How to Care for Your Unitard: Cleaning and Storage Tips

Unitards officially joined this year’s lineup as one of the most heavily worn wardrobe staples. Athleisure trends made it a norm or rather a fashion option for anyone to wear unitard activewear anytime they want to; popularly worn by gymnasts, dancers, and other performers. If you own one, you surely know how comfortable and stretchy this body-hugging garment can be. However, as with any clothing, unitards may be worn out over time. Proper care plays a major role in ensuring the quality and lifespan of this one-piece garment; preserving its longevity, optimal performance, and polished appearance for a hefty good return on your money. You can wear it longer for your gym workout or your next hot girl walk.

Learn everything you need to know about the best practices from pre-cleaning, washing, and storing of your unitard. In any case of a small tear or stain, you’re in the right place to look for answers. Find out how to take care of your unitards like an expert and you will always keep them clean, pristine, and ready for every movement.

Understanding Your Unitard’s Fabric

Nylon, polyester, and elastane fabrics such as spandex and lycra are the common materials used in unitards. Kate Galliano’s Jumpsuit is made of lightweight nylon and spandex blend, providing durability, form-fitting, quick drying, and high stretchability. 

Each type of fabric requires specific cleaning and storing instructions after every use. Water should be cold when washing nylon and elastane fabrics using a machine on a gentle cycle. On the contrary, warm water is needed for polyester fabric. If done incorrectly, the wrong cleaning method may damage the quality of your unitard. Elastane fabrics are sensitive to high temperatures; once exposed to hot water or direct sunlight, elasticity decreases and they become less stretchy. Cleaning agents such as fabric softeners and bleach break down fibres of nylon, compromising its original quality. Fabric softeners make polyester unitards retain odours, developing an unpleasant smell during storage.

These are common mistakes that may happen if you don’t understand your unitard’s fabric. Care labels on your unitard provide the recommended cleaning methods and any specific precautions to be aware of. Washing symbols are typically used instead for shorter instructions. Interpret these symbols to know the proper instructions; examples are “machine wash” and “do not bleach”. These labels may include washing, drying, ironing and other special instructions for your fabric. Always read them first to keep your unitard in excellent condition.

Pre-Cleaning Tips

• Inspect your Unitard for Stains or Damage

Never skip a pre-cleaning step before washing your unitard. You must carefully inspect it for any stain marks or discoloured areas no matter how small they may be! Lay it flat for inspection and identify the nature of the stain — is it from makeup, food or a pen? If you know the kind of stain it is, you’ll know the suitable pre-cleaning solution. This helps remove stains and restore damaged areas without affecting the entire fabric. 

• Tips for Pre-treating Stains

• Use a mild or gentle stain remover; these are generally safe for delicate clothing like activewear. Pour a small amount into a cotton swab and carefully dab the stain until it disappears.
• Avoid detergents with harsh chemicals or bleaching agents. These can irreversibly damage the fabric as they break down fibres, losing your unitard’s elasticity and stretchability.

Washing Your Unitard

• Hand Washing Instructions: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Fill your basin with lukewarm or cold water depending on your fabric. Do not use hot water.
2. Pour an adequate amount of your mild, fabric-safe detergent and mix it with water until dissolved.
3. Gently submerge your unitard in the basin.
4. Soak for 10-15 minutes.
5. Gently agitate by stirring or whirling the unitard around in the water to eliminate dirt from the fabric.
6. If there are leftover stains from pre-cleaning, use a soft-bristled brush to completely remove the stain.
7. Remove excess water by rolling it in a clean towel. Do not twist or harshly wring the unitard.
8. Lay it flat in a shaded area for drying. Do not put it directly in sunlight.

• Machine Washing Instructions

  • Choose the Right Cycle and Settings
  1. Gentle or Delicate Cycle is suitable for more delicate fabrics like nylon and elastane such as spandex and lycra to avoid any harsh force inflicted on the garments that may cause damage.
  2. Activewear or Sports Cycle is a cycle feature available in more modern washing machines nowadays. This is specifically designed for any quick-drying activewear including workout unitards made from lycra, nylon or polyester using a slow spin speed.
  
  
  • Use Mesh Laundry Bags

  A mesh laundry bag provides an extra layer of protection for your unitards. This prevents your one-piece garments get snagged or tangled with other clothes inside the machine. Put your unitards inside and check if the mesh is securely closed before placing it inside. 

  • Recommended Detergents

  Always choose mild, fabric-safe detergents suitable for delicate unitard activewear. 

• Dos and Don’ts of Washing Your Unitards

1. Turn the unitard inside out to avoid direct sunlight and fading of any delicate prints or logos.
2. Thoroughly rinse to avoid leftover detergent residue.

1. Don’t use fabric softeners. This lessens the breathability feature of unitards.
2. Don’t use any bleach or detergent with any bleaching agent. This permanently damages the fabric resulting in discolouration.

Follow these washing instructions to make your unitard look as new as day one, lengthening its quality, comfort, and durability. You can confidently wear and clean our popular Short Sleeve Backless Romper with proper care and wash.

Drying Your Unitard

• Air Drying Techniques

Laying your unitard flat is best suitable for unitards made with delicate fabrics like elastane, spandex and lycra. This method smoothens out wrinkles and effectively maintains the ideal shape of your unitard. Contrarily, hanging your unitard on a clothesline is best suitable for unitards made with polyester and cotton fabrics. This method dries your garment faster however, you must use a padded hanger to prevent your garment from stretching.

Avoiding direct sunlight

The area for drying your unitard must be a well-shaded, properly ventilated area or outdoor area. The heat from the sun weakens the fibres and makes the colour of your unitard prone to fading.  

• Machine Drying 

This method may be used under certain situations like needing your unitard but not having enough time for air drying. Select the lowest heat setting on your dryer to avoid chances your getting your unitards shrunk! Choose a short cycle to avoid wear and tear from over-drying the garment. Be careful!

• Watch out for these common mistakes!

1. Using high heat setting in machine drying
2. Over-drying from a longer cycle setting
3. Tangled unitards by skipping the mesh laundry bag
4. Unpleasant storage smell due to leftover residue or moisture in unitards

Storage Tips

• Short-Term Storage

To temporarily store your unitard, you can either hang it using a padded hanger or neatly fold it. The hanging method helps maintain the original shape of the one-piece garment and avoids wrinkles or creases. The folding method is a suitable option for storage areas with limited space however, wrinkles or creases may appear.

• Long-Term Storage

There are ideal conditions to properly store your clean unitards: a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. This will keep your garment in excellent condition and avoid any damage due to long-term storage. In addition, do not put your sports unitard inside a plastic bag. Plastic bags can trap moisture which may result in mold growth and damage to your clothing. Instead, use breathable garment bags that allow air circulation while protecting the fabric from dust and light exposure.

• Tips for preventing wrinkles and creases

• After drying, hanging your sports unitards using a padded clothes hanger will prevent occurrences of deep wrinkles and crease lines.
• Learn proper folding techniques by following the natural seams of your unitard to avoid creating sharp creasing and wrinkles along the fabric.
• Using a handheld steamer may do the trick to safely smoothen out your unitard without causing damage to the fibres of your sports unitard. However, the steamer must be a few inches away from the fabric to avoid increasing the intensity of the heat.

Maintaining Elasticity and Colour

• Tips for preserving fabric stretch

• It is important to be mindful of your movements while wearing your unitard to avoid excessive stretching that may affect the stretchability of the fabric. Opt for unitards specifically designed for high-stretch activities like gymnastics. When taking it off afterwards, avoid pulling or yanking the fabric excessively. 
• Proper folding techniques

1. Lay the unitard flat and fold it along natural seams.
2. Rolling the unitard minimises pressure on the fabric and helps maintain its stretch.
3. No heavy items on top of the folded or rolled unitard. 

• Tips for maintaining vibrant colours

• Sort your clothes by colour and wash your unitard with similar colours to prevent dye transfer. Also, keep dark-coloured ones separated from light-coloured garments to avoid colour bleeding.
• Use colour-safe detergents because these are specifically formulated to protect the colours of your unitards. These detergents preserve the vibrancy of the fabric.

Follow these useful tips for maintaining the elasticity and colour of Kate Galliano’s Vibrant Baby Blue Romper made with luxury lightweight nylon and spandex blend fabric.

Repairing Minor Damage

Finding solutions to these minor damages can extend the life span of your unitard for longer use:

• Fixing small tears and holes

1. Make sure the area around the tear is clean and dry.
2. Squeeze a reasonable amount of fabric glue and apply it along the edges of the tear. 
3. Press the edges together to secure.
4. Hold it until the glue sets.
5. Let the glue dry for a few hours, before wearing or washing the unitard.

1. Select a needle and thread that matches the fabric type and colour of your unitard. Choose the closest one as much as possible.
2. A backstitch sewing technique is fairly simple yet durable for stitching the tear. 
3. You can go over the stitches twice to secure the fixed tear.

• Advanced stain removal techniques to remove persistent stains

• Apply a commercial stain remover suitable for delicate fabrics. Follow the product instructions carefully and do a sample test before application.
• Apply a grease-fighting dish soap for oil-based stains and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing it with cold water.
• Tougher stains require repetition. Repeat the process as needed but not to the extent of damaging the fabric.

Take care of your unitard and it will take care of every move you make. Keep them clean and pristine while adding new ones from Kate Galliano! Check out Kate Galliano’s latest collection of luxury unitards made to sculpt your body. Shop our most wanted unitard activewear in stylish rompers and jumpsuits. Get yours and have your new go-to daily favourite activewear now!