How To Wash Basketball Knee Pads
Cleaning a basketball knee pad every time before putting it on is a must. It is essential for personal hygiene purposes. There are mainly two ways of washing basketball knee pads. You can wash it manually with your hands, and you can wash it in a washing machine. The following are the complete details of washing basketball knee pads by both methods.
Hand Washing
Washing Technique
Washing a basketball knee pad with your hands is an efficient way of cleaning. You don’t have to worry about getting a machine, and it is a traditional way of cleaning. Take a large bowl and fill it with warm water and add some mild detergent. Put the pad in the bowl and swirl the pad in the bowl. Let it rest in the water for some time. Then you need to take it out of the bowl and first fold the pads into a clean towel. Remove any excess water by pressing for a few minutes. Allow it to dry for at least six hours by hanging on a clothesline.
Drying Technique
If you don’t have a clothesline, then you can lay it on a flat surface. Make sure that you lay it in a well-ventilated area. You can flip it every three hours so that there will be even drying. However, to make it dry quickly, you should never use a dryer. With extreme heat, the kneepad material can warp or shrink making it unsafe to use.
Washing Through Machine
Putting in a Mesh Laundry Bag
Before you intend to use a washing machine, you need to read it carefully if the knee pad is machine washable. The first step to clean basketball knee pads in a washing machine is to use a mesh laundry bag. This helps to prevent tangling so that there will be no damage. Always make sure that the laundry bag comes with Velcro or snaps so that there will be easy closing. If you don’t have a mesh laundry bag, then you can make use of a spare pillowcase.
Prevening Over Load
Begin with a small load of laundry and never take loads. Never keep any delicate laundry while washing your knee pads in a washing machine. You must always load the machine halfway full. Try using a mild laundry detergent so that it will not damage the material. The detergent has to be free from bleach that can remove the knee pad’s color. To remove bad odor, you can add white vinegar.
Setting the Washer
Now you will have to set the machine in Cold Water. Follow it by pressing the Gentle option and press Start. With cold water, there will be gentle performance, and it can even kill sweat bacteria. A gentle cycle will also prevent damage. In some units, you will also find the Delicate option.
Drying
The next step will be to remove the pads for the washing machine. You must do it once the cycle is complete. Make sure that you hang it so that it can dry completely. By drying it out in the sun, you can get rid of the remaining bacteria. An alternate way of drying will be to lay them flat on a dry surface. Make sure that you turn them from time to time to allow even drying. A word of caution, never use a dryer to make them dry. You can have an ill-fitting knee pad as a dryer can make the fabric shrink or stretch.
Wrap-Up
Hopefully, we have clearly demostrated the washing process, and you should not make the water too hot as the pad may lose the elasticity.
