There's nothing worse than a hoodie covered in fluff, or leggings covered in every other piece of clothing that they were washed with. We get white shirts that are now off white and crop tops covered in make up but that's a small price to pay because we train so damn hard!

We all have our favorite leg day shorts or shoulders day singlet, they become a part of us and a part of our magnificent bodybuilding journey.

In saying that, your gym apparel has a tough life. They're stretched, pulled up, pulled down, thrown in bags, stood on, used as sweat towels, I've even seen people yell at their gym clothes!

Though I don't have a hack for the last one (perhaps some professional help), below are 10 of my favorite tricks to make sure your hard earned and beloved gym collection stays looking awesome for much much longer.

1. Wash Gym Clothes In Cold Or Warm Water Only

I'm starting this article with the simplest habit that you should do every wash, never use hot water. You might think that hot water will remove stains or smells, but it just ruins you gear (and also, I'll cover how to remove stains and odors shortly).

Use only cold or warm water when you wash. Hot water can shrink, fade and damage some fabrics, so be sure to read your clothing labels before selecting the hot option.

2. Dry Your Gym Wear Laying Flat

Always lay your laundry flat to air dry, especially stretch fabrics like leggings and crop tops.

Try hanging them over several rungs of a clothes horse or that unused treadmill in the spare room (was a great idea at the time) rather than the clothes line so that they don't stretch out of shape.

3. How To Remove Smells From Clothes And Gym Wraps

Is your hoodie starting to smell like the backseat of a public bus, or are your wrist and knee wraps starting to walk all by themselves?

Try putting them in large zip lock bags or wrapping them in glad wrap and placing them in the freezer overnight.

The idea is that the cold kills all the odor making bacteria.

Pro Tip - This can work with stanky shoes too.

4. How To Stop Losing Your Hoodie & Track Pant Drawstrings

Before you throw them in the washing machine, try tying the ends of the drawstrings together to ensure they don't creep inside the hood during the wash. Tying them together can also help to avoid getting tangled up with your bra's.

BONUS: If your drawstring comes all the way out of your track pants or hoodies try this:

Step a. Grab a straw (plastic) and put one end of the drawstring inside the straw, about 2cm (1 inch).

Step b. Staple the drawstring inside the straw, one time.

Step c. Feed the straw through the drawstring holes until it comes out the other side and pull through.

Step d. Next time you wash, do the first part of this tip to avoid the hassle.

5. How To Un-shrink A Gym T-shirt Or Singlet

Have you ever accidentally put your gym shirt in the dryer and now it's a snug size Smedium?

Here's a trick that can help. Fill a sink with lukewarm water and add a capful of baby shampoo or regular conditioner. Let the item soak for ten minutes or so and then drain the sink.

Next, squeeze the garment to remove excess water, place a towel on a flat surface, and put the garment on top of it. Roll up the towel to absorb even more water. Now, gently stretch the t-shirt or singlet while it’s damp, then lay the garment flat to dry.

6. How To Remove Armpit Stains From Shirts and Tank Tops

There's a few ways to do this with things in your kitchen. I'm not talking about using a kitchen knife to cut out the stain, but rather a few things from the pantry that can work.

Spot treat with vinegar. Add two tablespoons of vinegar to one cup of water & apply directly to the stains. Rub gently, let sit for 30 minutes & cold wash.

If the stain is a bit more stubborn, try mixing up a small amount of baking soda & hydrogen peroxide.

Method: Mix equal parts of baking soda & hydrogen peroxide, with equal part water to form a paste. Rub into stains, soak & cold wash as above.

7. How To Remove Make Up From Crop Tops, Singlets And T-Shirts

This one is mainly for the girls, but guys know after a hot and heavy make out session (yeah I wrote that) it's not uncommon to get some make up on the collar.

First off, simply try makeup removal wipes. If that doesn't work, try putting some shaving foam directly onto the stain (foam only, not shave gel). Let it sit for a few minutes then rub into the stain. Leave for a few more minutes and then rinse with warm water then wash. If the stain persists, simply repeat.

8. How To Remove Pet Hair From Gym Clothes

The obvious answer is to not let your dog or cat jump on you before you head out to the gym, but who can resist their little faces when you're about to leave them.

If you have pets that shed hair, you should invest in a good lint roller. This is your go to method to get dog hair off.

If that doesn't work well enough, try wiping off the hair with a damp rubber glove and wipe in a downward motion. As the hair collects and balls up, put it in the bin, or back on your pet. 

And finally. Add half a cup of vinegar to your washing machine rinse cycle. Vinegar reduces static electricity and stops hair and lint sticking to your clothes.

Pro Tips. You can also use these same tips to remove lint from your activewear. And make sure to regularly clean the filter in your washing machine.

9. How To Make Your White Clothes Whiter

To save having to go through all of the tips I'm about to write, start by always separating your laundry into light and darks. If it's too late, read on.

If you need to get your white clothes white again, try soaking them overnight in a sink filled with warm water mixed with 1 cup of baking soda.

Another method is to add a cup of vinegar to your white laundry load. It works great and won't leave your clothes smelling like vinegar.

10. How to Get Wrinkles Out Of Leggings & Gym Clothes

First off, never iron any of your stretch fabrics (leggings, crops, shorts etc.), basically, you'll melt them. As for t-shirts and singlets, if you must, always iron them inside out to avoid damaging any prints.

If your leggings or crop tops get wrinkled use a clothing steamer or even a hair dryer can work, but not too close. Again, the best way to manage wrinkles is to dry your garments laying flat as described earlier and folding immediately once they're dry.

As you may have noticed, a lot of these problems can be avoided just by doing your laundry smart, but that doesn't always happen.

I've tried everything on this list with varied results depending on the amount of damage I was trying to fix, but I always used care and they all work.

As always, thanks for reading and if you have any hacks or tips to add to this list, please put them in the comments below.