperature do you wash a football kit on?
Before washing your football kit, it’s best to check the care label inside of the garments before washing to ensure you are correctly handling them. Although it may be tempting to put your kit in a hot wash if it’s caked in mud, it is generally advised that football kits should be washed in a cold setting. Cold settings are perfectly fine to use however, some detergents are more successful at removing stains in warm whatever. Therefore, the best temperature to wash your football kit is no warmer than 30°C.
It’s important to note that washing your football kit on any setting above 30°C may cause significant heat damage, causing your clothing to shrink and any colour or prints to fade. Due to the delicate nature of the polyester fabric, the length of time your football kit is in the wash can determine what your kit will come out looking like afterwards. We recommend a short wash cycle between 12 to 20 minutes.
How do you remove stains from a football kit?
Due to the nature of the sport, your football kit is bound to get many stains on it over time. Most stains will come out in the wash, however, if you notice a few persistent stains, it’s best to try and remove them by spot washing before placing the football kit in a full cycle. The easiest way to do this is to add cold water to the stained area and apply a pre-wash stain removal product. Using a toothbrush, gently rub the product into the stain before rinsing it out and adding it to your washing machine.
Can you wash different colour football shirts together?
To maintain the integrity of your football shirt, it’s important that you separate your football shirts by colour. Just like any other wash, you should separate your football kits into whites, blacks and colours to avoid any dyes from running and transferring onto each other. In addition to this, you should also make sure that you separate your football kit from other garments, as the fibres or fastenings from other clothing could damage the kit's delicate materials.
Be ready for all matches with football kits from Avec Sport
Whether it’s a big match day or you’re having a casual kick about in the park, your football kit will be quick to accumulate dirt and stains, but with our helpful tips and advice, you can now alleviate the stress that comes with washing your football kit.
However, if you have an old kit with damage that is past the point of recovery, it may be time to upgrade. If you’re looking to refresh your kit here at Avec Sport we have a wide range of high-quality, fully customisable team kits for juniors, men and women that are built to last countless games.