Care of Your Gear
Trail Running
Now that you have all your perfect trail running gear you will want to take care of it, some of that stuff is bloody expensive!
And no this doesn’t mean placing it in your cupboard with care and admiring it all neatly folded with the labels still attached. I mean taking care of it after you have had a whole lot of trail run fun in it. When it’s sweaty, stinky, wet and covered in mud. Just what this gear is designed for.
Tried and Trusted: my method for cleaning trail running gear
My tried and trusted method of caring for my trail running gear involves leaving it in a heap for the laundry fairy. They really exist and mine is awesome.
Each weekend I find all my gear back in the cupboard smelling beautiful again, ready for the next adventure!!
I believe she always refers to the instructions on the clothing labels and washing machine, and her methods include:
- brushing off any loose dirt and debris
- securing any loose items, closing zips and pockets and making sure velcro is securely fastened – she doesn’t want the whole wash to come out attached together in a tangled mess
- removing any padding from sports bras – these little critters are like socks, they disappear from the machine only to turn up months later when you are problem solving why the washer will no longer drain!!
- placing all small items ( wrist sweatbands, padding …) in a laundry bag
- turning clothing inside out to protect the colour and any detail, logo’s etc
- not using too much detergent, referring to the amount on the box and may use a sports specific one
- not using any fabric softener
- using a cold wash on a gentle cycle, possibly a sportswear specific one
- letting them air dry, never putting them in the dryer
- washing waterproof jackets and clothing separately with a product specifically designed to wash and reproof.
Cleaning muddy trail runners
I do clean my own running shoes. The fairy tells me she has too much to do keeping on top of the washing!
And it’s fine for trail runners to look like they are used on the trails. The aim isn’t to make them look all sparklingly new but to dry them out and remove the dirt and debris.
- Remove the laces if you must – these can be fastened together and put in the laundry bag with the other stuff to wash- I NEVER do this
- Remove the insoles – scrub them clean with a mild soap/water solution, rinse and leave them to air dry preferably in the sun.
- Once the soles are dried completely, bang them together to remove any caked in dirt, mud and stones. To remove any stubborn dirt or get into the nooks and crannies, use a little water to rinse and scrub with a soft bristled brush such as an old nail brush or toothbrush
- Use a soft clean brush to gently remove dust and dirt from the uppers, if needed scrub them with the mild soap/water solution and rinse well. Note – if the uppers have waterproof membrane use a product specially designed for the fabric – refer to manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Open up the shoe and dry thoroughly, preferably somewhere with low humidity. If the insides are particularly wet then newspaper or kitchen roll stuffed into the shoe can help but remember to change whenever it becomes damp.
- Once dry I sprinkle with a little foot powder to keep them smelling sweet and prevent the build up of bacterias and fungi.
And what better reason to have TWO pairs of running shoes than to leave one pair to ‘rest’ and dry thoroughly and you can still get out for a run with the other set!!
