- Wash it the same day you train: cold water, inside out, gentle cycle, regular detergent.
- Skip bleach and fabric softener, white gis included.
- Hang it in the shade with airflow until it’s completely dry. A dryer shrinks cotton.
- A cup of white vinegar in a cold soak gets the smell out.
- Wash your belt with your gi, and your rashguard after every session.
How to wash a BJJ gi, step by step
- Take it out of your bag as soon as you get home. A wet gi in a closed bag is where the smell starts.
- Turn it inside out and tie the pants drawstring loosely so it doesn’t slip out.
- Wash in cold water on a normal or gentle cycle.
- Use a regular or sports detergent. Skip bleach, which weakens cotton and fades colors and patches, and skip fabric softener, which coats the fabric and can hold on to odors.
- Wash it on its own, or only with gis of the same color, so colors don’t bleed.
- Hang it as soon as the cycle ends. A gi left sitting in the washer can start to smell.
Washing a new gi? Do it before you sew on any patches: most gis shrink a little the first time, and patches sewn on before that can bunch up (RVCA).
No washing machine? Wash it by hand
Traveling, or no washer at home? A bathtub or a big sink works:
- Fill it with cold water and a little detergent, and turn the gi inside out.
- Soak it for at least five minutes, longer if it’s sweaty or stained.
- Rub the fabric against itself at the collar, underarms and knees. Skip the brush, which wears the weave.
- Rinse until the water runs clear.
- Squeeze the water out without wringing or twisting, which stretches the seams, then hang it to dry.
Those steps follow the gi makers RVCA and Kingz; both say hand-washing is gentler on the fabric.
Drying without shrinking
Hang your gi to dry on a wide hanger or a line, in the shade, somewhere with airflow; a fan speeds it up. Heat from a dryer shrinks cotton, often unevenly, and direct sun and irons can shrink and fade it too. Our gi size guide explains how much gis shrink.
The CDC sees it differently. Its advice on preventing staph infections in athletes is to wash uniforms after each use and dry them completely, in a dryer rather than air drying (CDC). Gi makers say hang it, to keep the fit. Either way, put your gi on only when it’s completely dry, and if a skin infection is going around your gym, the dryer is worth a little shrinkage.
How to shrink a gi on purpose
If your gi runs a little long, you can shrink it, a bit at a time. Here’s Kingz’s method:
- Wash it in hot water, around 60°C (140°F).
- Dry it on high heat, checking the fit every 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stop early, and let it cool before you decide on another round: the fabric relaxes a little as it cools.
- To shorten only the sleeves or pants, dip just those parts in hot water and dry them.
You can’t undo it, and only cotton shrinks this way. If you compete, keep the sleeves and pants within the IBJJF’s gi rules.
Getting rid of the smell
If your gi starts to smell, soak it for 30 to 60 minutes in cold water with a cup of white vinegar, then wash it as usual and let it dry completely. Washing on the same day you train is the best prevention.
A vinegar soak once a month keeps odors from building up, and skip scented laundry additives: they cover smells instead of removing them (Kingz).
Keeping a white gi white
The same rules apply: cold water, no bleach and no harsh detergent (Hayabusa). Soak stains in cold water as soon as you get home, overnight if they’re stubborn, and Kingz suggests a little baking soda in the wash to keep a white gi bright.
Your belt, rashguards and shorts
Some people never wash their belt out of tradition, but it soaks up the same sweat as your gi. Gi makers say to wash it with your gi, in cold water, then hang it to dry (RVCA). Then tie it so it stays tied.
Rashguards and shorts need washing after every session too, and gentler care than a gi: soak them in cold water while you shower, wash them inside out on a cool, gentle cycle (a mesh laundry bag helps), and hang them out of the sun. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat, because heat damages the stretch fabric and can melt prints (RVCA’s rashguard guide).
The gym bag rule
Bring a separate bag for your wet gi on the way home, take everything out as soon as you arrive, and let the bag air out. A mesh bag helps.
How many gis you need
If you train twice a week or more, a second gi lets one dry while you wear the other. Many people buy a second gi once they know they’ll keep training.
Just starting? You don’t need a gi for your first class: here’s what to wear to your first jiu jitsu class.
Why it matters
A clean gi protects your training partners as much as you. Washing after every class, showering after training, trimming your nails and covering cuts all help keep skin infections like ringworm and staph off the mats. Read more in is jiu jitsu safe?
Gi size chartBook a free class
BJJ gi care questions
Should I wash my gi after every class?
Yes. Sweat and bacteria build up fast. Wash it the same day you train.
Can I put my gi in the dryer?
Only if you don’t mind it shrinking: heat shrinks cotton, often unevenly, so gi makers say hang it. The CDC prefers a dryer for athletes’ uniforms, so if a skin infection is going around your gym, use it and accept a little shrinkage.
Should you wash your BJJ belt?
Yes. Gi makers say to wash it with your gi, in cold water, then hang it to dry. Tradition aside, a clean belt is better for everyone.
How do I get the smell out of my gi?
Soak it in cold water with a cup of white vinegar, wash as usual, and let it dry completely.
How do I shrink a BJJ gi?
Wash it hot and dry it on high heat, checking the fit every 5 to 10 minutes, and stop early: you can’t undo it. Here’s how to shrink a gi, step by step.
How do I wash a gi by hand?
Soak it inside out in cold water with a little detergent for at least five minutes, rub the sweaty spots against themselves, rinse until the water runs clear, then squeeze it out without wringing and hang it to dry.
How do I keep a white gi white?
Cold water, no bleach, a little baking soda in the wash, and a cold soak for stains as soon as you get home.
Can I wash a judo or karate gi the same way?
Yes: cold water, inside out, no bleach or fabric softener, and hang it to dry. Check the label first, since some gis use other fabrics.
Sources: RVCA, BJJ Gi Care Guide: Washing and Drying: after every use; never hot water; gentle cycle; no bleach or softener; hand-washing; the belt with every gi wash; hang it right away, out of the sun; wash before sewing on patches. RVCA, BJJ Rash Guard Care: cold soak, inside out, gentle and cool, a mesh bag, air dry out of the sun, lowest heat if machine dried. Hayabusa, Tips for Maintaining a Pristine, Clean Jiu-Jitsu Gi: cold water, no bleach or softener, washed alone, no sun or iron, the same rules for white gis, the belt after every wear. Kingz, How to Wash and Shrink Your Gi the Right Way: hand-washing, a monthly vinegar soak, no scented additives, baking soda for white gis, and shrinking on purpose (hot wash around 60°C, high heat, check every 5 to 10 minutes, stop early). CDC, Athletes: MRSA Prevention and Control, reviewed June 2025: wash and fully dry uniforms after each use, in a dryer rather than air drying.