Anyone who goes to the gym several times a week knows the problem: the mountain of laundry grows faster than the muscles. Many fitness-goers only wear their sportswear once – then everything ends up in the wash.
But who actually decided that training clothes have to be washed after wearing them once? That’s what Tiktoker Alyssadobson.fit asks herself. She calls on her community to normalize wearing the same workout outfit for multiple workouts in a row. “Do you think I wash these clothes every time I wear them?” she asks in the video. She changes her cardio shirt more often than she changes her strength training clothes. “I wear these for a few days because I don’t sweat like crazy.”
Your followers understand. One user writes: “You’re right! I sometimes wear mine three days in a row.” Another person says they don’t feel like doing laundry a million times a week. And another user commented: “I like to wear a top several times, but never pants.”
How often do you wash your sports clothes?
“This allows bacteria to multiply particularly well”
From a dermatological perspective, however, it is “not a good idea” to wear sweaty sportswear again, according to dermatologist Dr. med. Marianne Meli explained on request for 20 minutes. “Bacteria multiply in damp clothing, which can lead not only to an unpleasant smell, but also to skin irritation, inflammation and, in rare cases, infections.”
But it depends on how hard you sweated. Because: “The more intensive the training, the more sweat occurs – this creates a moist environment in which bacteria feel particularly comfortable,” says the dermatologist. The longer sweaty clothing stays on the skin, the more it irritates the skin and the higher the risk of odor or skin problems.
According to Meli, the salt and residues contained in sweat can irritate the skin even when clothes are dried, especially if friction occurs. “Certain bacteria survive in dried clothing and can lead to pimples, for example.”
Be careful if you have sensitive skin or skin diseases
The dermatologist recommends using natural materials: “Synthetic materials such as polyester are more critical than cotton.” According to Meli, this is because they absorb sweat more poorly and the moisture stays on the skin longer.
If you have very sensitive skin or if you have certain skin diseases such as acne or neurodermatitis, the dermatologist clearly advises against putting on fitness clothing again. “Complaints such as itching, redness, burning, pimples or sore skin should be taken seriously.”
Have you ever had skin irritation or inflammation from wearing the same workout outfit multiple times?
Vanessa Büchel (vab) has been working for 20 minutes since 2025. She is a fashion editor in the lifestyle department and writes about trends and styling tips.
