Parents Re-wearing leotards and leggings (laundry question)

[HopefulGymnast]

I figured parents would be the best place to ask this.

I'm looking at training more evenings, so I'd be training 90 minutes (or maybe 150 minutes sometimes if I'm lucky) several evenings a week. However, I've got some laundry issues, so I was wondering:

- Is it okay to wear a leotard two evenings in a row? Or even three? and then washing it after. I wear underpants in them.
- I wear shorts or full leg sports leggings over the leo. Is it okay to re-wear those several times before washing?
- Same question again but about sports bras.
- We run sports wash with specific sports washing liquid for the leotards and leggings. Currently we do about 2 leotards, 2 shorts/leggings and a sports bra at once. Could we do more at once? How much would be okay?

I have OCD and it's causing laundry problems, and as a result I really don't know what's normal. I already didn't really know but now it's causing more stress. Any thoughts or answers would be much appreciated!

 

[Gymgirl84]

I don't think I'd reuse the Leo, unless it was a pretty young child that has almost no sweat. The shorts and leggings I'd check if they were sweaty or not, if not, then I'd maybe wear them one more time.
That said I almost never reuse it.

 

[HopefulGymnast]

I don't think I'd reuse the Leo, unless it was a pretty young child that has almost no sweat. The shorts and leggings I'd check if they were sweaty or not, if not, then I'd maybe wear them one more time.
That said I almost never reuse it.

It's not a child, it's me and I'm in my late twenties.

 

[superNova08]

I never wore a leo more than once in a row with the exception of my comp leo, because it was so hard to wash, my mom would wash it after every other comp. My practice leos were washed immediately after having worn them. The sports bra underneath I also wouldn't wear more than once. The shorts/leggings you might be able to get away with wearing twice but that depends on how much you sweat. Generally, if your legs/back sweat AT ALL, I wouldn't wear them more than once to the gym. Make sure you switch the laundry once its done in the washer to prevent any sort of a smell from returning. Hang drying leos can also help them last longer, but if you're doing this, don't let them sit balled up in the washer prior to hanging up. (Can you tell I do the laundry in our house haha)

 

[tryagain]

I certainly wore leos more than once, even as a teenager (in the nineties!) and leggings even more often. I started dance this spring and also wear leggings a couple of times (I don't sweat much and have very little body odour). In general, I would recommend the smell test: if there is no smell, fine to wear again - at the slightest whiff of stale sweat, throw into laundry.

 

[Pfiga]

My daughter only wears her leotards and shorts once, and then they go into the laundry basket. She sweats enough and there is often enough chalk on them that it does not seem hygienic to wear them again. The only times when she might wear the same leo twice without washing might be on the rare occasion if she had an unusually short practice for some reason, and did not practice bars, and there is no smell.

I wash her leos and shorts with the rest of her clothes, on a gentle cycle. Some of her leos need extra delicate care, so I separate those out and run a smaller "hand wash" cycle.
May I ask why you only wash 2 leotards, 2 shorts/leggings and a sports bra? I don't see why you could not wash more at once.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

I wouldn’t, but I guess that all depends on how much you sweat. I can’t imagine re-wearing any of my workout clothes after sweating in them, but that’s just me. I also just throw all my workout clothes and regular clothes and my daughters leotards in the regular wash. I

 

[Janneke]

My daughter's leos/shorts/etc. get one use and then go into the laundry basket. I have to wash some by hand and the water coming off is filthy. The solution to your problem might be to have more than one set of everything, so that you don't need to wash them straight away.