How to Wash a BJJ Gi (Without Ruining It)

Your gi absorbs an hour of sweat and bacteria every time you train, so washing it correctly isn't optional — it's the difference between a gi that lasts years and one that shrinks, fades, or falls apart in months.

The Right Way to Wash a Gi

Wash after every single training session — gi fabric holds onto bacteria that plain airing out won't remove. Use cold or lukewarm water, never hot; heat is the single biggest cause of unwanted shrinkage in cotton gi fabric. Turn the gi inside out to protect any printed patches or embroidery, and wash it separately from other laundry, since grip-heavy gi fabric can snag on softer items.

Use a mild detergent and skip fabric softener entirely — it coats the fibers and actually reduces the fabric's grip, which matters for training but also just feels different on the mat. A small amount of white vinegar in the rinse cycle helps cut lingering odor without the residue softener leaves behind.

Drying: The Step Most People Get Wrong

Air-dry your gi whenever possible, ideally out of direct sunlight, which fades color and weakens fabric over time. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and pull the gi out slightly damp — high heat is where most accidental shrinkage happens, more so than the wash itself. Hang it on a wide hanger rather than folding it wet, since folding a damp gi encourages mildew in the creases.

How Often to Deep Clean

A normal wash after every class is enough most of the time. Every few weeks, especially if odor lingers, soak the gi in cold water with a scoop of oxygen-based stain remover for 30 minutes before washing — this reaches bacteria trapped deep in the weave that a normal cycle alone can miss.

Common Mistakes That Ruin a Gi Early

• Washing in hot water "to kill germs" — cold water plus a full wash cycle already handles that, and heat is what actually destroys the fit
• Using bleach on a white gi — it weakens cotton fibers over time and yellows faster than it whitens
• Skipping washes between light sessions — sweat and bacteria build up regardless of how hard a specific class felt
• Machine-drying on high heat out of impatience — the single most common cause of a gi shrinking out of size

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you wash a BJJ gi in hot water? No — hot water is the leading cause of unwanted gi shrinkage. Stick to cold or lukewarm water for every wash.

How often should you wash your BJJ gi? After every single training session. Sweat and bacteria build up regardless of training intensity, and re-wearing an unwashed gi is both unhygienic and bad for your training partners.

Is it okay to put a BJJ gi in the dryer? It's better to air-dry, but if you need a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and remove the gi slightly damp — high heat is what causes most shrinkage, more than the wash cycle itself.

Does fabric softener damage a gi? It doesn't damage it structurally, but it coats the fibers and reduces the fabric's natural grip, which affects how the gi performs on the mat.

The Bottom Line

Cold water, mild detergent, no bleach or softener, and air-drying (or low heat as a last resort) will keep a gi in competition-ready shape for years. Most premature gi damage traces back to heat — in the wash or the dryer — not the sport itself.