How to wash thermal underwear?

For winter sports enthusiasts and outdoor enthusiasts in cold weather, manufacturers produce special thermal underwear. It has been extremely popular lately. This is not surprising, because thanks to the special interweaving of fibers, such clothing regulates heat transfer, removes excess moisture to the outside. But, like any other thing, thermal underwear requires special care, and therefore there are a number of recommendations for washing this product.

Heat transfer occurs due to the special structure of thermal underwear. The microcells formed by the fibers become clogged over time with skin particles and settled dust. Air stops entering the product, and the accumulated moisture can no longer evaporate from the surface of the skin.

The frequency of washing products with the prefix "thermo" depends on its purpose.Underwear intended for intensive daily training, in which there is increased sweating and rapid clogging of tissue cells, must be washed daily, after every workout. Ordinary underwear, used for everyday wear and not worn so often, can be washed 2-3 times a week. For outerwear with “thermo” functions, the frequency is somewhat different; to cleanse them of all contaminants, it is enough to wash them no more than once a month.

The fibers that make up the fabric used for sewing thermal underwear directly affect the choice of detergent to be used for washing. Ordinary washing powder is not suitable for such products, regardless of the type of fabric. It does not rinse well, its particles clog micropores, and therefore it is better to use other detergents that are most suitable for each type of fiber.

For products where cotton prevails in percentage terms, it is better to use laundry soap. It is always pre-dissolved in water. Do not use various stain removers containing such an aggressive component as chlorine. Dry cleaning for thermal underwear made of cotton is also excluded.

Wool fibers, which are part of linen, also need the use of special tools. These include: gels, powders for woolen and delicate fabrics, baby soap. These tools must be used even if the percentage of wool is not in the first place. The use of chlorine-containing detergents is unacceptable.

The care of the product, which includes polyester fibers, is best done with a special powder or laundry soap. In no case do not use detergents containing chlorine for washing such products, otherwise the fibers may simply collapse, and such a product will simply have to be thrown away.

Regardless of the composition of the fabric, the best option for washing thermal underwear are specially designed products for these products. They perfectly cope not only with strong pollution, without disturbing the structure of any type of fibers, but also rinse well from the fabric, which means that your favorite product will last a long time without losing its functionality.

As a rule, all manufacturers indicate their washing recommendations on product labels. But, if it was accidentally cut off, or the information is written in too small print, then you can use the recommendations below.

For any thermal underwear, regardless of the composition of the fabric, temperature must be observed. As a rule, the water temperature should be in the range of 30-40?C. Too hot water adversely affects the fibers of the product. Under the influence of high temperatures, thermal underwear can stretch, the product loses its original shape, and its thermoregulatory properties disappear, since the deformed fibers no longer form cells through which heat transfer occurs.

There are two ways to wash thermal underwear: manual and machine.

The easiest and easiest way is to wash the product in the machine. In order to avoid deformation of the fibers, you need to turn on the delicate wash program. As a rule, in this program, the water temperature is set automatically and must be within 30-40 ºС. If this function is not available, then the temperature mode is selected manually.

Machine wash is recommended for products that contain more synthetic fibers, namely polyester and polypropylene threads. It is also necessary to turn off the spin function, as there is a possibility of damage to the product. When choosing a detergent in an automatic machine preference should be given to liquid substances, which can be added directly to the laundry drum. For better rinsing of detergents, it is better to include an additional rinse program after a complete washing cycle and draining the water.

The hand washing method is chosen not only because of the composition of the fabric, but also because it is not always desirable to wash one set in the machine, and it is unreasonable to mix with other types of laundry. Washing by hand is troublesome, but in order not to spoil the thermal underwear, you will have to spend some time putting this not-so-cheap underwear in order. After all, good men's and women's underwear costs decent money, and therefore, in order for it to retain all its functions and serve for a long time, you will have to make some efforts.

There are several rules for hand washing:

• The temperature regime must be strictly observed. Hand wash, as well as machine wash, should be carried out at a temperature not exceeding 40C. For wool products, the temperature should not exceed 30C.You can check the temperature of the water with a thermometer or in the old way, namely by lowering your elbow into a basin of water. At a comfortable temperature, the water will not burn the elbow.
• The best laundry detergent is mild soapy water. To do this, grate the soap on a grater and place it in a small container with water. After the soap has completely dissolved, pour the resulting solution into a basin with water and place a set of thermal underwear there.

• Linen should not be subjected to rough mechanical stress, rubbed or stretched. After being placed in a basin of water, the kit is left for a while. As a rule, 30-40 minutes is quite enough for all dirt particles to dissolve. After soaking, the laundry without spinning begins to be rinsed in cool running water. For synthetic fibers, a small amount of fabric softener should be added at the end of the last rinse.
• It is strictly forbidden to dry products with a “thermo” function in an automatic machine, since drying is usually carried out at a high temperature. Polyester and other synthetic fibers at temperatures above 60 ° C can melt, which means that the product will become unusable and will have to be thrown away.

After washing by hand or in a machine, you need to dry the laundry properly. Proper drying is just as important as proper washing.

Due to the fact that the set of thermal underwear after washing not subject to twisting when hand washed, or removed from the machine without wringing, it is completely wet. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the location of the laundry for drying in advance. It is better to protect expensive parquet or valuable carpet from flowing water, and first hang the set over the bathroom.After most of the water has drained, you can hang it in a well-ventilated place.

Drying time is directly dependent on the time of year. In the cold winter period, the kit will dry much longer, but reducing the drying time with the help of electric dryers and batteries is not a good idea. After all, their use can adversely affect the quality of the material, which means that its functionality will be lost. Do not use iron or steamer even in the presence of natural fibers, there is no particular need for this.

How to wash thermal underwear, see the following video.