My workout clothes stink! Help!

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  • dementedlove
    dementedlove Posts: 1 Member
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    Have you tried those pre-wash sprays for sport clothing? My brother-in-law uses one from walmart (sorry I can't seem to find the name of it), sprays his clothes, let's it sit, then washes as usual. It didn't smell super purfumey to me.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,898 Member
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    bebeisfit wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    whats wrong with a perfumey smell?

    I'm not a fan of perfume, and most of the products I buy are scent free. Plus it gives me a headache and when I'm working out, it's the last thing I want to smell. I have moved to the other side of the gym because someone was wearing cologne/perfume.

    Ya, I went to my gym a few hours before close Sunday and she was mopping near me and the scent of the cleaner ruined my workout. I actually haven't been back since and it is probably unconsciously due to that although I know she doesn't clean during the times I usually go on Tues and Thurs.

    I was going to recommend vinegar as well and see I am really late to that party. I buy the big gallon jugs for cleaning.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited January 2017
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    This is one of the reasons I like wool.

    a lot of the wool i wear develops a sort of . . . sour smell under some conditions. it's not b.o. and not that wet-dog thing, more like the vinegar family. i traced it tentatively to dyes, but that's just a guess.
    bebeisfit wrote: »
    I tried the vinegar & borax combo

    cool bonus: borax is a flame retardant too. not that it matters much, but can't hurt.

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,525 Member
    edited January 2017
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    3dogsrunning wrote: »
    I had this problem. I solved it a few ways

    1. Let the clothes dry after workout if you don't wash them right away. Balling them up in the clothes hamper or gym bag keeps them damp longer. More bacteria = more smell.
    This is the MAIN issue. When I teach boxing, I tell all my clients to make sure they wipe out the insides of their gloves and let them stay open in the air to dry out.......................or else they will reek.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • Lovelessrobot
    Lovelessrobot Posts: 1 Member
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    Warm water wash cycle helps.
    An occasional soak in warm water and Napisan helps too.
    I also leave my gym clothes out on the line for as long as possible for extra fresh air and sunshine.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    . When I teach boxing, I tell all my clients to make sure they wipe out the insides of their gloves and let them stay open in the air to dry out.......................or else they will reek.

    I find they still reek. I'm experimenting with wearing surgeons gloves before putting on the boxing gloves.
    If that doesn't work, i may microwave them, heheh. :+1:
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    . When I teach boxing, I tell all my clients to make sure they wipe out the insides of their gloves and let them stay open in the air to dry out.......................or else they will reek.

    I find they still reek. I'm experimenting with wearing surgeons gloves before putting on the boxing gloves.
    If that doesn't work, i may microwave them, heheh. :+1:

    @Cherimoose
    They say to store running shoes in the freezer (assuming you have a freezer with some space you don't mind sharing with your shoes). It is supposed to kill the bacteria. Maybe it would work for the gloves.
    I've also heard spraying with some vodka. Maybe if I was in the US where you can get cheap booze, but where I am, booze it too expensive to waste on my running shoes.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    I use a lavender biodegradable detergent I bought at Whole Foods. Makes the laundry room smell like aroma therapy! Try washing or at least rinsing your clothes right when you get home.

    You may want to talk with your doctor, this can be an actual medical condition, kinda like sweating too much.

    Some foods can exacerbate it. Especially garlic, onions, cumin and other pungent spices/seasonings. I eat garlic when I travel to mosquito infested areas as it can help keep them away--they don't care for the odor. Maybe try eliminating some and adding them back in?
  • arplass2
    arplass2 Posts: 9 Member
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    Try a drop of Dawn dish soap, a cap of Pine sol, with your normal laundry soap. See if that helps
  • suzan06
    suzan06 Posts: 218 Member
    edited January 2017
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    I tried the tide febreeze and the stink of the fake perfume was worse than the BO.

    I find hanging to dry outside is the key. My theory is the UV kills the bacteria that makes them smell bad.

  • sunburntgalaxy
    sunburntgalaxy Posts: 455 Member
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    bebeisfit wrote: »
    fishgutzy wrote: »
    Does your machine have a "sanitize" cycle? This can kill bacteria that might otherwise survive a warm or cold wash cycle.

    Nope, no sanitize cycle. It's a pretty crummy washer/dryer. I also do not have well or hard water. Lake Michigan water.
    If you have Lake Michigan water and don't have a water softener then the odds are that you have hard water.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    fishgutzy wrote: »
    Does your machine have a "sanitize" cycle? This can kill bacteria that might otherwise survive a warm or cold wash cycle.

    This. I use my sanitize cycle whenever smell is involved. It's infallible. If you don't have a sanitize cycle you could always do what my mother used to do, boil your clothes in a big pot with soap and water.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,166 Member
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    ritzvin wrote: »
    Febreze spray in a travel bottle. Spray the hell out of them before putting in the bag.

    Yes, and these kinds of products are available in unscented versions, though you may have to look harder to find the unscented. Seems a lot of people must prefer the perfumed ones . . . .
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    IF your clothes have become detergent saturated(not all that uncommon, Running 1-2 times with no detergent will help.

    Second, third, fourth vote on the Borax as well

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