What do you do with your sweaty gym clothes at work?

hannahmay1985
hannahmay1985 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 14 in Fitness and Exercise
I live in NYC and am finding that the most convenient time to work out is before I head into my office job. However, I can't leave my gym clothes at the gym, and I take public transit, so I can't leave them in my car. If I leave soaking wet clothes in my gym bag for the whole day, they get that musty gross smell. I don't really want to hang them out at work; there's no place private (I work in a cubicle) and I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable leaving wet sports bras around the office. Any tips on how to keep things from getting gross in my bag? Particular bags that prevent this issue somehow, or some way to control odor within the bag? Help me!!

Replies

  • oocdc2
    oocdc2 Posts: 1,361 Member
    Hmmm...that's a quandary. The only place left, I think, is loosely draped waay under your cubicle desk, maybe along the cubicle wall? It's not ideal, but at least they'd air out a bit.

    Failing that, perhaps keep them in the bag with baking soda sprinkled all in there. I hope there are seasoned city-dwellers that can help, 'cause that's all I've got...
  • BrianKMcFalls
    BrianKMcFalls Posts: 190 Member
    Google hockey bag dry locker, it's huge, but it is on wheels. Someone might make something smaller, search around.
  • LookingBusy
    LookingBusy Posts: 72 Member
    What about leaving a dryer sheet in your gym bag? That should help with the smell
  • MsAmandaNJ
    MsAmandaNJ Posts: 1,248 Member
    If hanging them below your desk isn't an option for you, maybe you can roll your sweaty stuff in a towel. It'll help wick some moisture away so that they're not still soaked (and extra funky) when you get home.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    can you stop at a laundry mat really quick and dry them for a few minutes?
  • Philtex
    Philtex Posts: 1,223 Member
    XXL plastic zip lock bag.
  • twinmom_112002
    twinmom_112002 Posts: 739 Member
    I keep a gallon sized zip lock bag in my gym bag. My wet running clothes go in the bag when I change. Then when I get home at night they go in a mesh hamper get washed at the end of the week with a sports wash. You can also google wet bags (used for cloth diapering) for a nicer solution.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    MsAmandaNJ wrote: »
    If hanging them below your desk isn't an option for you, maybe you can roll your sweaty stuff in a towel. It'll help wick some moisture away so that they're not still soaked (and extra funky) when you get home.

    This is what I do - I'd rather have to deal with sweaty clothes when I get home than make my office smell with any kind of airing-out.

    I throw all my gear in a separate laundry basket when I get home and do a weekly load of workout stuff on hot with detergent and vinegar and it seems to kill any and all odours.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    edited January 2017
    I leave them in my bag. I use vinegar and Borax in my laundry so there's no musty smell to speak of. I work out at lunch though, so they're sweaty for a few less hours than yours.
  • CTcutie
    CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
    edited January 2017
    I have an Apera bag (from ebags) and it came with a zippered pouch, but you can buy the pouches separately.

    "sanitized-infused antimicrobial product protection resists the formation of bacterial odor, inside and out". Description also says it's perfect for separating wet items from dry.

    11.2" x 8.5" x 0.2"

    I usually just use it for toiletries, though.
  • ilfaith
    ilfaith Posts: 16,769 Member
    When I lived in the city, I usually went to the gym in the evenings, but when I did work out in the morning, I usually stuffed my sweaty clothes into a big ziplock bag after.

    But something like this might work for you.

    https://www.amazon.com/Tide-Odor-Absorbing-Sports-Laundry/dp/B0096G8IOO
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    my Shameful Secret is shoes. i just can't bring myself to inflict my post-lifting or -cycling shoes on the rest of the world.

    i found these little charcoal pouches in the laundry/air freshener section of some rather-naff grocery store. different brand, but the same thing. i stuff a couple of them into each shoe when they come off, and then i seal them away from the rest of the world and just let them sit there and think about themselves until it's time to take them back out of time-out. little drawstring baggies of borax that i made myself out of some close-weave fabric seem to help too, but those are a little more fiddly and there's always the risk of leakage.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    In camping and hunting websites there are all sorts of plastic bags that are scent-proof to put stinky clothes in. But just the Ziplock really big bags work pretty well.
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