The Hazards of Lingering in Sweaty Clothes After Indoor Cycling

Now that summer is here, you may be trying to beat the heat by exercising at the gym more often, rather than in the swelteringly hot and humid outdoors. Good move! But don’t become complacent.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of lingering in sweaty clothes after an indoor cycling class, thinking that because you’re in air-conditioning you’ll cool off fast or that it’s okay to wait to shower until after you’ve run errands or gone out for an iced coffee with a friend. Bad ideas!

5 Reasons to Change After Cycling Class

Even if you've used a good women's or men's deodorant, staying in your sweat-soaked indoor cycling clothes can lead to a host of bad side effects—and we’re not counting body odor among them.

Vaginal Yeast Infection

For one thing, there’s an increased risk of developing a vaginal yeast infection, and this is especially true in hot weather. The simple truth is: Yeast thrives in moist environments—a good reason why breathable, moisture-wicking workout underwear is a must. If you’re wearing nylon or other synthetic fabrics that hold moisture close to your skin, you’re putting your nether region at risk by hanging out in drenched cycling shorts or workout pants. You could end up with a raging yeast infection, if not inside the vagina then on the sensitive vulva.

Chafing and Skin Irritation

The combination of moistness and friction from tight workout clothes can also lead to below-the-belt chafing or other skin irritations for both men and women. Chafing usually happens between the thighs, but after a sweat-fest like indoor cycling, it can also happen under the breasts at the base of a sports bra, under the arms, or in any other areas where skin meets skin.

Urinary Tract Infection

If you wear a thong for indoor cycling, it basically creates a superhighway for bacteria to travel from your anus to your vagina, which can lead to a urinary tract infection (UTI). Your best bet is to steer clear of thongs and stick with undies made of a breathable, moisture-wicking fabric or that have a cotton liner.

Acne

If sweat gets trapped in your clothes, it also can clog your pores, triggering ​acne outbreaks (if you’re susceptible to them) or a bacterial infection anywhere on your skin, especially if you have a cut or abrasion. The result: A painful, itchy skin irritation or rash, chafing, a fungal infection, or worse.

Always pack some clean clothes and underwear in your gym backpack. After your workout, shower and change into fresh, dry clothes as soon as you can. If you don’t have time to shower, towel-dry yourself from head to toe and at least change into fresh underwear and shorts or pants. 

Fungus and Athlete's Foot

Meanwhile, adding insult to misery, fungus can hunker down and multiply in any of your skin folds, including your groin, your armpits, under your breasts, and other sensitive real estate. Again, the preventive solution is simple: Change out of those dirty, moist clothes ASAP. Shower if you can; otherwise, wipe yourself down with a dry towel or skin-care wipe, then put on dry clothes.

Fungus also thrives in the dark, moist environment of your shoes. Some people are more concerned about catching athlete’s foot from a locker room than they are from breeding it themselves in the moist prison of their shoes.

Neglecting to wash and dry your feet, including between the toes, after an indoor cycling workout can set the stage for a raging case of athlete’s foot. If you don’t have time to shower right after your workout, change socks or air out your feet in flip-flops until you can hit the shower.

Summer is prime-time for athlete’s foot, and your best protection, according to the American College of Foot & Ankle Orthopedics & Medicine, is to keep your feet clean and dry at all times.

• Sprinkle an antifungal powder into your cycling shoes to inhibit the growth of fungus and mold spores.
• If you have two pairs of shoes for indoor cycling, alternate shoes between sessions to give each pair ample time to dry out.

A Word From Verywell

Walking around in sweaty clothes and shoes after a workout is a mistake that can come back to haunt you from head to toe—so don’t do it!

Shower right away—or at least towel off and change your clothes, socks, and shoes. Your skin will thank you, and you’ll feel that much better moving through everyday life or gearing up for your next ride.