If you’ve got linty leggings, you want to take care of it.

Odds are you have some tool in your arsenal that can help with the problem. But are they all suitable for leggings, are some more suitable than others, and what if you have nothing and are just stuck in a bind? 

Let’s get to it.

What Is Lint, Really?

First, though, let’s be clear on what lint is. It’s the stuff that’s captured in the dryer lint trap. But what is it made of? Basically lint is an accumulation of fibres that are visible to the naked eye. You’ll have some clothes (or even rugs and bedding) that ‘sheds’ and that shedded material can become lint on your clothes.

But other particles can join the party too. From pet hair to pollen, dead skin to dust, lint can become a veritable accumulation of all the little fibres and particles that surround us. Like dust, it’s visible when a certain amount accumulates, and more visible on dark surfaces.

Do Not Use the Dryer to Remove Lint from Your Leggings

The dryer removes a lot of the ‘loose’ fibres from our clothing. Towel and bedding sheds more when it’s new, so you’ll often see a significant accumulation in the dryer’s lint trap when you launder new bed linens or towels.

And so it’s natural to assume that the dryer is great at removing lint from leggings, right? Wrong! Dryers and leggings just do not mix. The heat can cause leggings to stretch, elastic to snap and more. 

Read this article for more information about whether leggings can go in the dryer.

But, in short, do not think that the dryer is a good way to rid your beloved leggings of lint.

How to Keep Lint Away in the First Place

Prevention is always better than the solution. And while not all lint is preventable, some is. Try these precautions to avoid lint.

Wash Your Leggings Inside-Out

The washing machine can loosen fabrics so if you wash leggings with items that generate a lot of lint (like towels and bedding) the fibres they shed in the wash can cling to your leggings. Even if you rigorously separate your laundry, turning your leggings inside out will at least prevent the lint grabbing to the outside of the garment. But it also has the added benefit of washing the side of the leggings that were against your skin more thoroughly.

Wash Leggings With Similar Synthetics

Washing leggings with garments of a similar weight helps prevent them being stretched by heavier items. But washing leggings with other synthetics means there’ll be a lot less lint in your laundry. Lingerie, athletic clothing, pantyhose and tights (in appropriate mesh bags), swimwear, anything with spandex — these are all good things to wash together.

Wash Dark Clothes Together

The most noticeable clothes lint occurs when fibres from light items (like white towels) accumulate on dark items. By washing darks with darks and light with light you go a long way to preventing lint.

Don’t Use Fabric Softeners

When you do that synthetic wash, skip fabric softeners. Fabric softener will leave a very noticeable residue on the top of your leggings. This residue can also dull and discolor your leggings and give them that cloudy, lint-like appearance. Softener is great for your towels and bedding, but keep it away from workout gear, including leggings.

Go Easy on the Detergent

Too much detergent can also leave residue. Sometimes we’re tempted to think “more is more” with detergent, especially with sweaty clothing like yoga pants after a workout. But, actually less is more and too much detergent can fail to be rinsed away, leaving an icky (and potentially irritating) residue on your clothes.

Add a Little White Vinegar to Your Wash

White vinegar - what can’t it do? From cleaning windows to deodorizing, it is certainly a household essential. A small (¼ cup) of white vinegar added to your wash can help prevent lint sticking to garments, as well as deodorizing your wash.

5 Ways to Remove Lint from Clothes Like Yoga Pants or Leggings

If it’s already too late, here are some of the lint removal tools and techniques you can safely try on leggings:

1. Get Rid of Lint With Lint Rollers (Sticky Sheet or Gel) or Lint Brush

The lint roller (either the sticky sheet kind or the gel kind) or lint brush can work on leggings. Gently roll them across the fabric and repeat until the lint is clear. Don’t be rough or abrasive; you’d be surprised how easy it is to ‘nick’ the surface of leggings.

2. Wipe a Dryer Sheet on the Leggings to Remove Lint

Although leggings shouldn’t go in the dryer, wiping them with dryer sheets can catch the lint. Again, be gentle here, no aggressive rough rubbing back and forth. Depending on your perspective, you might love or hate the fact that some of the dryer sheet fragrance could rub off too. So if you’re sensitive to smell, look for the fragrance free dryer sheets.

3. MacGuyver it With Masking Tape or Sticky Tape

Don’t have a sticky sheet lint roller? You can hack together something similar by making a ball of masking tape, or wrapping it around your hand (sticky side out, of course). Using a piece of tape may not be the most elegant solution. But, in a pinch, it usually does the job.

4. Try a Rubber Glove to Get Rid of Lint

Rubber can be sticky too, so you could try putting on a rubber glove and running your hand across the leggings. You should find the lint rolls into little piles you can pick off.

5. Cover Your Hand With Old Nylons or Pantyhose

Similar to the rubber glove method, you can try putting your hand inside an old pair of nylons. Nylons also love to pick up lint, so it becomes a bit of a battle of the lint-grabbers… nylons versus leggings. 

We *Don’t* Recommend the Following as a Way to Remove Lint from Leggings

There are many other products out there for removing lint, fuzz or pilling on sweaters and other garments. However, these are too rough for leggings and other synthetics so we recommend you avoid any and all of the following:

Pumice Stone 

Great for removing pilling and lint from sturdier materials but can cause little tears in leggings.

Shavers / Defuzzers / Razors 

A must-have for your favourite knit sweaters, but too hardcore for your synthetics.

Velcro

Ever noticed velcro holds onto a lot of lint? It makes it a handy lint remover too, but velcro is also prickly and those little spikes can pull at delicate fabrics like silk, spandex etc.

Scouring Pads or Damps Sponges

Both of these are popular alternatives to specialty lint removal products, but the rough side of sponges and scouring pads are just too rough for your leggings.

The Good News: You Can Get Rid of Lint

Overall, though, the news is still good! There’s a long list of products and solutions for removing lint on your leggings. If you find yourself caught out, you’ll probably be able to McGuyver something together with some tape even. 

There are also some steps you can take to prevent lint from happening (especially in the wash). But also relax, sometimes lint just happens.

We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we’re not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition. We’re here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you’ve been given. Phew, now that that’s out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.