A sports jersey has a hard life. It is soaked in sweat, rubbed in the dirt and washed every week. Polyester and sublimation are tough, but a few habits decide whether a jersey looks new at the end of the season or tired after a month.
Wash it soon
The most useful habit is the simplest one: do not leave a sweaty jersey in a kit bag overnight.
Sweat and bacteria left in a closed bag are what make polyester smell. The longer they sit, the harder the smell is to wash out. If you cannot wash it the same day, at least take it out of the bag, turn it inside out and hang it to dry.
The washing routine
1. Turn it inside out. It protects the outside from rubbing against other clothes and the drum, and puts the side that touched your skin, where the sweat is, facing the water. 2. Wash cold or cool. Thirty degrees or a cold cycle is enough. Hot water is what fades colours and wears fabric fastest. 3. Use a mild detergent. A normal liquid detergent is fine. Avoid bleach, which damages both the fabric and the colour. 4. Skip the fabric softener. Softener coats polyester fibres. On a performance fabric that blocks the way it moves sweat, and traps smell. 5. Wash jerseys together. Wash them with other sportswear, not with jeans, towels or anything with zips and hooks that can snag the fabric. 6. Close any zips and Velcro on other kit in the same load.
Hand washing is gentler still. Soak in cold water with a little detergent, swish, rinse well and do not wring hard.
Drying
- Dry in the shade. Strong sun fades every coloured fabric over time, and the Indian midday sun is stronger than most. Hang the jersey inside out in a shaded, airy place.
- Avoid the tumble dryer, or use the lowest heat. Polyester dries quickly in the air anyway.
- Hang it straight. Use a wide hanger or dry it flat so it does not stretch at the shoulders.
Ironing
Polyester rarely needs ironing if it is hung up straight to dry. If you must:
- Use the lowest setting, marked for synthetics.
- Iron inside out, never directly on a printed number or name.
- Never leave the iron resting on the fabric.
Heat is the main enemy of sublimated polyester. A hot iron can leave a shiny mark on the fabric and dull the colours under it.
Getting rid of sweat smell
Polyester can hold on to smell, especially in hot weather. If a jersey still smells after washing:
- Soak before washing. Thirty minutes in cold water with a cup of white vinegar loosens the build-up. Then wash as normal.
- Use a sports detergent if you can find one. They are made for synthetic fabrics.
- Dry it fully. A jersey that is put away damp will smell again quickly.
Stains
- Grass and mud: let mud dry, brush off what you can, then pre-treat the stain with a little liquid detergent before washing.
- Blood: rinse in cold water as soon as possible. Hot water sets it.
- Sunscreen and oil: rub in a little dish soap, leave for a few minutes, then wash.
Always test a stain remover on a hidden part first, and never use bleach on a coloured jersey.
Why sublimated jerseys are easier to care for
On a sublimated jersey the colour is inside the polyester fibres, not printed on top. That means:
- the print cannot crack or peel in the wash,
- there is no film to stick to itself or to the iron,
- and the names and numbers are as durable as the rest of the design.
The only things that really damage a sublimated jersey are high heat and long exposure to strong sun. Read what sublimation printing is for why.
Jerseys with other prints
Not every jersey is fully sublimated. If yours has vinyl names, DTF numbers or embroidery, be more careful:
- Vinyl and DTF: never iron directly on them, and avoid hot dryers, or they can soften, stick or lift at the edges.
- Embroidery: wash inside out so the threads do not snag, and iron around the badge, not on it.
The same rules apply to printed t-shirts. See how to wash printed t-shirts.
Storing jerseys between seasons
- Wash and dry them fully before storing.
- Fold them, or hang them on wide hangers, in a dry cupboard.
- Keep them out of direct sunlight.
- Do not store them in sealed plastic while even slightly damp.
When a jersey is wrong from the start
Care makes a good jersey last. It cannot fix one that was printed wrong. Our jerseys are sublimated in our own factory in India, you approve every name on the mockup, and if we print it wrong we reprint it free.
When it is time for a new set, send the crest and the roster.
Quick answers
Can you put a sports jersey in the washing machine?
Yes. Turn it inside out, use a cold or 30 degree cycle and a mild detergent, and wash it with other sportswear. Skip bleach and fabric softener.
How do I get the sweat smell out of a polyester jersey?
Wash it the same day, and do not leave it in a closed kit bag. For a stubborn smell, soak it for thirty minutes in cold water with a cup of white vinegar, then wash as normal and dry it fully.
Can I iron a sublimated jersey?
Only if you need to, on the lowest synthetic setting, inside out, and never directly on a name or number. High heat can mark polyester and dull the colour.
Why should I not use fabric softener on sports jerseys?
Softener coats polyester fibres. That stops a performance fabric moving sweat away from the skin, and it traps smell in the fabric.
