How to Wash a Rashguard So the Print Lasts

You've just finished a sweaty no-gi round and your rashguard smells like it lost the fight. Throwing it in a hot wash with everything else feels like the obvious fix, but it's also the fastest way to wreck the stretch and fade the fabric. Learning how to wash rashguard fabric properly takes two minutes and adds a lot of life to your gear.

Short answer: Here's how to wash rashguard gear: wash it after every session, inside out, in cool or warm water on a gentle cycle with a normal detergent. Skip fabric softener and bleach. Air dry it out of direct sun or use the lowest dryer heat, and make sure it's fully dry before you pack it.

That's the whole routine. Below is the why, plus fixes for stubborn smells.

Why rashguards need a little extra care

Most rashguards are a blend of polyester and elastane (also called spandex or Lycra). Ours are 85% polyester and 15% elastane at 230 g/m². Polyester is tough and dries fast. Elastane is the stretchy part that gives you that snug compression fit.

The weak link is the elastane. High heat is hard on it, and over time it can lose its snap. That's when a rashguard starts to sag, ride up and feel baggy at the waist.

The print is usually less of a worry. On a sublimated rashguard, the color goes into the fibers instead of sitting on top, so it doesn't crack or peel like a printed-on design. Treat it well and the colors stay sharp. So how to wash rashguard tops mostly comes down to one rule: keep the heat down.

How to wash rashguard tops: step by step

Here's the full routine. It takes about as long as a single round of positional sparring.

1. Wash it after every session

This is the big one. Sweaty fabric sitting in a bag is perfect for bacteria and smell. Public health advice for athletes is clear: wash uniforms, towels and training clothes after each use. Our mat hygiene guide explains why this matters for your skin too.

If you can't wash it straight away, at least take it out of the bag and hang it up to air out.

2. Turn it inside out

Turning it inside out protects the outer surface from rubbing against zips, buttons and jeans. It also puts the sweatiest side, the one that touched your skin, face-out to the water.

3. Use a mesh bag if you can

A mesh laundry bag stops your rashguard from tangling and stretching around other clothes. It's especially handy if you're washing with hook-and-loop fasteners, like velcro on shin guards or gloves. Velcro and rashguard fabric are not friends.

4. Pick cool or warm water and a gentle cycle

Hot washes are where most of the damage happens. Cool or warm water with a gentle or synthetics cycle cleans fine. Always check the care label on your garment first, since it has the final word on temperature.

5. Go easy on the detergent

A normal amount of regular detergent works. A sports detergent made for synthetics can help with smell. More soap isn't better; leftover detergent can hold onto odor. Getting the dose right is a small part of how to wash rashguard gear, but it fixes a lot of smell.

6. Skip fabric softener and bleach

Fabric softener leaves a coating on technical fabric. That coating can trap smell and make the fabric worse at moving sweat away. Bleach is harsh on elastane fibers and can mess with the colors. Leave both out.

7. Dry it gently, but dry it fully

Air drying is the kindest option. Hang it or lay it flat somewhere airy, out of direct sunlight. Polyester dries quickly, so it's often ready by morning.

If you use a dryer, choose the lowest heat setting. The goal is completely dry gear, because damp fabric gets smelly fast. Just don't cook it.

8. Don't iron the print

There's no reason to iron a rashguard. If you really must, keep the heat low and avoid the print.

Quick reference: do's and don'ts

Do	Don't
Wash after every session	Leave it in your gym bag overnight
Turn it inside out	Wash it with velcro straps loose
Cool or warm, gentle cycle	Boil-wash it on the hottest setting
Regular or sports detergent	Use fabric softener or dryer sheets
Air dry or lowest dryer heat	Use bleach
Dry it completely	Pack it while it's still damp

How to wash rashguard gear that already smells

We've all found a forgotten rashguard at the bottom of a bag. If a normal wash doesn't fix the smell, try this before giving up on it.

• Soak first. Soak it in cool water with a cup of baking soda for 30 minutes or more, then wash as usual.
• Rinse twice. An extra rinse cycle helps flush out leftover detergent and sweat.
• Try a sports detergent. Many regular detergents are designed mainly with cotton in mind. A formula for synthetics can do a better job.
• Dry it in fresh air. Airflow does a lot for smell.

If the smell keeps coming back, the fix is usually habit, not chemistry. Wash sooner and dry faster.

Washing a rashguard by hand

If you're traveling to a camp or a tournament, knowing how to wash rashguard gear by hand saves the day. Fill a sink with cool water and a little detergent, swish it around for a few minutes, then rinse it well.

Don't wring it hard, because twisting stretches the fabric. Roll it in a towel to squeeze out the water, then hang it overnight. It's usually dry by morning.

How to wash rashguard and spats together

Your spats, compression shorts and fight shorts follow the same rules. They're usually made from similar stretchy synthetics, so one cool, gentle load works for all of them. That makes knowing how to wash rashguard gear handy for your whole kit.

Just keep towels in a separate load. Towels shed lint and can handle hotter washes, which your rashguard won't enjoy. Close any velcro on shorts before they go in.

If you're building out a full kit, our spats and compression shorts are made from stretchy sublimated fabric that's washed the same way.

How many rashguards do you need?

If you train three or more times a week, two or three rashguards make life easier. You'll always have a clean, dry one ready, and you'll never be tempted to rewear a sweaty one. Rotating also spreads out the wear, so each one lasts longer. It's the lazy half of how to wash rashguard gear well: less rushing, fewer damp shirts.

Quick answers

Can you put a rashguard in the washing machine?

Yes. Use a gentle cycle in cool or warm water, inside out, ideally in a mesh bag. Check the care label for the exact temperature.

Can you put a rashguard in the dryer?

You can, on the lowest heat. Air drying is gentler on the stretch. Either way, make sure it's fully dry before you pack it.

Why does my rashguard still smell after washing?

Usually it's leftover detergent or softener, or it sat damp for too long. Skip softener, use less detergent, try a baking soda soak and dry it fully.

Does washing make sublimated prints fade?

Sublimated colors are in the fabric itself, so they don't crack or peel. Cool washes, no bleach and drying out of strong sun help them stay bright for longer.

How often should I wash my rashguard?

After every session. That's the most important part of how to wash rashguard gear properly.

The bottom line

Now you know how to wash rashguard gear without killing the stretch: after every session, inside out, cool and gentle, no softener, no bleach, low heat or air dry. A good rashguard treated this way stays snug and bright for a long time.

Need a spare for the rotation? Have a look at our rashguards collection.