Okay, here’s my blog post about washing football pants with built-in pads, written from my personal experience:
Alright, folks, so my son just finished his first football season, and let me tell you, those uniforms get nasty. I’m talking grass stains, mud, the whole nine yards. And the pants? Forget about it. They’ve got those built-in pads, which I initially thought would be a nightmare to clean. Turns out, it’s not that bad if you know what you’re doing. So, I wanted to share my process, step-by-step, so you can avoid the same trial and error I went through.
Pre-Wash Shenanigans
First things first, I got all the loose dirt and grass off. I literally just took the pants outside and shook them out like a crazy person. You could also use a brush, but honestly, shaking worked just fine. My kid thought it was hilarious, which was a bonus.
The Washing Machine Adventure
Next, I checked the care label. Always a good idea, right? Mine said machine wash cold, which was a relief. I flipped the pants inside out – this helps protect the outer layer and keeps the pads from getting too banged up. Then, I tossed them in the washing machine, all by their lonesome. I didn’t want anything else in there to snag or rub against the pads.
For detergent, I used my regular stuff, nothing fancy. Just a normal amount, like I would for any other load of laundry. And, importantly, no bleach! I set the machine to cold water, gentle cycle. This is key, people. Gentle, gentle, gentle.
Drying Time (or Not!)
Once the wash cycle was done, I pulled those bad boys out. Here’s a big one: do not put them in the dryer. I repeat, no dryer! The heat can mess up the pads and shrink the pants. Instead, I hung them up to air dry. I found a spot in my laundry room with good airflow, and just let them drip dry. It took a while, like overnight, but it was worth it.
Post-Wash Checkup
After they were completely dry, I flipped them right-side out again and checked for any lingering stains. If there were any, I would’ve spot-treated them with a little detergent and a soft brush, then rinsed that area really well. But luckily, I didn’t have to do that this time.
The pants are clean, and the process is simple, that is my experience.
