Can Gym Clothes Reach the Point of No Return?

LorinaLynn
LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
Do gym clothes, in particular dry-weave clothes, reach a funk-saturation point from which there is no hope of ever getting them smelling fresh and clean again?

I have a few shirts that no matter how much they're laundered, they reek to high heaven. Sadly, I don't always notice this when I first put them on. Guess it's time to retire those bad boys... But I wonder... I've heard that putting smelly running shoes in the freezer kills the bacteria responsible for their pungent aroma... will the same theory hold true for other articles of clothing?

Or should I just throw out the offending shirts before they EPA comes after me?
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Replies

  • visiri
    visiri Posts: 173 Member
    Try washing with ammonia in the load - NO BLEACH though -if they mix it's a bad thing. When my husbands close get a bit too rank, I put ammonia in the fabric softener compartment and it seems to help a lot. I've heard white vinegar helps too (or that might be softening).
  • kaiteboo
    kaiteboo Posts: 141 Member
    Have you tried soaking them in baking powder or warm salt water? There is also special detergent called sport wash and sport suds that I have heard good things about!
  • cufirst84
    cufirst84 Posts: 127 Member
    With all your hard work, treat yourself to some new duds !!!! :happy:
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
    With all your hard work, treat yourself to some new duds !!!! :happy:


    Agree. My husband has had a few get so nasty that I couldn't stand to wash them. Go shopping!
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
    I get the yellow pits on white shirts, but no funk sticks with it...I've had some gym shirts for 10+ years.
  • ashfuse
    ashfuse Posts: 224 Member
    I smell like ammonia when I work out and my workout close are starting to get bad. I tried baking soda but that didn't help LOL it's mostly my sports bras that have the odor. I'd love to replace but they are expensive.
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I've heard the freezer theory applied to jeans (apparently some people never wash them?), so it might be worth a shot to try it with other clothes too.
  • KPainter70
    KPainter70 Posts: 152
    I have the same issue with a couple of my sports bras. I've tried washing with vinegar - it did nothing. Haven't tried the sports wash or baking soda yet. Right now I keep them for when I'm doing outside stuff on my own, but I'm thinking about pitching them soon.
  • itsuki
    itsuki Posts: 520 Member
    I want to emphasize that ammonia + bleach isn't just "a bad thing:" it creates a toxic gas that will kill you.

    Just as an fyi. :D

    Do you have any dusting powder or deodorant powder? Get a big ziplock bag, throw a bunch of deodorant powder and the clothes in there, shake it up, and let it sit for 24 hours. Then take it out and try washing again.
  • kgarman
    kgarman Posts: 61 Member
    I want to emphasize that ammonia + bleach isn't just "a bad thing:" it creates a toxic gas that will kill you.

    Just as an fyi. :D

    Do you have any dusting powder or deodorant powder? Get a big ziplock bag, throw a bunch of deodorant powder and the clothes in there, shake it up, and let it sit for 24 hours. Then take it out and try washing again.

    But it works so well....

    In all seriousness, smell is from bacteria. Set them out in the sun for an afternoon. That should kill the bacteria off. If it works for my hockey gear it'll work for a t-shirt.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    I don't know, some of my dry-weave kit is as fresh as a daisy, other bits smell like a wrestler's jock strap. That natural breathable fabric derived from bamboo or whatnot seems to be the worst culprit.

    I did have a free sample of some specialist sports kit wash that I've seen in running shops too that did the trick, I may just invest in some.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I want to emphasize that ammonia + bleach isn't just "a bad thing:" it creates a toxic gas that will kill you.

    Just as an fyi. :D

    Do you have any dusting powder or deodorant powder? Get a big ziplock bag, throw a bunch of deodorant powder and the clothes in there, shake it up, and let it sit for 24 hours. Then take it out and try washing again.

    But it works so well....

    In all seriousness, smell is from bacteria. Set them out in the sun for an afternoon. That should kill the bacteria off. If it works for my hockey gear it'll work for a t-shirt.
    I was gonna say - ask a hockey player! There is no funk quite like hockey funk. :sick: LOL
  • Monica_in_MO
    Monica_in_MO Posts: 162 Member
    My son's football coach always tells the boys to sit their shoulder pads and cleats out in the sunshine for a day or two to "de-funkify" them. If that's not a word, it should be. : )
  • FoamyRiver
    FoamyRiver Posts: 276 Member
    I pour white vinegar in the bleach compartment of my washer and it works wonders. My laundry doesn't smell like vinegar afterward either.
  • wendorfa
    wendorfa Posts: 53
    I've washed my daughter's pajamas after she has wet the bed and had them come out still smelling. The only thing that seems to work is Oxy Clean, and that totally takes the urine smell out. If it works for urine, it should work for funk LOL
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    Tide Sports with Febreze seems to work pretty well.
  • Jamiecfc1
    Jamiecfc1 Posts: 75 Member
    I reckon if your clothes don't reach the point of no return - you're just not working them hard enough ;). I find that after a while they do start to, umm, develop their own fragrance, plus go out of shape/lose their elasticity, so it's a good excuse to buy new stuff. I usually change mine on a fairly regular basis, that "fresh out of the box/off the rail" feeling is a bit of a motivator. Or maybe I'm just strange :bigsmile:
  • lleabrooks
    lleabrooks Posts: 87 Member
    Go Shopping!! You deserve it! :happy:
  • ahealthy4u
    ahealthy4u Posts: 442 Member
    I've heard the freezer theory applied to jeans (apparently some people never wash them?), so it might be worth a shot to try it with other clothes too.

    I don't know how it would work on people's clothes but I do know that homemade ice packs you are to through in the freezer for it will kill what ever lurks on them.

    My favorite product is the freebreeze stuff that you through in your laundry it is for ordor control. Far as shoes go people would prefure if I just bought new ones every time I take them off LOL good luck
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
    I soak and wash items in baking powder to take away musty smells.
  • 76tech
    76tech Posts: 1,455 Member
    Overnight in the freezer. Double bagged, since you're probably got actual food in there too...
    If that doesn't do it, it's perma-stink and time to get some new stuff.
  • mariposa224
    mariposa224 Posts: 1,241 Member

    In all seriousness, smell is from bacteria. Set them out in the sun for an afternoon. That should kill the bacteria off. If it works for my hockey gear it'll work for a t-shirt.

    I'm SO going to have to try this with my son's RANK-smelling hockey gear. I swear that stuff could get up and walk on its own it's so nasty!
  • mariposa224
    mariposa224 Posts: 1,241 Member
    I was gonna say - ask a hockey player! There is no funk quite like hockey funk. :sick: LOL

    AMEN to that!!!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Do gym clothes, in particular dry-weave clothes, reach a funk-saturation point from which there is no hope of ever getting them smelling fresh and clean again?

    I have a few shirts that no matter how much they're laundered, they reek to high heaven. Sadly, I don't always notice this when I first put them on. Guess it's time to retire those bad boys... But I wonder... I've heard that putting smelly running shoes in the freezer kills the bacteria responsible for their pungent aroma... will the same theory hold true for other articles of clothing?

    Or should I just throw out the offending shirts before they EPA comes after me?

    Get some OxyClean (or the generic, cheaper version) and toss a scoop in with the clothes when you wash them next.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    If they're that bad, you don't have to decide to chuck them out, they'll walk out on their own!
  • AmyLRed
    AmyLRed Posts: 856 Member
    I smell like ammonia when I work out and my workout close are starting to get bad. I tried baking soda but that didn't help LOL it's mostly my sports bras that have the odor. I'd love to replace but they are expensive.

    Ebay! i am a DD so i can only wear really good sports bras. i have found many new ones on Ebay for a fraction of the cost :)
  • Sherbog
    Sherbog Posts: 1,072 Member
    Anything that requires more work for me gets the boot.
  • katya143
    katya143 Posts: 313 Member
    THIS IS MY ISSUE!!!!!! I have tried vinegar, doesnt work! I bought sport wash, sport suds and all the other crap, havent tried it yet, but have a feeling it might not work either..... I just try to treat myself to new gear when hitting a new goal! Its motivating when u work out and smell the funk! <3
  • rgunn02
    rgunn02 Posts: 169 Member
    I wash all of my work out stuff in LOTS of vinegar and detergent. I add vinegar to the pre wash dispenser, to the bleach dispenser and to the softener dispenser. Seems to work good for me. Even ones that used to be really rank are like new again!
  • GTOgirl1969
    GTOgirl1969 Posts: 2,527 Member
    I have a couple of workout T-shirts that smell no matter how many times I wash them. I'll try the vinegar trick before investing in special sports detergent.
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