Aerial yoga is a wonderful health and fitness trend with so many noticeable health benefits. As a result, more and more people are using aerial silks at gyms or in their homes. This article is about how to care for aerial fabric, in particular, how to wash your aerial silks, yoga swing or hammock in order to keep it fresh and prolong its lifespan.
Aerial silks and yoga hammocks are made from soft fabric, so they do need to be washed from time-to-time to keep them in a good, usable condition.
It’s not pleasant to use a yoga swing that’s made from dirty fabric that’s clearly never been washed and is covered in sweat stains, make-up and goodness knows what else.
In this article, you will learn:
- Why it’s important to wash your aerial silks
- Best practice when washing aerial silks and aerial yoga equipment
- How to clean your aerial hardware
- How to prolong the life of your aerial fitness equipment
Get 10% off Aerial Yoga Clothing & Equipment with Uplift Active
Use the discount code POLEFIT10 at the checkout
Why you Should Wash Aerial Yoga Swings, Hammocks and Silks
The fabric is porous so it absorbs dirt and bacteria – aerial silks are dirt magnets, all the bacteria from your hands and body transfers onto the fabric. Regularly washing is the key to keeping the silks fresh and nice to use.
The fabric becomes dusty where it creases – dust can settle within the creases within a few days, so keeping the silks clean is healthier for you if you have any respiratory issues or allergies.
Avoid germs and bacteria spreading from person to person – panorama aside, germs spread easily from person to person. If the hammock is shared or used by multiple people, it needs to be regularly washed. Fabric is porous and will hold onto bacteria.
You may get sweaty when using the swing, so the fabric absorbs your sweat! If you’re a sweaty betty, then your yoga hammock will soon absorb your body odor and become unpleasant to use.
They will start to smell musty – if your aerial hammock only gets used occasionally or they’re left hanging unused for a while, then they will develop a musty odor which needs washing out.
Nobody wants to train on a gross yoga swing! Absolutely no one! A yoga swing, hammock or set of aerial silks should be clean and fresh to use.
They may need to be ‘freshened up’ if they’ve been in storage – if your silks have been packed away for a long time, then freshening them up can make them feel like new. You don’t even need to wash them, just hang them on a clothes line to air the fabric out.
Related: Best Aerial Silks for Beginners to use at Home
Tips for Washing your Aerial Silks
Here are our best tips on how to wash aerial silks, yoga swings and hammocks. These are a delicate piece of equipment that you depend on to support your body weight. Treat them well and they will treat you well.
Act as if your aerial silks are a delicate pair of drapes or a delicate dress.
Don’t use a Top-Loading Washing Machine
A top-loading washing machine may damage your aerial silks, they can become caught in the paddles and the washing cycles are too rigorous for the delicate fabric.
Use a front loading washing machine, on a delicates cycle with cold water and low spin speed instead.
Get the Knots out First
Before you wash your aerial silks, prepare them first. Undo any tight knots, even if they’re really tough. Use a pencil or blunt tent peg to gently loosen the knots before undoing them all.
Give the silks or hammock a good shake before putting them onto wash.
Watch the video below to learn how to untie the tightest of yoga hammock knots:
Remove all Carabiners, etc
Make sure that there are no carabiners or metal hardware rings caught up in the fabric. If you fail to do this then they could damage your washing machine or drainage pipes in your home.
Many yoga swings hang foam handles, these may or may not be removable prior to washing. If they are, then wash the foam handles separately in cool water by hand.
Hang Them up to Dry
Hanging your aerial silks out to dry is the quickest, simplest and most efficient way of drying them. They will not take long to dry if you hang them outside on a breezy day.
Use Gentle Detergent
Find a gentle, non-biological detergent that’s suitable for wool and silk. There’s certainly no need to use harsh detergents as this could damage and degrade the fabric.
I’ve always washed all my aerial fabrics using WOOLITE detergent without any issues. In fact, the fabric feels so fresh afterward!
Avoid Using Heat to Dry the Fabric
If you can avoid it, do not put your silks in the drier. Hang them outside in the fresh air to dry. Also, avoid hanging them in direct sunlight as this will cause the fabric to shrink slightly and feel different when you come to use them.
Cleaning your Aerial Hardware
There is little need to clean your aerial hardware, it’s made of stainless steel or aluminium so won’t become tarnished or rusty. However, freestanding aerial frames and rigs, such as the X Pole ‘A’ Frame do need their metal poles cleaned every so often.
Sometimes aerial hardware gets dirty with dust, oils, sweat or grip products like liquid chalk.
A simple clean and dry microfiber cloth and a tiny amount of ammonia-free window cleaning spray is all you need, if anything.
What to Buy to Wash Aerial Silks
There’s really no need to spend lots of money on specialist products, you probably have what you need in your house already.
You may wish to use a designated cloth that’s only used for your aerial hardware, to avoid it being contaminated or mixed with other cleaning products around the home.
Extra Tips
- Remove your jewellery, especially watches or rings that can easily catch and snag the fabric
- Avoid wearing excessive moisturizers or perfumes when using the silks or aerial swing, this will actually lead to the fabric becoming more dirty
- Avoid makeup or fake tanner when using your silks. This is a sure fire way to get the fabric looking gross!
- If your silks will be left unused for a long period of time, take them down and pack them away to avoid them becoming like a dusty old pair of curtains!
- Keep your cats, dogs and all fury animals away from the silks – they love to leave them mucky and snagged!
This post contains affiliate links. That means that, at no extra cost to you, we may receive a small commission if you buy a product using one of the links on this page. Read our full disclosure here.
This article is tagged with:
