How to Prevent Snags in Moisture-Wicking Clothes

My husband loves clothes made from moisture-wicking fabrics. We live on the Texas Gulf Coast where it is very hot and humid, so he appreciates that he can wear polo shirts made of these fabrics to work.

Moisture-wicking clothes (such as those in the popular Nike Dri-FIT line) are designed to quickly move sweat to the outer surfaces of the clothes so they can dry, preventing the clothes from becoming saturated. This keeps the clothes from sticking to the skin and allows the body to regulate its temperature more easily. Most moisture-wicking clothes are made of synthetic fabrics because, unlike cotton, these fabrics are hydrophobic (they resist the penetration of water).

Unfortunately, my husband’s shirts made from these fabrics don’t have as much longevity as I’d like. The fabrics are engineered to have tiny spaces through which sweat is drawn to the outside surfaces. Because of this, these shirts tend to catch on things and develop little snags. Once a shirt has several snags, it no longer looks tidy and professional.

Is it possible to prevent these snags? I’ve had some success by changing how I launder the shirts.

How to avoid snags in moisture-wicking clothes

• Wash in cold water. Hot water may shrink and break down moisture-wicking fabrics, making them prone to snags. Thus, cold water is a better option.
• Turn inside out and wash by themselves. Snags in these clothes don’t just appear—they happen when the items catch on something—so it is helpful to wash these clothes by themselves (so they don’t snag on the buttons, zippers, Velcro, etc. of other clothes) and to turn them inside out before putting them in the machine. Another option is to place the clothes in protective mesh laundry bags before washing them.
• Consider washing by hand. Given these clothes do better when washed gently and in cold water, hand washing is an excellent option. If, like me, you don’t have the time or energy for this, then be sure to use your washer’s gentle or hand wash cycle.
• Air dry. The heat and tumbling action of dryers is hard on fabrics, especially on delicate ones like those that comprise moisture-wicking clothes. Therefore, skipping the dryer and air drying these clothes will reduce the likelihood that they develop snags.

In addition to these things, it is a good idea to skip fabric softeners because these leave a residue that interferes with the moisture-wicking properties of these clothes and can damage the fabrics. Another thing to consider is buying moisture-wicking clothes that are made from fabrics designed to be snag resistant.

How to fix snags in moisture-wicking clothes

I was pleased to discover that there is a way to mitigate snags in moisture-wicking clothes. You can’t fix them precisely, but you can pull a snagged thread to the inside of the item so it is barely noticeable. This allows you to continue wearing clothes that have snags!

I hope these tips benefit you as you launder your family’s moisture-wicking clothes! Do you have additional tips? How do you keep these clothes from developing snags?

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