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Ballet equipment3 minutes

Washing ballet clothes: How to care for your leotard and tights

In a nutshell
  • It is best to wash your ballet leotard and tights by hand or on a delicate cycle at a maximum of 30 degrees after every training session.
  • Use only liquid delicate detergent and avoid fabric softener completely, as it clogs the highly elastic fibers.
  • Always air-dry your ballet clothing on a flat towel and keep it away from tumble dryers or direct radiators.
  • Store the cleaned textiles loosely folded in a dry place to avoid unnecessary tension on the elastic seams.

To ensure your ballet leotard and tights remain elastic, retain their shape, and stay deep black or soft pink for years, the fine functional fibers require very specific care. Even small mistakes during washing can permanently damage the fabric.

What you need for maintenance

  • Fine, liquid mild detergent without optical brighteners
  • Fine-mesh laundry bag for delicate textiles
  • Clean, dry terry towel for drying
  • Lukewarm water for any necessary hand washing

Why proper care protects your dancewear

High-quality dancewear consists of fine synthetic fibers like elastane, polyamide, or nylon. These materials provide the necessary stretch at the ballet barre and ensure that the clothing adapts flexibly to every movement. However, sweat, skin oils, and deodorant residue take a heavy toll on the elastic threads over time. If these delicate textiles are washed incorrectly, they stretch out, lose their shape, or become brittle. To ensure the longevity of your leotard, you should consistently avoid harsh detergents and extreme heat. Gentle care protects the fine fibers and ensures that your training clothes remain completely opaque and dimensionally stable even after many washes.

Step-by-step guide for the washing machine

  1. Turn your leotard inside out

    Turn your leotard completely inside out before washing. This protects the delicate outer side from friction against the drum, and any decorations or mesh inserts will remain undamaged.

  2. Protect tights in a mesh bag

    Place your ballet tights in a fine-mesh laundry bag. This prevents the delicate tights from getting caught on buttons, zippers, or the drum and developing unsightly runs.

  3. Set the delicate cycle

    Select the hand wash or delicate cycle on your machine at a maximum of 30 degrees. Use a mild liquid detergent and reduce the spin speed to a maximum of 600 revolutions per minute.

  4. Squeeze gently

    Remove the wet items from the machine immediately after the wash cycle. Gently squeeze out excess water using a towel, without wringing or pulling the elastic fabrics.

  5. Dry flat

    Lay a dry towel out flat and place your leotard and tights on top. Let the clothing dry in the shade, far away from direct sunlight or hot radiators.

Do's and don'ts for laundry

Proper care

  • Use liquid mild detergent without bleach
  • Protect leotard and tights in a laundry net
  • Air dry gently while lying flat

Damaging fibers

  • Using powder detergent or fabric softener
  • Washing ballet clothing loosely with Velcro fasteners
  • Wringing out wet clothing or putting it in the dryer

The maintenance process at a glance

Before washing

Preparation

In the machine

During

After washing

Aftercare

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. You should wash your ballet leotard after every intensive training session. Sweat and skin oils attack the delicate elastane fibers and make them brittle over time.

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