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Stinky gym clothes

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Replies

  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    I agree with the cotton thing. Not that long ago I bought a bunch of really cute mesh-y type gym tops. I just have to look at them and they stink. Ended up chucking them all into the goodwill pile for the next person to discover how crap they are.

    My cotton tanks don't get that horrid onion smell ever. Just wear loose cotton tanks with big arm holes that are not sticking to your armpits and for me, that seems to work well.

  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Nothing today smells as bad as the original polypropylene underwear that was the first “tech” fabric back in the 1970s. I think it came from Sweden. It looked tiny out of the box—like a pair of panty hose—and then stretched out and was skintight.

    I remember being amazed at how it worked in colder temps—like a warm glow, even when sweating. But did it retain odor!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited August 2019
    Poly cycling jerseys/shorts which I can get totally soaked - I rinse out in the shower right afterwards when I take one, and leave on hanger in shower to drip dry.
    As long as don't leave it against the wall but out where air movement occurs - no problem.
    Even with re-sweating in them, nothing springs back worse.
    Doesn't smell like dryer sheets or detergent of course, but not normal poly smells (which I know well from backpacking) either.

  • strongernurse
    strongernurse Posts: 98 Member
    I put unstoppables in the wash and I spray them with Lysol before I wash them. Probably bad to do but it doesn’t smell.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    I have this problem occasionally with both cotton and synthetic fibers.

    Yes, cotton does it too. Just not as bad.

    I use Persil regularly, with oxyclean. Still builds up.

    The cure for me is white vinegar. I soak the clothes in diluted white vinegar for an hour or more and then wash. They come out smell free.

    I treat them about once a month or try to. I can tell it builds up all the time, but normally it can be tolerated. Makes me wonder how NOT clean the rest of my clothes are, eh?

    I just did my clothes and I was shocked after my last workout, my clothes just smelled normal, a little wet, almost clean. Last time I worked out they smelled reeked immediately post-workout. I just thought I was smelly. No, it was the clothes.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    I also find that synthetic delicate clothes have this problem, as you can't wash them on warmer or more vigorous cycles. I have had some little shrug sweaters get this - and I'm not wearing them to the gym.

    Vinegar works there too.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    MPDean wrote: »
    If you perspire prolifically then wicking fabrics feel even worse than cotton.

    I do perspire prolifically and I much prefer artificial fibers that wick moisture over cotton. Much prefer.

    I have no dry fabric remaining on my body (except my socks, oddly) at the end of a run. I prefer cotton to wicking fabrics. The polyester/lycra compression capris get saggy when wet and chafe. The cotton/lycra version stay put and just feel wet. Personal preference is a real thing. The cotton stuff also holds less stink.
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