Key Takeaways
- How to wash sweatbands: machine wash in cold or warm water with a mild detergent, inside a mesh laundry bag, then air dry or tumble dry on low.
- Skip fabric softener and bleach. Softener coats the terry loops and makes them less absorbent, and bleach is hard on elastic and thread color.
- Embroidered logos hold up well in the wash. Turning the band inside out or using a laundry bag keeps the stitching from snagging.
- High heat is what wears sweatbands out early, because it breaks down the stretch fibers.
- Wash after every use. A damp band left in a bag is what causes the smell.
A sweatband has one job, and it does that job by soaking up everything you'd rather not have in your eyes or on your grip. That means it needs washing more often than almost anything else in a team bag.
The good news is that knowing how to wash sweatbands takes about a minute. Terry cloth wristbands and headbands are simple to care for, and a few small habits keep them soft, stretchy and sharp looking for a long time.
Why Sweatbands Start to Smell
Terry cloth is made of thousands of tiny loops, which is what makes it so absorbent. Those loops hold sweat, skin oil and sunscreen, and bacteria feed on all three.
The smell usually isn't from the match itself. It comes from the hours afterward, when a damp band sits balled up in a closed bag. If you can't wash it right away, hang it on the outside of the bag so it dries.
For more on what terry cloth is doing while you play, see do sweatbands actually work?
How to Wash Sweatbands in a Machine
Most cotton-blend terry sweatbands are machine washable, and that includes ours. Check the care label if yours came with one, then follow these steps.
- Bag them. Put wristbands and headbands in a mesh laundry bag so they don't stretch around other clothes or disappear inside a sleeve.
- Use cold or warm water. Hot water is tough on elastic fibers over time.
- Use a mild detergent. A normal amount is plenty. Too much leaves residue in the loops.
- Skip fabric softener and bleach. Softener leaves a coating that makes terry less absorbent. Bleach weakens stretch fibers and can fade thread.
- Wash with similar colors. A new red band can tint a white one in the first few washes.
That's the whole routine for how to wash sweatbands after a normal practice or match.
How to Hand Wash Sweatbands
Hand washing works well on the road, at a tournament hotel, or when you only have one pair. Fill a sink with cool water and a small amount of detergent, then work the band between your hands for a minute.
Let it soak for ten to fifteen minutes, rinse until the water runs clear, and press the water out. Don't wring it hard, since twisting stretches the elastic.
For a band that already smells, add a splash of white vinegar to the soak before washing as usual.
Protecting an Embroidered Logo
If you're working out how to wash sweatbands with a team logo on them, the stitching is the easy part. Embroidery is thread sewn through the fabric, so there is no printed layer to crack or peel in the wash.
What can happen is snagging. A zipper or a hook-and-loop strap in the same load can catch a thread. The mesh bag solves that, and turning headbands inside out adds a second layer of protection.
If a thread does pull, trim it close with scissors and don't tug it. Our comparison of embroidered vs. printed logos on team wristbands and headbands explains why stitched logos last longer through repeated washing.
Outfitting a team with matching sweatbands?
Send your logo and team colors and we'll return a free digital mockup with unlimited revisions. No payment until you approve the artwork.
Get a free sweatband mockup →Drying Without Losing the Stretch
Drying matters as much as how you wash sweatbands. The stretch in a wristband or headband comes from elastic fibers blended into the cotton, and high heat is what breaks those down.
Air drying is the gentlest option. Lay the bands flat or hang them, and they'll be dry by the next day. If you use a dryer, choose low heat and take them out as soon as they're dry.
Avoid leaving them on a radiator or a car dashboard in direct sun. Both get hotter than a dryer on low.
How Often to Wash, and When to Replace
Wash a sweatband after every session. It sits against your skin and takes on as much sweat as a sock does, so treat it the same way.
Players who are on court most days should keep two or three sets in rotation. That way a clean, dry set is always ready, and each one gets washed less often over a season.
Replace a band when it no longer springs back, slides down your wrist, or keeps a smell even after a vinegar soak. If you're choosing new ones, our guide to terry cloth vs. microfiber wristbands compares the two main fabrics.
A Simple Laundry Routine for Teams
Coaches don't need to teach every player how to wash sweatbands, but a team routine helps. Matching bands only look sharp if they're clean and the same shade.
- Give each player at least two sets, so one can be in the wash.
- Ask players to wash team colors separately for the first few loads.
- Keep a few spares in the team bag for the player who forgets.
- Collect and wash them together before team photos and big matches.
At Match Point Promotions, our custom embroidered terry cloth wristbands and custom embroidered terry cloth headbands are a cotton and spandex terry blend and are machine washable, so they fit right into this routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put sweatbands in the washing machine?
Yes. Most cotton-blend terry sweatbands are machine washable. Use cold or warm water, a mild detergent and a mesh laundry bag, and skip fabric softener and bleach.
Can sweatbands go in the dryer?
Low heat is fine, though air drying is gentler. High heat breaks down the elastic fibers, and that is what makes a sweatband go loose.
Will washing damage an embroidered logo?
Normal washing won't. Embroidery is stitched through the fabric, so it doesn't crack or peel. Use a laundry bag to keep zippers and hook-and-loop straps from snagging the thread.
How do you get the smell out of a sweatband?
Soak it in cool water with a splash of white vinegar for fifteen minutes, then wash as usual and dry it completely. To prevent the smell, don't leave a damp band in a closed bag.
How often should you wash sweatbands?
After every use. Keeping two or three sets in rotation makes that easy and helps each set last longer.
Ready for Sweatbands Worth Taking Care Of?
At Match Point Promotions, every order is personally reviewed by Shawn, a lifelong tennis player and pickleball enthusiast. Since 2017 we've made custom gear for 300+ teams, clubs and corporations, with free design help and unlimited revisions.
Request a free quote and send your logo. We'll show you how it looks stitched on a wristband or headband before you pay anything.
Match Point Promotions — #1 Source for Custom Racket Gear
Questions? Reach us at info@matchpointpromotions.com