You spend serious money on technical running gear. The DWR coating on your rain shell. The anti-odor treatment in your merino kit. The moisture-wicking structure in your shorts. Most of it is gradually being destroyed by your laundry detergent.
What Conventional Detergent Does to Technical Fabrics
Residue buildup. Standard laundry detergent leaves residue in technical fabrics that doesn't fully rinse out, particularly in cold-water washes. This residue attracts and holds bacteria, which means your washed kit still smells after the second run because the bacterial source was never fully removed.
DWR degradation. Durable water repellent coatings on rain gear and technical shorts are degraded by the alkaline chemistry of most conventional detergents over time. This is why a jacket that was fully waterproof in year one is wet-out by year three.
Elastic degradation. The elastic in waistbands, compression shorts, and bra bands breaks down faster when exposed to harsh detergent chemistry repeatedly.
What This Has to Do with Your Skin
A kit washed with residue-leaving detergent that harbors bacteria is being reworn against your skin every run. The bacterial load in inadequately washed synthetic fabrics is a direct factor in folliculitis (infected hair follicles in inner thigh and underarm areas), jock itch and fungal issues, and general skin irritation from chemical residue against already-stressed skin.
For ultra runners who wear the same kit for 24+ hours, this matters enormously. Gear going into a race should be as genuinely clean as possible.
Washing Technical Running Kit Correctly
Use an athletic gear wash formulated for technical fabrics: plant-derived surfactants that fully rinse out, enzyme-based odor elimination rather than masking, cold water compatible, pH-balanced to protect fabric treatments. Wash inside out. Cold water. No fabric softener — it coats fibers and reduces moisture-wicking performance. Air dry when possible.
And once your kit is clean, pair it with soap that keeps your skin in the same condition. Our Tea Tree Antibacterial Bar Soap handles the bacterial load that clean kit and clean skin together are designed to prevent.
Beyond Clean, Beyond Ordinary.