How to Wash Real Essentials Activewear

Real Essentials is a clothing brand that you can find on Amazon. They sell a variety of products for men, women, and kids including activewear, base layers, loungewear, and sleepwear.

More About Real Essentials

Real Essentials is a top seller on Amazon with hundreds of thousands of positive ratings across their products. Unfortunately, however, not much is known about the brand itself other than the fact that they only sell online (you can also find them on the Walmart website).

Some of their best-sellers include their dry-fit shorts, tees, joggers, and pajama sets.

What Does Their Activewear Collection Include?

Their activewear collection consists of t-shirts, shorts, tank tops, pullovers, joggers, and leggings. They also sell gym shorts and athletic tees for youth, all of which are available from their Amazon store.

And everything comes in packs of threes or five, which brings the overall costs down. If anything, that’s what they’re known for. Take their dryfit t-shirts, for example, you can get a five-pack for $30, which works out to be $6 each. Shipping-wise, it’s also included if you order more than $25 (on Amazon).

Caring For Real Essentials Activewear

Just because their products are cheap (price-wise) doesn’t mean that they’re disposable. You still want to take good care of them like the rest of your clothes. That way, you’ll get your money’s worth. This means washing them after each wear with the proper detergent and with the proper settings. And don’t procrastinate when it comes to laundry day—letting your clothes soak in sweat will only wear out the fibers faster.

Looking for more tips? Want to know how to properly wash your Real Essentials activewear? Then keep scrolling—we’ll be going over how to wash their various items in detail below.

What Materials Are Their Activewear Made Of?

Real Essentials uses synthetic aka man-made fabrics for their activewear. Not only are they stronger than natural fibers, but they’ll also last longer. Here’s an overview of the most common ones.

Polyester

Polyester is a synthetic material that’s made of polymer or plastic. It’s lightweight, strong, durable, and resistant to wrinkling and shrinking. Also, it’s quick-drying and has moisture-wicking abilities. If anything, that makes it one of the best options for activewear. However, it does have one disadvantage—that is, it’s not very breathable compared to natural fabrics.

Spandex

Spandex (also known as elastane) is a soft and smooth fiber that’s made of synthetic polymers. Prized for its elasticity, it’s often used to make stretchable garments such as dancewear, swimwear, and sportswear. Not only that, but it’s durable and strong. For one thing, it’s resistant to chemicals and wear and tear. However, it tends to stick to your body. To prevent this, it’s usually mixed with other fibers such as nylon or polyester.

Nylon

Nylon is a synthetic fiber that’s derived from petroleum. Also known as polyamide, it’s strong, long-lasting, and resistant to chemicals (even more so than polyester). The fibers also have excellent toughness and stretch, which makes them perfect for leggings, swimsuits, leotards, jerseys, etc. However, it can fade over time, especially if exposed to continuous sunlight.

Real Essentials Joggers: What’s the Best Way to Wash Them?

There are two ways to wash their joggers. You can either throw them in the washing machine with the rest of your sportswear or wash them by hand.

Tip: Make a habit of checking the care tag label before washing—it’ll tell you what you should and shouldn’t do with the item.

Using the Washing Machine

Before you place your joggers in the washer, turn them inside out (remember to empty the pockets). That’ll protect the outside of the fabric from being damaged during the wash cycle. It’s also a good idea to tie a knot in the drawstring. That way, it won’t get caught and tangled in the machine. And if you can, use a mesh laundry bag—that’ll keep them separate from your other garments.

Throw your joggers into the washing machine and add in the rest of your clothes* (if you’re washing a mixed load). Next, add your detergent. We recommend one scoop of ACTIVE detergent for a small or medium load. You can add more if you’re washing many items at once. Don’t add fabric softener; it’ll leave a waxy layer of silicone, which will trap in sweat and dirt. Not only that, but it can trigger allergies. If you want, you can use white vinegar instead. It’s an all-natural alternative to softener. All you need is one cup—simply pour it in during the final rinse.

*Note: You can wash your joggers with other sportswear such as shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, and leggings. If anything, the most important thing is to separate the colors (lights with lights, darks with darks) before washing.

Choose a gentle setting (it’ll keep your joggers looking new for longer) and run a cold-wash cycle. Don’t use hot water as it can affect the integrity and color of the fabric.

Take your joggers out once the cycle is finished and let them dry naturally on a drying rack or hanger (a clothesline works too). Avoid using the dryer—it can cause your pants to wear out prematurely. And don’t leave them outside in the sun; that can cause the colors to fade over time.

Hand Washing Your Joggers

Plug the sink and fill it 3/4 full with cool water. You can also use a bucket as long as it’s large enough for your joggers. Measure a scoop of ACTIVE detergent and pour it in the water. You may have to swish it around a few times with your hands to dissolve the powder.

Turn the joggers inside out and submerge them in the water (remember to empty the pockets and tie up the drawstring). Swirl the pants through the soapy solution so that they’re completely immersed and let them sit for about 15-20 minutes—that’ll let them fully absorb the detergent. If you want, you can even hand wash them with other items—it’s fine as long as you’re not mixing colors.

Rinse your joggers with cold water afterward. You can rinse them in the bucket or sink (after refilling it with clean water) or you can run them under the faucet. Continue to rinse until the fabric is no longer sudsy; the water should run clear when you’re finished.

Avoid using the dryer. Hang up your joggers and let them air dry instead on a clothesline or drying rack. You can also lay them flat to dry on a clean surface such as a towel. They shouldn’t take more than a few hours to dry as polyester is a quick-drying material.

Real Essentials Tanks and Tees: How Should You Wash Them?

Using the Washing Machine

Sort your tees and tank tops; lights should be with lights and darks should be with darks. Once you’ve got your pile, turn everything inside out—that’ll prevent the clothes from wearing out due to friction. It’s also a good idea to put them in a mesh bag (you can put a few items in each bag). That’ll add a physical barrier so that your tees and tanks will be protected from your other laundry.

Toss your clothes in the washer. Make sure everything is in and add one scoop of ACTIVE detergent. Be careful not to add too much; you don’t want the detergent to seal the odors into the fabric. And skip the fabric softener. Consider using white vinegar instead (1/2-1 cup during the final rinse). Not only will it soften your tees and tanks, but it’ll also get rid of any smells.

Run a cold wash cycle on a gentle setting. That way, you won’t have to worry about the fabrics breaking down while they’re in the wash. Never use hot water—it’ll only wear out your clothing.

Wait for the machine to finish before retrieving your tees and tanks. Whatever you do, don’t throw them in the dryer. If anything, that’s one of the worst things that you can do when it comes to their longevity. Let them air dry instead. It might take a little longer, but it’ll be much better for your clothes. For example, you can place your damp tees and tanks on a drying rack.

Make sure that everything is completely dry before putting them away.

Washing Them By Hand

Fill a bathroom or kitchen sink with cool water (you don’t want it to be too full otherwise the water will slosh all over the place once you start washing). As the water’s filling the sink, add your detergent—half a scoop of ACTIVE detergent will do. Swirl your hand through the water to mix the powder thoroughly.

Turn your tees and tanks inside out and place them in the sink. Swirl and knead the fabric a few times so that it’s completely soaked through. You don’t want to be too rough, though, otherwise, you might stretch out the garments.

Let the tops sit and soak in the soapy water for up to 30 minutes.

Once time is up, drain the water from the sink and refill it with clean water. Gently knead the tops with your hands for a minute or so to remove the detergent. Repeat the process until all of the soap suds are gone (it can take a few repetitions before all of the detergent is rinsed off).

Give the tees and tanks one final rinse in clean water and remove them from the sink. Gently press them against the edge of the sink to remove the excess water. Don’t pull, twist, or wring the wet fabric as that can tear the material.

Hang the damp clothing on a drying rack, hanger, or clothesline and wait for them to air dry.