Make Your Gym Gear Last: A Care Guide for Straps, Wraps and Belts

Good gear rarely fails because of the weight. It fails because of what happens after the session — the damp gym bag, the hot wash, the radiator. Here is how to keep every piece in the shape you paid for.

Straps and wraps

• Never machine wash. Agitation and detergent break down the fibres and destroy the elasticity that makes a wrap work.
• Wipe, do not soak. A damp cloth after training removes sweat and chalk. That is all they need.
• Air dry, always. No tumble dryer, no radiator, no direct sun. Heat is what makes material go brittle and stitching go loose.
• Store flat or rolled. Folding the same crease every time is how a wrap develops a weak point.

The leather belt

• Wipe with a dry or barely damp cloth. Leather and water are not friends.
• Dry it away from heat — a hot dry is what cracks leather.
• Keep the Velcro or buckle area clear of chalk build-up.
• Hang it or lay it flat. A belt stored bent takes on that bend permanently.

Shakers and scoops

• Rinse immediately. Dried protein is ten times harder to remove and it is where the smell comes from.
• Hand wash with warm soapy water; leave the lid open so the inside dries fully.
• Never microwave, never leave in a hot car.
• Empty any storage compartment before refilling — powder left sitting draws moisture.

The five-minute habit

Wipe everything down, hang it up, leave the bag open. That is it. Do that after every session and your gear will outlast several rounds of the cheap stuff — which is the whole point of buying properly the first time.