This How to Wash Lululemon Leggings guide is NOT sponsored and was written based on my honest experience as a busy mom maintaining her wardrobe!
So you just splurged on a pair of tights and now you’re wondering how to launder them.
This guide on how to wash Lululemon leggings includes:
- How often to wash Lululemon pants
- How to dry Lululemon leggings
- Best laundry detergent for Lululemon
Prevent pilling and tears by always washing your leggings the right way!
Disclosure: Affiliate links are used throughout this post. You can read our full disclosure here.
More Lululemon leggings guides:
- Lululemon Align Leggings Review
- Athleta vs Lululemon (Everyone Needs to See This Comparison!)
- Best Gymshark Leggings for Your Body Type
How to Wash Lululemon Leggings (the Right Way)
There are certain things you should know about washing and drying your Lululemon leggings but each style, color, and material is a bit different.
How do I wash my Lululemon Aligns?
Lululemon Align leggings are made using the brand’s Nulu material.
To keep your Aligns in pristine condition, make sure to:
- wash in cold water
- wash with similar fabrics (avoid abrasive materials and fabrics like cotton)
- do NOT use fabric softeners
- hang dry as often as you can
Here’s exactly what I do:
- place your Align leggings with other similar clothing items into your washing machine (I usually wash five or six similarly colored pairs at a time)
- add a gentle laundry detergent to your machine
- wash in cold water on its normal setting (delicate may be better depending on your machine)
- once your Align leggings are finished the washing cycle, lay them flat to dry (clipping them onto a laundry line may cause indentations in your pants as will hanging them over it)
I almost NEVER use the dryer for my Align leggings!
The only time I have was when I was in a hurry to leave and behind on laundry.
Unfortunately, machine-drying Lululemon leggings will almost always result in pilling.
What to do about pilling
When fabrics rub together – even just your pant legs rubbing against themselves – those little pills start to form.
This is also the reason many of us tell to get pilling in between our legs over time.
The solution is to carefully remove it with:
- a razor
- tape or a Scotch lint roller
To remove pilling on your Lululemon leggings, gently use a small razor like this one to address the areas you’re concerned with.
You don’t want too thick of a strip like some razors have because it could gunk up your leggings!
It’s also better to use a razor with one strip than one that has a strip on the top and bottom!
You want to be very gentle and use an upwards motion to do this – pressing too hard could result in ripping the fabric, especially one as thin as Nulu.
Don’t fret too much about not getting it off with your razor – that’s where the tape or lint roller comes in.
Personally, when I used to use tape, I always went with packing tape since it’s sturdier than your standard gift wrap roll.
It’ll remove more pilling in less time and you’ll have to use less of it in the long term!
I like to wrap my hand with the tape and roll it like a lint roller across any pilled area.
That said, if you tend to do a lot of fabric clean-up, Scotch-Brite lint rollers are a must.
Before I started selling like crazy on Poshmark, I used to use tape but these lint rollers have made things way easier for me.
Lululemon Washing FAQs
Here are a few common questions about washing Lulu leggings.
Can you put Lululemon leggings in the washing machine?
Yes, machine washing Lululemon apparel and leggings in a front-loading machine is safe.
However, based on my own experience with top-loading machines, I wouldn’t recommend using one for your Lululemon items.
I had a pair rip using a top-loading machine!
Now, it was an older machine from the 90s but based on its mechanics (the center beam that caused the rip), I would advise against using machines like this to launder your expensive Lululemon clothing.
You’re better off spending the extra time handwashing than damaging your clothes!
How to wash Lululemon leggings
The washing instructions I’ve given above for washing Lululemon Align leggings will work for any type of Lulu leggings including:
- Wunder Under
- Wunder Train
- Base Pace
- Instill
- Fast and Free
- Invigorate
- Swift Speed
That said, you can use a tougher setting on thicker leggings.
I use the normal and sometimes the sport (activewear) setting on my LG washing machine when I’m laundering leggings that have gone through an intense workout!
The main thing is laying them flat to dry!
How often to wash Lululemon pants
If you’re wearing your Lululemon leggings for day-to-day activities like running errands, going to work, etc., you can probably get away with three days of wear time!
If you wear your leggings for intense workouts, you might want to cap it at one use.
Your sense of smell with guide you on this one, haha!
How to dry Lululemon leggings
Lululemon leggings should be laid flat to dry.
Not hanging over a laundry line (as this can cause a crease) or in the dryer.
That said, if you MUST dry your favorite Lululemon leggings because you need to wear them right now (I’ve been there too, haha), tumble dry on your drying machine’s lowest setting in order to minimize the inevitable pilling dryers cause!
Best laundry detergent for Lululemon
I’ve been using Nellie’s laundry soda for years for everything from my Lululemon leggings to cloth diapers!
It’s one of the most natural options available and does an outstanding job cleaning even the toughest stains.
Plus, it’s gentle on sensitive skin and won’t give you a reaction from awful chemical additives found in your typical big-box store brands.
Nellie’s has just 4 ingredients in it:
- Sodium carbonate (soda ash)
- Linear alcohol exthoxylate (fatty alcohol and ethylene oxide)
- Sodium chloride (salt)
- Sodium metasilicate (cleaning agent)
That said, if you prefer a liquid detergent, ECOS laundry detergent is another fantastic natural brand to use on Lululemon gear!
It’s a plant-powered option that’s tough on odour and stains without the junk you get in other brands.
ECOS only has 7 ingredients in its formula:
- Water
- Cocamidopropyl betaine (plant-derived surfactant)
- Sodium coco-sulfate (plant-derived surfactant)
- Cocomidopropylamine (plant-derivd surfactant)
- Phenoxyethanol (preservative)
- Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil
- Methylisothiazolinone (preservative)
Final Thoughts on How to Wash Lululemon Align Leggings
Washing and drying your Aligns the right way is the key to preserving them for years to come!
To do so, you’ll want to always:
- launder your leggings in a front loading washing machine using cold water
- use a normal or gentle cycle, depending on your washing machine
- use a gentle laundry detergent like Nellie’s or ECOS, if you prefer a liquid detergent
- always lay flat to dry
I’ve had my oldest pair since 2017 – that’s five years!
And using the instructions above, I’ve managed to significantly minimize the pilling and damage to my leggings.
Happy washing, friends!
