Reports suggest that gym equipment can harbour more germs than a toilet seat, with 70% of bacteria found in gyms found to be harmful to humans. But what about our own gym wear and towels?
You may be shocked to find out that new research by Live Football Tickets has found that one in eight Brits wear their sports bras and pants up to six times to the gym before washing them, and over 200,000 Brits only wash their gym towels every two months.
While guidance shows that workout clothes should be washed after every workout (if you produce sweat), Live Football Tickets surveyed 2,000 UK residents to discover exactly how often they wash their gym wear, with some rather grim findings.
Key Findings:
- What equates to over 4 million Brits (6%) wear their sports underwear (bra/pants) for seven or more workouts before washing them.
- Over a third (36%) of Brits don’t wash their gym towels after each use.
- A quarter (25%) of Brits are not concerned about hygiene/bacteria when it comes to gym wear.
How many times Brits wear sports underwear (bra/pants) before washing
Through the survey of 2,000 UK adults, the research found that one in nine (11%) Brits admit to wearing their sports underwear up to FOUR TIMES before choosing to wash them.
One in five (20%) respondents wear their sports underwear 2-3 times before washing them.
A further one in nine (11%) went as far as to wear their sports bra or pants 4-6 times during a workout before washing.
Shockingly, six percent of Brits even admitted to wearing their sports underwear for over seven workouts before washing.
Men (24%) were more likely to wait 2-3 workouts before washing their gym undergarments, compared to women (16%).
Men were also more likely (12%) to wear underwear 4-6 times before washing, compared to women (9%).
Most respondents (55%) admitted odour was the deciding factor in their decision to wash their gym wear, with less than half (46%) washing due to potential germs and bacteria.
How often Brits wash their gym towels after the gym
|
How often do you wash your gym towels? (response) |
Percentage response |
|
After each use |
18% |
|
Once a week |
12% |
|
2-3 times a week |
11% |
|
4-6 times a week |
6% |
|
Every 2-3 weeks |
3% |
|
Once a month |
2% |
|
Never |
2% |
Survey results also show a breakdown of age, gender and location. For the complete survey findings, please view here.
An astonishing 36% of people (over a third of respondents) admitted to not washing their gym towels after each use, and roughly a third of that amount (12%) owned up to only washing their gym towels once a week.
Less than a fifth (18%) of UK residents say they wash their gym towel after each use.
A further 3% of Brits admitted to only washing their gym towels every 2-3 weeks, and 2% either washed their towels once a month or never.
How many times Brits wear running shoes/trainers before washing
|
How many times did you wear your trainers before washing them? (response) |
Percentage response |
|
7 or more times |
22% |
|
2-3 times |
17% |
|
4-6 times |
16% |
|
Once |
13% |
A surprising 32% don’t keep track of how often they clean their gym trainers, while over one in five (22%) worked out seven or more times before giving them a wash.
A further one in six (17%) worked out 2-3 times before giving their trainers a clean, with just one in seven (13%) washing their trainers after every workout.
This is following concerning study findings from Health, which has revealed that you can contract skin infections through contact with different surfaces at the gym. Certain types of bacteria, viruses,and fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, including the insides of your running shoes, and the bottom of your gym bag.
Maintaining clean gym wear
To keep your gym wear in tip top condition, follow the steps below:
- Wash your gym towel and any workout clothes separately from your other laundry to prevent cross-contamination.
- The odour-building bacteria will build up on the inside of your workout gear, so washing inside out will give it a more thorough clean.
- Use a detergent that’s specifically formulated to handle tough sweat marks and malodour.
- Ensure your washing machine is clean by regularly disinfecting it to avoid transferring bacteria to your gym wear, and avoid fabric softeners.
- Air dry your gym gear and make sure clothes or towels are completely dry before use, as bacteria thrive in damp environments
