Your Alo leggings and Accolade sweats can stay soft, smooth and snug for years, and the way you wash them decides most of that. Here’s how to wash Alo in one line: turn each piece inside out, machine wash it cold on a gentle cycle with similar fabrics, skip the softener and bleach, then hang it or lay it flat to dry. Hot water, the dryer and a load full of towels are behind most of the pilling, peeling logos and baggy knees owners complain about.
The details change with the fabric. Sweat-wicking leggings, cozy Accolade sets and cashmere each get their own rules below, along with a straight answer on the dryer (Alo’s own advice differs from page to page) and fixes for pilling, peeling and smell. Every care step here comes from Alo’s own care pages and product care tags, checked on November 5, 2026, and tips from Alo owners on r/aloyoga are marked as owner advice.
Quick answer: To wash Alo, turn the piece inside out and machine wash it cold on a gentle cycle with similar fabrics. Use a little mild detergent and no fabric softener or bleach. Hang or lay flat to dry. Hand wash cashmere and delicates, or follow the care tag.
Alo care at a glance
Read the care tag first. It’s written for that exact piece, so it wins over any general rule, including the ones in this table.
| Garment group | Examples | Water | Cycle | Drying | Never |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activewear | Airlift and Airbrush leggings, sports bras, jackets you sweat in | Cold | Gentle, inside out, like fabrics only | Air dry (hang) | Softener, dryer, towels or denim in the load |
| Loungewear | Accolade sweatpants, hoodies and quarter zips | Cold to warm (cold if unsure) | Normal or gentle, inside out | Air dry, or tumble low about 30 min, then air dry. Fold heavy Accolade pieces | Overdrying, washing after every wear |
| Delicates | Cashmere, soft knits | Cold | Hand wash or delicate, with a delicates detergent | Dry flat on a towel | Heat, hanging, frequent washing. Dry clean if the tag says so |
| Sneakers, bags, mats | Alo sneakers, yoga mats | Follow the care card | Follow the care card | Air dry, away from heat | Machine washing, unless the care card allows it |
How Do You Wash Alo Leggings in the Washing Machine?
Machine wash Alo leggings inside out, in cold water, on a gentle cycle with similar fabrics, then hang them to dry. The eight steps below follow Alo’s own wash advice for leggings like the Airlift and Airbrush, plus one owner habit that cuts friction.
- Turn them inside out. Alo says this prevents pilling and keeps the outer finish looking new. It also puts the sweatiest side, the one against your skin, toward the water.
- Use a mesh laundry bag (owner tip). Alo’s pages don’t ask for one, but many r/aloyoga owners bag their leggings to cut rubbing and snags in the drum.
- Set the water to cold. Alo’s leggings wash guide says hot water fades bright colors and “causes fibers to shorten and shrink.”
- Pick the gentle cycle and wash with like colors. Brights stay bright, and black leggings stay black.
- Use a small amount of mild or activewear detergent. Alo’s own tip is to “skimp on the detergent,” because the fabric only needs a touch of suds.
- Leave out fabric softener and bleach. Both are on Alo’s do-not list for leggings.
- Keep towels, denim, zips and Velcro out of the load. Alo bans towels and denim from activewear loads, and zips and Velcro can snag the smooth knit.
- Hang them to dry. Alo’s newer care page says activewear should always air dry. The full dryer answer is further down.
A little prep before laundry day helps too. Alo suggests hanging sweaty leggings to dry before they go in the hamper, since a damp pair balled up for days holds onto smell. It also recommends one load of only Alo-style activewear each week, which makes the “like fabrics” rule easy to keep.
How to Wash Alo by Hand
To hand wash Alo, use cool water and a little gentle detergent, then press the water out without wringing. It’s the gentlest choice for sports bras, cashmere and pieces with printed logos.
- Fill a clean sink or basin with cool water and stir in a small squeeze of gentle detergent.
- Turn the piece inside out and push it under the water.
- Swish it gently and squeeze the suds through the fabric with your hands. Skip scrubbing, which roughs up the surface.
- Drain the sink and rinse in cold water until the water runs clear.
- Roll the piece in a dry towel and press to soak up the water. Wringing twists stretch fabric out of shape.
- Hang leggings and bras to dry, and lay knits and cashmere flat on a towel.
Hand washing makes the most sense when the care tag asks for it, when a printed logo needs protecting, or when you have one sports bra and no full load of similar fabrics to wash it with.
How to Wash Alo Accolade Sets, Sweatpants and Quarter Zips
Wash Accolade sweatpants, hoodies and quarter zips inside out in cold water, with no fabric softener. Alo files these pieces under loungewear, which can take cold to warm water, but cold is Alo’s pick whenever you’re unsure.
Washing Accolade sweats and hoodies
Wash Accolade pieces with other sweats and fleece only. Leggings, towels and anything with Velcro rub against the soft face of the fabric, and that friction leaves lint and pills behind. The care tag on the Accolade Hoodie says to machine wash it separately on a cold, gentle cycle, which matches this.
- Turn hoodies, crews and quarter zips inside out, and zip the quarter zip closed so the teeth don’t catch other pieces.
- Use cold water and a small amount of gentle detergent.
- Wash new dark colors with darks only. Owners in r/aloyoga say black Accolade pieces shed lint for the first two or three washes.
The soft fabric that makes the Alo Accolade hoodie so comfortable is also the part that pills when it rubs, so it’s the part a gentle wash protects most.
Drying and storing them
Air dry Accolade sweats when you can. Alo’s care page allows a tumble dry on low for about 30 minutes to speed things up, followed by air drying the rest of the way, and it warns that overdrying is what makes softness disappear.
Fold heavier Accolade pieces on a shelf or in a drawer. Alo says hangers stretch out the shoulders of heavy sweats, and a folded hoodie keeps its relaxed, boxy shape.
How Should You Wash Alo Bras and Delicates?
Wash Alo bras and delicates in cold water, by hand or on the delicate cycle, and keep them away from heat. Sports bras follow the activewear rules, while cashmere and fine knits get Alo’s strictest care.
Sports bras
- Fasten any hooks or zips, turn the bra inside out and put it in a mesh bag (owner tip) so the straps don’t tangle.
- Wash cold on a gentle cycle with other activewear, or hand wash.
- If the bra has removable pads, check its care tag before washing them in place. Alo’s general care pages don’t cover pads.
- Hang it to dry.
Cashmere and soft knits
Alo’s care guide says to hand wash cashmere or use a cold delicate cycle, with a detergent made for delicates. Dry the piece flat on a towel. Hanging a wet knit is the quickest way to stretch it out of shape.
If the tag says dry clean, Alo’s advice is to listen to it. Cashmere also likes fewer washes, so air it out between wears and wash it only when it needs it. For fuzz on the surface, Alo recommends a cashmere comb.
Can You Put Alo in the Dryer?
Air drying is the safe answer for every Alo piece, because Alo’s own dryer advice changes from page to page and fabric to fabric. Leggings and sports bras should skip the dryer, while sweats can take a short, low tumble.
Three Alo sources give slightly different instructions:
| Garment group | Dryer? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Leggings, sports bras, jackets | No. Always air dry | Alo care guide (updated November 3, 2026) |
| Leggings (older advice) | Tumble dry low or hang dry | Alo leggings wash guide (undated) |
| Sweats, hoodies, quarter zips | Low for about 30 min, then air dry | Alo care guide (updated November 3, 2026) |
| Accolade hoodie and crew | Tumble dry low, gentle cycle | Product care tag |
| Cashmere, soft knits | Never | Alo care guide (updated November 3, 2026) |
The newer care guide is the more careful one. It says dryer heat leaves activewear stretched out, so it stops fitting the way it did when you bought it. Put together, the rule that fits all of Alo’s advice is simple: hang activewear, air dry or briefly low-tumble sweats, and keep delicates away from heat entirely.
Owners in r/aloyoga split the same way. Some low-dry their Accolades and report no shrinking, while a popular thread asking people to stop using the dryer credits cold washes and hang drying with fewer pills. One owner hangs sweats overnight, then softens them on the no-heat air setting for about 20 minutes.
What Detergent Should You Use on Alo, and Why Skip Fabric Softener?
Use a gentle or activewear detergent, use only a little, and leave fabric softener out. Alo’s care guide asks you to skip anything too harsh or heavily scented, and its leggings guide says to find one you like and be sparing with it.
Alo rules out fabric softener in both its leggings guide and its care guide. According to Alo’s care guide, softener coats performance fabric and kills its breathability, so leggings built to move sweat away start trapping it. The leggings guide adds that Alo pieces stay soft without softener when you follow the basic wash steps.
Sport and activewear detergents are made for synthetic, sweaty fabrics, and they’re worth a try if your leggings hold onto smells. Any mild detergent used in small amounts works for everyday washing. Bleach stays out too, since it’s one of the six don’ts in Alo’s leggings guide.
Why Does Alo Pill, Peel or Smell, and How Do You Fix It?
Friction, heat and buildup cause most Alo problems: friction makes pills, heat damages prints, and sweat buildup holds onto smell. Owners in r/aloyoga point out that pilling and peeling often get mixed up. Pilling is small fuzz balls on the fabric, and peeling is a logo or print lifting off.
Pilling
Pills form when fibers rub together, in the wash or against a bag strap. Alo calls pilling on cashmere normal, and its cashmere comb fix takes “under 2 minutes.” On Accolade sweats, many owners run a fabric shaver lightly over the surface (owner tip). To slow new pills, keep washing inside out with like fabrics, on a gentle cycle. Owners describe the Accolade line as prone to pilling, so careful washing slows it down without stopping it completely.
Peeling logos and prints
Protect printed logos by washing those pieces inside out in cold water, skipping softener and keeping them out of the dryer. Hand washing is the gentlest option for a favorite piece. If a new piece peels early even with careful washing, contact Alo’s customer care team, which its Help Center lists at (855) 793-3100. Alo’s standard refund policy covers unused items with tags within 30 days, so have photos of the damage ready when you reach out about a worn piece.
Lingering odor
Odor that sticks to leggings is usually buildup from regular wear, and Alo calls it normal. Its fix is to add a little white vinegar to the wash now and then to reset the fabric. Alo’s care guide also warns against leaving pieces in your gym bag after a workout or zipping them up damp. Air things out as soon as you’re home, and keep a small separate pouch for worn pieces when you’re on the go.
How Often Should You Wash Alo Clothes?
Wash Alo activewear after every sweaty wear, and loungewear after a few wears. Alo’s leggings guide says sweating on top of old sweat shortens a pair’s life, so a hard workout means a wash. A light stretch or a coffee run is different: Alo’s care guide says that if it wasn’t a heavy sweat day, you can probably get another wear.
Loungewear is “meant to be lived in,” according to Alo, and cashmere prefers even fewer washes. Between wears, hang pieces up to air out. Matching the fabric to the workout, a big part of how to choose the right yoga outfit, also cuts down how often a piece needs a full wash.
Final Thoughts
Cold water, inside out, no softener and air drying will protect almost every Alo piece you own. Loungewear like Accolade can handle a short low tumble and a few wears between washes, while cashmere and delicates need gentle hand washing, flat drying and no heat at all. When the care tag and a general rule disagree, go with the tag, since it’s written for that exact piece.
Shopping for your next pair of leggings? The Alo Yoga vs Lululemon comparison weighs fabric, fit and how each brand holds up over time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Can you put Alo in a washing machine?
Ans. Yes. Most Alo leggings, bras and sweats can go in the washing machine on a cold, gentle cycle, turned inside out and ideally in a mesh bag. Cashmere, delicate knits and anything with a “dry clean” tag should stay out, so check the care tag first.
Q. Does Alo shrink after washing?
Ans. Alo can shrink if it meets hot water or high dryer heat. Alo’s leggings guide says hot water “causes fibers to shorten and shrink,” and heat also weakens the stretch. Washing cold and air drying keeps Alo leggings and sweats at their original size.
Q. Do you wash Alo inside out?
Ans. Yes. Alo recommends turning pieces inside out before washing. It protects the outer finish, cuts down on pilling and puts the sweatiest side, the one that sits against your skin, closest to the water so it gets the best clean.
Q. How do I wash my Alo sneakers?
Ans. Alo doesn’t publish a general sneaker wash guide, so follow the care card or product page for your pair. For everyday dirt, spot clean the upper with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, then air dry away from heat. Skip the washing machine unless the care card allows it.
Q. Can you use vinegar on Alo leggings?
Ans. Yes. Alo suggests adding a little white vinegar to the wash now and then to clear odor buildup from leggings. A small splash with your usual cold wash is enough. Never mix vinegar with bleach, which Alo’s leggings guide rules out anyway.
Q. Should you use a mesh laundry bag for Alo?
Ans. It’s optional but helpful. Alo’s care pages don’t require a mesh bag, but many Alo owners use one to cut friction and snags in the drum, which helps against pilling. It’s most useful for strappy sports bras and soft Accolade pieces.
Q. How do you keep Alo Accolade from peeling or pilling?
Ans. Wash Accolade inside out in cold water with similar fleece, skip softener, and air dry or tumble on low for about 30 minutes, as Alo allows for loungewear. Fold it to store. Owners use a fabric shaver on pills, and the Alo Accolade hoodie review covers how it wears.
Q. Is Alo higher quality than lululemon?
Ans. It depends on the fabric and fit you want. The Alo Yoga vs Lululemon comparison gives Lululemon the edge for workout durability and cost per wear, while Alo leans toward style. Either brand lasts longer with cold washes and air drying.
