A power-packed workout session is a combination of determination, strength and sweat. Sweat! Though the sweat that follows is a reminder that the work was well done, it can actually turn a fiery fitness regime into a foul-smelling nightmare. The calories that you burn escape the body in the form of sweat, which is capable of knocking down the next person on the gym floor. While those tiny droplets of water are an honour that you want to revel into, the nasty smell can become your biggest challenge once they dry off in your clothes. Before you turn your focus on the murderous fumes belching from your gym clothes rather than the intensity of your workout, here are a few tips that will help you clean your gym gear the right way.
Get Rid Of That Stench
Most of the gym clothing is made up of synthetic fibers, which are capable of capturing body odours for a long time and washing them repeatedly makes no difference. So basically the reason why your gym clothes are always stinky is not because you secrete evil-smelling droplets of exhausted calories, but the temperamental nature of the clothing that you wear.
Most of the times, when your gym clothes are clean, the stinky odour tends to linger on. The foul smell stays on gym clothing that has been washed several times because the product buildup helps bacteria grow, causing emissions of poisonous odours. Though this seems like a serious workout disadvantage, you can address this problem by washing your clothes inside out in cold water with a tablespoon of detergent and a cup of vinegar.
Read about Gym Hygiene Rules here.
While using a detergent be careful not to give in the temptation to use more as it plays an active part in developing product built up. Extra detergent particles stick to the bacteria, causing washed clothes smell like filth. Vinegar targets the product build up, breaking it down and getting rid of bacteria that are the real cause of your worry. Once the clothes have been washed they might give away vinegar’s smell. However, it goes away after some time. You can then choose to dry off your gym at low heat or preferably let them air dry.
Stop The Foul Smell From Recurring
By taking care of these small things, you can work your heart out without having to worry about how you smell.
- Before tossing your sweat soaked clothes into your gym bag or laundry heap make sure that they have dried off. By tossing your humid clothes into a heap would make the bacteria thrive leading to foul smell.
- Limit your use of detergent. A common misconception is that the greater the amount of detergent, greater the cleanliness. In the case of your gym gear, opposite is true. When inappropriate amount of detergent is used, the suds are not fully washed away, making your workout clothes an ideal breeding ground for gross-smelling bacteria.
Laundry Your Gym Gear Properly
To ensure clean and stench-free gym gear, keep the following tips in your mind.
Target the Bacteria: Since bacteria is the root cause for the reek, you definitely want to target it. Washing your clothes inside out will help you wash off the bacteria by making it directly accessible to water and detergent.
Limit use of detergent: Using extra detergent won’t help you get a higher level of cleanliness. In fact its residue will provide an ideal setting for the bacteria to thrive on.
Use odour-eliminating products: To get rid of the foul smell, use odour-eliminating products along with the detergent. There are many products in the market that help removing the stench from clothes. If you plan to go natural, white vinegar is a good choice.
Alternatively choose a sports detergent: A sports detergent can solve your bad smell issue and help you get clean and fragrant clothes without having to add anything extra to your detergent.
Clothing softener will make it harder: Harder for you to eliminate that ugly smell. These softeners make a coating on the fabrics fibers, making it very difficult to get them cleaned thoroughly in the tricky areas.
Air dry them: Air drying your clothes is the most natural way to keep your clothes fresh, devoid of evil smells. If you can’t take the pain, then prefer for low heat dry, as higher heat will boost the gross odour.
Photo: RDX Gym Men’s Vest
