{gettin' the stink out of workout clothes}

TMI...but between my husband and I, our dirty clothes hamper can be rather stinky by the end of the week from all the workout clothes. Like, take your breath away gross! I guess it is a testimony to how hard we work out during the week. But goodness, gracious! Does it have to smell so bad??

Sweat like a pig to look like a fox right??

But over time of putting our workout clothes through so much use, they had started to have a permanent stink even after being washed. Surely we aren't the only ones?

I've read rinsing your workout clothes in water after you take them off would help the smell. But if you are like me...who has the time for that? Plus where am I going to hang these now, more sopping wet clothes so they can dry? Space is an issue where we currently live. So I don't have room to have really wet clothes laying around to dry. Between my husband and I that could be 5 or 6 items a day.

I mean, if they are still pretty sweaty when I take them off, I do kinda lay them out so they can dry some before piling them in the hamper. I learned that lesson several years ago after seeing some sweaty clothes grow some nasty stuff when left too long balled up in the hamper.

I don't like to wash clothes that often. Running out of clean workout clothes is the indicator in our house that the laundry needs to be done. More accurately, it is when my husband runs out of workout clothes. Can you imagine that I have more workout stuff than he does?? ;) I could go at least a week longer.

So back to the permanent stinch. I don't know all the scientifics (which apparently isn't a word, I just discovered...but I like it, so I think it should be one) of it, but after a time of months, even years, those clothes start to stink regardless if they just came from being "properly" washed. And I preferred not to smell like I've just workout before I even started my workout.

My first thought was... if this stinch is permanent, I'll need to throw these workout clothes away and get all new ones. Of course, that is fun to think of at first. Then I realized that isn't really feasible for the budget. So then I thought...maybe I can find a way to wash them differently to help get rid of the smell.

So I did what anyone does when they are looking for an answer to one of life's most puzzling questions...I googled it! And I did find several suggestions on cleaning workout out clothes. I pulled ideas from a couple of them. (I did this so long ago, I don't recall which ones I looked at to give credit for helping me coming up with my recipe.) But it has worked very well! It does take some extra steps and time...but people will be less likely to avoid you for smelling bad before you even begin your warm up.

One of my past fitness instructors and friend used to say she felt like her workout clothes smelled like Doritos! Doritios do smell pretty bad.

So here's what I do to get the permanent stink out of my workout clothes...

I do this almost every wash. And I say ALMOST because there are times I skip it if I didn't have the extra time.

What you need:
White vinegar
Baking Soda
Detergent of choice

Step 1:
Soak your workout clothes in a 2:1 ratio water to vinegar for 30 minutes.

Yes, that is a lot of vinegar! But it is cheaper than buy new workout clothes.

You can soak it in a big tub or a large sink or in the washing machine. At first I was soaking them in a large tub. (If only I had a large sink in my laundry room!) After 30 minutes I would ring out the clothes and place them in another tub to carry with all my might to the washing machine. Then duh! hit me and I started soaking them washing machine. Genius! I know! I could fit more clothes too! And I wouldn't have to carry the tub of heavy clothes from outside to inside! Any case, so I fill up the washing machine tub with water and added the vinegar and clothes. Let them enjoy their vinegar bath for 30 minutes. Start a timer if you need to. Then turn the washer to the last spin cycle to drain the water and get the excess water out of the clothes. Next, move on to step 2.

Step 2:
Wash your workout clothes as you would for a normal wash but with half the amount of detergent you would normal use and replace the other half with baking soda. So a 1:1 ratio detergent to baking soda.

* Now, I don't have a HE washer. So I have no idea if this would work the same with a HE washer. If you have one, let me know, so I can let others know.

Step 3:
Dry your workout clothes like you normal would. Some of mine go in the dryer with a dryer sheet. Some are hung to dry.

Note: It might take 2 washing like this to really get the stink out.

My husband and I both have some workout clothes that we have had for a VERY long time! And they smell so much better now than they used too.

I know vinegar doesn't smell that good. But somehow it does help eliminate or mask odors. When I was doing my different clinical settings for nursing school, I remember visiting a home of a gentleman who was bed bound. If you have ever been around someone who is bed bound, unfortunately unpleasant odors can be present. His wife had small bowls of white vinegar around the house with a potato slice in them to help with the odor. And it really made a difference compared to other houses I visited. So another tidbit.

If you try this, let me know. Or if you have another method you use to get the stink out of clothes, I'd be glad to hear!

Be.STRONGER! ~  ♥ JenG


Like me on Facebook.
Follow me on Pinterest.