Tall Mens Fashion Advice

How to Wash Joggers in the Washing Machine: 5 Easy Steps!

Use these 5 easy steps to properly washing your joggers in the washing machine! Maintain the look and feel of your new joggers by using our washing instructions.

How to Wash Joggers in the Washing Machine

Cold Water

Your joggers are most likely made from either cotton or polyester-based blend, which means the correct precautions need to be taken if you want to properly wash them. You will want to read the ‘how to care for’ instructions on your joggers to see if not or cold water is needed. Be sure to hang dry your joggers after if you don’t want them to shrink.

This is How to Wash Joggers in the Washing Machine: 5 Easy Steps!

The majority of joggers are made with either a cotton or polyester based blend, which means without the proper care your joggers may shrink or become damaged while in the wash. 

To maintain the quality of your joggers you will need to wash them on the delicate cycle with cold water while in the washing machine. Hot water will shrink cotton pants and possibly melt polyester based joggers. 

Our step-by-step guide on how to wash joggers in the washing machine will ensure that you are able to give your new joggers the proper care, so you can dress your joggers up.

How to Wash Joggers in the Washing Machine

Using the washing machine properly is important if you want to maintain the feel and quality of your joggers for a longer period of time. Failure to wash your joggers correctly can lead to shrinkage and the development of lint balls. 

If you have experienced lint balls, our article how to remove lint balls from sweatpants will be of help.

If your wary of ruining your joggers, I suggest you take your dirty joggers to the dry cleaner. Take a look at how long a dry cleaner takes and how much a dry cleaner costs.

Let our other guides help you keep your whole wardrobe clean. Don’t forget that not all clothing should be washed the same way.

1. How to Wash Joggers in the Washing Machine

Follow the steps below to learn how to wash joggers in the washing machine. And don’t forget to tie the waistband string so it is not pulled out. If it does get pulled out then read this article: how to put string back in Joggers.

  1. Turn your joggers inside out to protect the outer surface of the pants. It is optional to place your joggers into a mesh laundry bag.
  2. Place your joggers into the washing machine and be sure to include your joggers with other soft and delicate clothing only.
  3. Add laundry detergent. Refer to the detergent’s instructions label to find the correct amount.
  4. Adjust the settings on the washing machine to delicate and use cold water. Hot water can shrink cotton and melt polyester, two of the most common fibers used to make joggers, so be sure to avoid using hot water to wash your joggers (how long does a washer take). 
  5. Once the wash cycle is complete you can either hang your joggers to dry, or use the dryer on air try or tumble dry low.

2. How to Hand Wash Joggers

If you do not have access to a washing machine you can also try hand washing your joggers. Follow the instructions below to learn how to hand wash joggers.

  1. Fill a basin with lukewarm water that doesn’t exceed 80°F/27°C in temperature. 
  2. Add a few drops of liquid laundry detergent.
  3. Turn your joggers inside out and submerge them in the water for 3-5 minutes. 
  4. Use your hands to mix and agitate the joggers in the water until you are satisfied.
  5. Remove the joggers and place under a tap with cool water until the water runs clear and all the soap is removed. 
  6. Wring the excess water out of the joggers.
  7. Use the dryer on air dry or tumble dry low, dry flat or hang your joggers to dry. 

How to Dry Joggers

Joggers are typically made from either a cotton blend or a polyester blend fabric, which means you want to avoid using the high heat setting while using the dryer. The article what are joggers will give you a deeper insight on what they are made from.

If you dry cotton joggers on tumble dry high you risk shrinking them. If you dry polyester joggers on tumble dry high you risk melting them (can you shrink polyester?) If you want to avoid shrinkage and damage to your joggers then you will want to adjust the tumble dry settings on the dryer to air dry or tumble dry low before using. 

And you will need to understand how long does a dryer take. And it cant hurt to learn how hot does a dryer get.

Overall when drying your joggers it is best to avoid the dryer all together. The best way to dry your joggers if you want to maintain their quality for a longer period of time, is to lay flat to dry, line dry, or hang dry. Drying without using the dryer is less abrasive and will allow you to keep your joggers looking new for longer!

How to Shrink Joggers

If you wish to shrink your joggers the best method for doing so is by using the washing machine and dryer. 

To shrink your joggers in the washing machine simply place the joggers in the wash and use the highest heat setting for the water temperature. In-case you did not know this, hot water will shrink clothes.

After the wash cycle is complete, place your joggers into the dryer and dry on tumble dry high. 

The high levels of heat used in the washing machine and dryer will effectively shrink your joggers, especially if they are made of cotton. You should also note that you may want to avoid trying to shrink your joggers too often, as frequent attempts to shrink can often lead to unnecessary levels of wear and tear. 

Read our article how to shrink joggers & how to shrink joggers in the wash to fully grasp whats needed.

How to Style Joggers

Until recently joggers were strictly an athletic garment worn only by track and field athletes as well as soccer players. During the last 5 years joggers have become more mainstream and can be worn in a variety of different settings. 

Joggers are tight fitting tapered pants, which means you should find other tight fitting garments to pair with them. One simple but stylish look is to pair your gray joggers with a pair of white sneakers, a white fitted t-shirt, and a black bomber or leather jacket. 

Think of your joggers as a second pair of jeans to dress up.

Get ready for a night out with how to style joggers for men & what shoes to wear with joggers.

How to Wash Joggers in the Washing Machine FAQ

Yes, joggers can go in the washing machine on the delicate and cold water settings. Turn your joggers inside out before washing in order to preserve their quality for longer, and to allow the detergent to clean the insides of your pants better. 

In order to wash joggers without ruining them you should first adjust the settings to delicate and then wash with cold water. Hot water will shrink your cotton blend joggers and damage your polyester blend joggers as well. Use cold water and your joggers will not become ruined in the wash. You can also place your joggers into a mesh laundry bag to wash as well, however this is optional. 

You can wash joggers at home by first turning them inside out, and then adjusting the settings on the washing machine to delicate and cold water. You may also place your joggers into a mesh laundry bag if you would like to be extra cautious. 

Use the washing machine on the delicate setting and add the correct amount of liquid laundry detergent to effectively clean dirty joggers. If your joggers have become stained try to use a water based cleaning solution such as water with lemon juice or water with white vinegar. Learn how to wash your joggers.

Written and reviewed by
Tall Paul
Tall Paul
Paul Marlow, standing at an impressive 6'7 (201cm) and weighing 225lb (102kg), is a mental health speaker, fashion expert, and ex-athlete who excels at helping tall men find well-fitting clothing and teaching them how to style it effectively. As a model in the fashion and film industries, Paul shares his expertise in tall men's fashion, offering valuable advice on measurements, tailoring, and alterations. In addition, he founded Never Alone, an organization that provides mental health and therapy inspiration, and started the Mental Growth Newsletter to support those facing mental health challenges, drawing from his own experiences.

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