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As a true lover of printed leggings, nothing bums me out quite like finding my favorite pair of running tights has become see through. Ugh–it’s so frustrating!
Fed up with having to retire so many leggings I once loved, I decided to get to the bottom of this whole issue of leggings becoming see through. Turns out the culprit is actually pretty obvious. You ready for this? It’s the washing machine. Yup, that’s the reason why your beloved leggings suddenly become thinner and thinner until they’re basically transparent (i.e. unwearable).
As it turns out, leggings are just like swimsuits in that they should actually be hand washed. Not only does this preserve the vibrant colors in printed leggings, but it’s also much gentler than a machine cycle which wears the fabric of your leggings down after just a few washes.
Now before you get all freaked out about hand washing, it’s actually really simple. Just fill your sink with cool water and a small amount of mild detergent. Swish your leggings around in the soapy water for a few minutes, making sure to press the water into the leggings rather than wringing them. Afterwards, drain the sink and rinse your leggings in cool water until they run clear and there are no suds left. Hang them to dry and voila, you’re done.
I’ve been hand washing my leggings for the last three weeks and the difference between the ones that have been through the washing machine and the ones that haven’t is so drastic. I’m never putting another pair of leggings I love in the washer again–and neither should you!
Be sure to check out the best hand lotions and everything you can have monogrammed at J. Crew.
