Stinky Workout Clothes!

A

AKB

New Member
Thanks to Cathe and you all, I sweat my butt off several times a week. And my laundry basket is suffering!

Even after washing in scented laundry soap (which isn't my preference, actually), they still smell! Especially my sports bras.

I do tend to wear them two days in a row, and I don't wash them right away. But I feel confident I'm not the only average American woman on this forum who doesn't insist on tiny loads of laundry every day.

Any luck with specific detergents, additives or other things? Thanks! Amy in PA
 
I wash clothes about 2 times a week and I usually end up with 4-7 sets of workout clothes per load along with my husbands clothes. I hand my wet workout clothes on a hook in my bathroom to dry before I put them in my basket. I use Tide pods and spinkle Downy Unstoppables in my loads. My husband is a Firemedic so his clothes get pretty smelly and I found that the Downy additive really helps. He also golfs and here in SWFL he sweats a lot. Downey also has one that is suppose to be like a deodorant for your clothes but I have not tired that yet. For me I find the key is to let the clothes dry before putting them in the basket.
 
Certainly not now, it's 15 degrees outside. But, during the Summer, I hang clothes on a clothesline. When I bring them in, they smell like sunshine and fresh air. Hanging clothes outside to dry, is therapy for me. I love being in the sunshine. My sisters think I'm nuts, that's ok. I have lived in places, that have covenants against clotheslines. Just tell everybody, you're going green.
Definitely make sure they are dry, before they go in the hamper.
 
The only way I have found to get the perpetual stink out of my work out clothes is to soak them for 24 hours in warm/hot water with baking soda and vinegar. I stir them around during the 24 hours and then wash them in detergent. Sometimes I will let them sit for longer than 24 hours. This method has worked for me and the stench is no longer a part of the fabric.

I have found that I only have to do this every so often, not every time I wear them!
 
tralaiven said:
The only way I have found to get the perpetual stink out of my work out clothes is to soak them for 24 hours in warm/hot water with baking soda and vinegar. I stir them around during the 24 hours and then wash them in detergent. Sometimes I will let them sit for longer than 24 hours. This method has worked for me and the stench is no longer a part of the fabric.

I have found that I only have to do this every so often, not every time I wear them!
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@tralaiven

I do not relate to the topic but I am interested in you tips Tracy. I like my laundry to smell very fresh and use fabric conditionners.
Do you think adding baking Soda and vinegar to a pre-wash would work? I would not mind trying your tips and save
some fabric conditionners. Thanks
 
nckfitheart2009 said:
@tralaiven

I do not relate to the topic but I am interested in you tips Tracy. I like my laundry to smell very fresh and use fabric conditionners.
Do you think adding baking Soda and vinegar to a pre-wash would work? I would not mind trying your tips and save
some fabric conditionners. Thanks
Click to expand...

It would probably be a great thing to try to do this on a regular basis. I think it would probably help. The one thing I found, personally with some fabric softeners (or conditioners) like Downey, here in the States, is that sometimes it only masks the smell. So then I have this unpleasant floral-B.O.-smelling clothes! I think I will start washing my workout clothes separately and adding the baking soda and vinegar regularly to my wash load and see what happens. I just use regular white vinegar.
 
tralaiven said:
o then I have this unpleasant floral-B.O.-smelling clothes! I think I will start washing my workout clothes separately and adding the baking soda and vinegar regularly to my wash load and see what happens. I just use regular white vinegar.
Click to expand...

I do not like the floral smell either:(:(:( I always go for other scents, some of them here are mild and you hardly smell them
after wash. What work better for me is Tablet containing a mild conditioner or Capsules (tiny sachets filled with liquid). I no longer
use powder.

That said That is exactly what I am going to do ---- Adding baking Soda and vinegar to wash load;);)
 
I've been adding lemon juice and spearmint essential oil to the wash and it works (add the oil during the rinse, lemon juice at the beginning). The Vancouver area (and our home) can get quite damp and sometimes to bed clothes etc. smells damp/musty and this clears it right up along with my gross workout tops. I have used baking soda as well, but I actually found this to be more effective. (of course don't use lemon on fine clothes like silk etc.) Although I didn't do the soaking trick with baking soda like Tracy. Great tip!! :) I just added to the wash.
 
desertambrosia said:
during the Summer, I hang clothes on a clothesline. When I bring them in, they smell like sunshine and fresh air.
Click to expand...
Hanging clothes under UV rays also kills dust mites, so win-win!! I don't have a large yard at all, but when I get one, the bed clothes will all go out on the line. Love clothes fresh off the line!! Especially sheets.
 
desertambrosia said:
Certainly not now, it's 15 degrees outside. But, during the Summer, I hang clothes on a clothesline. When I bring them in, they smell like sunshine and fresh air. Hanging clothes outside to dry, is therapy for me. I love being in the sunshine. My sisters think I'm nuts, that's ok. I have lived in places, that have covenants against clotheslines. Just tell everybody, you're going green.
Definitely make sure they are dry, before they go in the hamper.
Click to expand...

100% agree on this! Spring, summer and fall are great times for line drying clothes, desert ambrosia.

Great tips everyone. I never tried or heard about your suggestion for clothes, Elsie. I heard soaking white clothes that have been stained yellow in lemon juice and letting them sit in the sun will brighten and remove the stains, but I've never tried it, personally.

I do avoid liquid fabric softener on my workout clothes especially the ones made with lycra. Not the 100% cotton items those will go through the regular cycle. My husband is a hunter, so I use the scented softeners to a minimum and/or use unscented soaps. Hunter's detergent removes odor and scent from the clothing which works wonders, that's an option as well.
 
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I have a separate hamper for my workout cloths....and I never wash my workout clothes in regular detergent....gentle cycle only and I use shampoo.....hang on a rack in front of a fan to dry.
 
~Elsie said:
I've been adding lemon juice and spearmint essential oil to the wash and it works (add the oil during the rinse, lemon juice at the beginning). The Vancouver area (and our home) can get quite damp and sometimes to bed clothes etc. smells damp/musty and this clears it right up along with my gross workout tops. I have used baking soda as well, but I actually found this to be more effective. (of course don't use lemon on fine clothes like silk etc.) Although I didn't do the soaking trick with baking soda like Tracy. Great tip!! :) I just added to the wash.
Click to expand...
Great idea! I will try this!
 
My mom in Germany always used Persil, her laundry always smelled heavenly :) I was so happy I found Persil in Walmart a few month ago:D I don't use softener or dryer sheets. My laundry smells heavenly and it reminds me of my mom every time:D Even my DD is using it for her laundry. She lives in DC and can't get it. Persil isn't cheap even in WM, it's around $18 for 75 loads :( I buy the Persil PROCLEAN Power- Liquid 2 in 1.
 
I have tried so many different things and nothing seems to work. My clothes come out of the wash smelling just fine (I use unscented detergent), but when I start working out again, I smell them. My belief is that once the clothing gets to a certain age the stink is just there to stay. I wear my clothes until they die a dreadful death, so that probably has something to do with it. :0) I have tried baking soda, vinegar, sports wash, pre-soaking, etc. and nothing has kept the stink out of the old clothing.
 
I use a biotex, it was originally a Danish product, and is available everywhere here in the uk (is it available in North America?). It's an enzyme detergent, made for biological stains and smells. Basically blood, sweat and tears. Perfect for Cathe workout clothes!
 
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