Laundry question

[JustKate]

I remember reading a couple years ago about a detergent or process or something that was designed to remove that sweaty smell from workout clothes. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time because in my simple, direct way, I thought, "Just wash them regularly, you ninny."

Well, silly me. I wish I'd paid attention now because the article was about difficulties with some of the nifty high-tech fabrics used in exercise gear. The problem, apparently, is that since these fabrics are designed to wick sweat away from the body, they tend to hold on to the sweat and thus hold on to the odor.

And dang it, those ninnies were absolutely right. I have in the intervening couple of years acquired several sets of exercise clothes in these high-tech fabrics, they do wick the sweat nicely, and darn if they don't hold on to the odor. They smell clean enough when they come out of the dryer, but they start to smell slightly - just slightly - sweaty very soon after I put them on.

Well, I don't like it. I don't mind getting sweaty (well, not too much - it's unavoidable, after all), and I don't mind smelling sweaty when I've done something that has made me sweat, but smelling slightly like a gym locker from almost the moment I put on my workout gear is something I'd rather avoid.

Can anybody advise anything? A particular detergent or a presoaking routine or something? I warn you, if I don't get an answer here, I might have to try one of the mostly-gal threads, and frankly, you guys would lose some prestige with me.

 

[planetiowa]

You could try Gain, a detergent. It's claimed that it removes odors. Toss in a scoop of Oxi-Fresh, too. It couldn't hurt!

 

[RoJoHen]

Bleach...and fire.

 

[JustKate]

Re. "fire" -

Re. bleach - You can't use bleach on those high-tech fabrics - not chlorine bleach, anyway, and the non-chlorine kind helps not at all. See? I knew I should ask this of somebody fluent in laundry.

 

[Vulcan Princess]

I've never found an odor that baking soda can't remove. Just throw some in when you add the detergent. If you add a little bit of vinegar to the rinse cycle (where you would add fabric softener), that can help with odors, too. (The clothes don't come out smelling like vinegar; it dissipates.)

 

[JustKate]

I've used vinegar to help with other things - it takes away petroleum smells, for example, and it keeps towels nice and soft. I can't remember if I've tried it for sweaty or pseudo-sweaty workout clothes, but what the heck?

And thanks for reminding me about baking soda. I should have thought of that myself.

 

[RoJoHen]

I was just at Dick's Sporting Goods, and they had a "sports strength" laundry detergent there. I think it's made exactly for what you're trying to do.

 

[JustKate]

^ I thought about asking when I was there last, but I didn't. I guess I underestimated them. Thanks, RoJoHen.