Stinky gym clothes

coquinat

Hey guys!
I didn't know where else to put this topic, but I want to know what you guys do to get the stank out of your clothes? I wear the same clothes and I sweat a lot and it seems that some bacteria have decided to make a home in my favorite workout gear. I saw a detergent in the sports equipment store specifically for this, but I'd prefer a home remedy. Yesterday I washed my stuff with clorox 2 and detergent in cold water because I want to keep the colors, and put it out in the sun to disinfect/dry but it still smells.

allaboutthecake

Spray/saturate your clothes with white vinegar and let them set for 10 min.
Don't use any bleach.
Add 1/4 cup of Vinegar to the rinse cycle of your washing machine.
Repeat process if necessary before drying.
Hang to dry. (Dryer will "set" the stain/smell)



(edited to be a bit more specific)

Oi_Sunshine

Try adding Vinegar to your rinse cycle.

Yes to vinegar! Throw in a cup.

If that doesn't work, try half a cup of baking soda to the wash cycle.

shiningpotential

I add about half a cup of baking soda to my load when I put it the detergent. It helps with the smell, plus boosts the cleaning power of your detergent. Adding vinegar to the rinse cycle is another good one I saw suggested above. Also, sometimes your actual washing machine needs to be washed, believe it or not. Google how to wash your washing machine. There are some good home remedies for that, too.

Laura732

So far the TIde Active has been working for me. Same price as the regular tide. I also make sure that the gym bag is never zipped all the way closed (usually leave about 2" open).

gotolam

Use hot water. Cold water cycle is never going to get your sweaty clothes clean enough. I'd rather have the faded color.

DayByDayGetStronger

Vinegar. I promise it totally works. I have a spray bottle filled with 75% vinegar and about 25% water in the bathroom. When I take off my clothes (and not just my gym clothes) I squirt the under arms and neck of my shirts heavily until saturated. I toss them in the hamper and when the load gets washed, I put vinegar in the bleach reservoir of my washing machine.

Fabric softener, BTW, will over time start building up layers on your clothes and trap the stink in. The vinegar cuts through it nicely. Try vinegar in your whites (towels and sheets too) and it works like a champ. I even wash my husband's bed pillows with a lot of vinegar in the wash since he sweats when he sleeps and OMG his pillows start getting rancid after about 2 weeks in the summer time.

Also, on my white shirts with yellow underarm stains...make a paste with water and oxyclean and scrub it in with a little brush. Let sit overnight. Even shirts that are years old with stains will come bright white again.

Good luck.

ronrstaats

I have a sanitary cycle on my washer that super heats the water and washed for over an hour..

3dogsrunning

I sweat a lot too.

The first thing I learned it to dry them out quickly. Don't let them sit in your gym bag or laundry hamper, it makes them worse. I'll hang them to dry if I am not washing right away.

The other thing I do is use vinegar as others have suggested. 1/4 cup in with detergent. And sometimes 1/4 cup for rinse.

ETA - I also use cold water. This works for me.

jenilla1

I add some Borax and it takes the stink right out of my husband's nasty gym shirts.

allaboutthecake

I add some Borax and it takes the stink right out of my husband's nasty gym shirts.

I use same, but found Borax doesn't dissolve as well in cold/cold water wash (which is what I use on my own).

supplemama

Hot water & vinegar, yep

cardbucfan

Vinegar. I promise it totally works. I have a spray bottle filled with 75% vinegar and about 25% water in the bathroom. When I take off my clothes (and not just my gym clothes) I squirt the under arms and neck of my shirts heavily until saturated. I toss them in the hamper and when the load gets washed, I put vinegar in the bleach reservoir of my washing machine.

Fabric softener, BTW, will over time start building up layers on your clothes and trap the stink in. The vinegar cuts through it nicely. Try vinegar in your whites (towels and sheets too) and it works like a champ. I even wash my husband's bed pillows with a lot of vinegar in the wash since he sweats when he sleeps and OMG his pillows start getting rancid after about 2 weeks in the summer time.

Also, on my white shirts with yellow underarm stains...make a paste with water and oxyclean and scrub it in with a little brush. Let sit overnight. Even shirts that are years old with stains will come bright white again.

Good luck.

I love you I think!

I love the vinegar idea and plan to use it too. I also let mine dry before they go in the laundry basket (much to my husbands great dismay since I hang them over the bathtub to dry and he gets to look at them!) and wash in cold but definitely over time it builds up.

3dogsrunning

I never use fabric softener on workout clothes. Most of mine are wicking material and it is not good for that type of material. It stops the wicking ability.

veggieluvr45

I've always used hot water and a big scoop of baking soda on my son's super-smelly football clothes (that would get used every day for a week between washings) and it always worked to get all the smell out. Don't use fabric softener, it traps the stink in the fabric.

coquinat

Thanks all, I'll give these remedies a shot this week!!

veggieluvr45

I never use fabric softener on workout clothes. Most of mine are wicking material and it is not good for that type of material. It stops the wicking ability.

WAIT WHAT!?

Everything I have that is UnderArmour brand says not to use fabric softener on it, I never really thought about the reason though.

ksandy1224

Vinegar. I promise it totally works. I have a spray bottle filled with 75% vinegar and about 25% water in the bathroom. When I take off my clothes (and not just my gym clothes) I squirt the under arms and neck of my shirts heavily until saturated. I toss them in the hamper and when the load gets washed, I put vinegar in the bleach reservoir of my washing machine.

Fabric softener, BTW, will over time start building up layers on your clothes and trap the stink in. The vinegar cuts through it nicely. Try vinegar in your whites (towels and sheets too) and it works like a champ. I even wash my husband's bed pillows with a lot of vinegar in the wash since he sweats when he sleeps and OMG his pillows start getting rancid after about 2 weeks in the summer time.

Also, on my white shirts with yellow underarm stains...make a paste with water and oxyclean and scrub it in with a little brush. Let sit overnight. Even shirts that are years old with stains will come bright white again.

Good luck.

ksandy1224

I am so going to try that with the underarm stains on a white shirt. A friend of mine told me that these stains are produced by ingredients in your deodorant. Has anybody else heard this?