Hockey is one of the most thrilling sports, involving the constant movement of the players. Therefore, it is natural for players to sweat a lot. Moreover, blood stains on the jersey may result from the reckless move. So, numerous things can happen to your beloved jersey. If you think a jersey is just an ordinary piece of cloth and a washing machine is a one-stop shop for all your problems, you’re living in a fool’s paradise. Therefore, many people wonder, “How to wash a hockey jersey?”
One can efficiently wash a hockey jersey by following some tips and tricks, such as inverting the jersey before washing, using a color & fabric-friendly detergent, washing the jersey alone in the washer on a gentle cycle, avoiding hot water, etc.
In this article, I will discuss the cleaning process of hockey jerseys, along with other necessary information and FAQs. So, let’s start.
Washing a Hockey Jersey
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Hockey Jerseys are indeed very expensive. Most importantly, people generally have tons of memories with their jerseys. Therefore, people never want them to be damaged. But most people are unaware of the critical considerations when washing a Hockey Jersey.
For instance, since players sweat profusely, hockey jerseys become stinky. People often use harsh chemical detergent or fabric softener to remove the smell and end up ruining the jersey. Another big mistake people often make is washing jerseys with other clothes, which can result in colorful jerseys from solid white ones (for instance). It is depressing. To avoid these things from happening, one can divide the cleaning process of the jersey into three parts which I will discuss later in detail with magical tips.
Following these instructions, one can effectively wash any jersey, including NHL jerseys. However, if you are looking for hockey skates, click on the Best youth hockey skates to find the best one. Besides, don’t forget to check the Best hockey skates for flat feet & the Best hockey socks. Now, let’s jump into the cleaning processes.
Pre-Wash: Preparing Jersey
The Prewash stage will safely prepare the hockey jersey for the subsequent deep clean. This stage includes the following suggestions:
- Identifying blot: Hold the jersey up to the light and identify if there are blots on it. Blots can result from sweat, ketchup, mustard, beer, blood, etc. One can put a prewash anti-stain agent on the blots based on the blot type. Instead of rubbing, use an unused toothbrush to remove the stains.
- Pre-soaking the jersey: Pre-soaking the jersey will help to remove excess dirt before the main cleaning process. Pre-soaking is not about throwing away your jersey into hot water and leaving it there for a long time. There are several things to consider.
There are two kinds of water: hard water and soft water. The concentration of minerals such as calcium and magnesium in hard water is higher than in soft water. So, if you soak your jersey in hard water for a long time, the color of the jersey may fade due to a chemical reaction.
However, it is always preferable to presoak the jersey in warm water rather than hot water. Furthermore, it is critical to understand the jersey’s material. Pour some detergent into the warm water, depending on the fabric. Then soak the jersey into it for 15 Minutes. If you don’t like the smell of the detergent, you can neutralize it with one teaspoon of baking soda.
Step-by-Step Instructions How to wash a hockey jersey:
It is essential to maintain the below–listed tips to protect your jersey from damage:
- Inverting the jersey: It is critical to invert the jersey before putting it in the washing machine to protect it from direct contact with the harsh chemicals in the detergent. Ultimately, it will prevent discoloration and protect the jersey’s stitching, numbering, and letters.
- Put the jersey into the washing machine alone: Do not wash your jersey with other clothing items. Wash them alone in the washing machine. At maximum, one can put several clothes of the same color. But never dare to put clothes of different colors together in the washing machine. Otherwise, the dissolved colors from other clothes may cause the jersey to discolor.
- Using a color-safe washing detergent: Instead of a random detergent, look for a color-safe detergent to keep the color of the jersey intact. Woolite, for example, is a well-known color-safe detergent. When washing the jersey, avoid using bleach or fabric softener. It may cause discoloration and shorten the fabric’s lifespan.
- Using Cold Water: Washing the jersey in hot water may discolor it. Besides, it will shrink the jersey gradually. Therefore, always clean the jersey with cold water.
- Use a gentle cycle: Set the washing machine to a decent rotation mode while washing the jersey. It will protect the jersey from potential harm.
Additional tips: if your jersey has important signs that you want to stay, handwashing with a mild detergent will be the best possible option. Otherwise, washing a signed jersey in the washing machine will remove the signs.
Drying care
It is common for people to put their clothes in the dryer after washing them. Should you treat your jersey the same way? The answer is a resounding “A Big NO.” Dryers sometimes dissolve the crests of the jersey. Most of the time, it peels the crest. As a result, everyone should follow the following tips when drying the jersey:
- Let the washed jersey dry under the natural sunlight. But do not put it under extreme sunlight.
- If you have no other alternative but to put the jersey into the dryer, then set the dryer to the lowest heat possible.
- If you need to iron the jersey, place another cloth over it. It will safeguard the jersey’s crest.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you put the NHL jersey in the dryer?
NHL jerseys are pretty costly. As a result, everyone wants to keep them intact for as long as possible. No one should put any jersey, including NHL jerseys, in the dryer for this purpose. Dryers can sometimes ruin the crest and, therefore the main beauty of the jersey. So, it is best to dry the jersey outside in the natural environment.
- Do hockey jerseys shrink in the wash?
Most people are afraid to wash their jerseys in the washing machine because they believe it will shrink. The fact is that manufacturers use polyester and other synthetic fabrics to create non-shrinkable jerseys. As a result, you don’t have to worry about washing the jersey in the machine. However, avoid using hot water because it has the potential to shrink the jersey. Use a gentle rotation cycle to clean the jersey in cold water.
Final verdict:
Most people don’t know the proper cleaning process of a jersey and end up ruining their favorite jerseys. Therefore, they often ask, “How to wash a hockey jersey?” One can quickly wash a hockey jersey by following some basic instructions. In this article, I have gone over thoroughly the washing procedure of a jersey with effective yet easiest tips. I hope the readers will find the information valuable and will save their expensive jerseys in the future from unwanted damage.
