Stinky Jerseys?

[cycling@42]

How do you get the sour sweat smell that has been washed into the jerseys out? My DH thought perhaps they should be washed with baking soda. Does anyone have any words of wisdom?

Thank you!

[OakLeaf]

Baking soda and sun-drying will prevent odors from building up. I don't know how well they'll do at removing odors that are already there, though.

[Grits]

I have had some success with soaking items in some white vinegar/water solution. I don't have any specific measurements, just put some water in a bucket and add some vinegar. Then I wash mine in the delicate cycle.

[tribogota]

and how to get the smell out of the straps of my camelbak that smell too, since they are under my arm????

[sundial]

Have you tried removing the bladder and soaking the Camelbak in mild detergent? I've put mine in a sweater laundry bag and washed it on delicate in the washing machine and air dried it. Make sure everything is out of the pack first.

Another thing I've done is pour rubbing alcohol on the offensive material and letting it set for a couple of minutes than laundering it.

[Becky]

I use washing soda added with the detergent to remove odors, and white vinegar in the softener cup to remove soap residue.

[Mr. SR500]

WIN detergent, best stuff ever...

http://www.windetergent.com/

[ny biker]

If you use the dryer rather than hanging them to dry, use a low heat/permanent press cycle, not high heat.

[silver]

WIN detergent, best stuff ever...

http://www.windetergent.com/


ditto (you got the new TTX?)

[Irulan]

WIN is nothing but regular detergent with oxyclean added. It's a ripoff ismho...
From the website, "The super oxygenated formula in Win Detergent...". Super oxygenated means oxygen booster which is the same thing as oxyclean.

try the Stinky Bike Gear recipe
Soak in "Biz" overnight, at least 12 hours. this is an enzyme
based presoak that goes after organic matter, not your regular presoak.
Then, rinse that out and then run through the wash with a laundry product
called Oxyclean, which is not an detergent it's an additive. You should be
able to get that at any supermarket

Other laundry notes:
pack, armor, gloves can be washed in the washer. Put in a laundry bag or a pillow case to keep straps from getting tangled.

No Dryer.

Do not use fabric softener on wicking fabrics. It coats the fibers so they don't work properly.

Helmets, hose off and air dry.

Hand washing, use baby shampoo not Woolite. Woolite is a detergent with conditioners added to make things feel soft. Baby shampoo is a mild as it gets plus it's lot cheaper.

(my day job is a technical fabrics specialist)

[deeaimond]

Thanks Irulan, and yr day job is your qualifier... hahha :D

I've never liked fabric softener coz it feels sticky after the washing is done. I know some people who use it like a laundry cure-all... And I never like sticking technical fabrics in the dryer. It air-dries so quickly. Better for the environment that way right? less dryer use?

[shootingstar]

I've never liked fabric softener coz it feels sticky after the washing is done. I know some people who use it like a laundry cure-all... And I never like sticking technical fabrics in the dryer. It air-dries so quickly. Better for the environment that way right? less dryer use?

Air-drying is nice for any wicking tech. fabrics.

I've never used fabric softener in my life nor was raised in a household that used fabric softener and can't see any compelling reason to do so in the future.

[Owlie]

Hand washing, use baby shampoo not Woolite. Woolite is a detergent with conditioners added to make things feel soft. Baby shampoo is a mild as it gets plus it's lot cheaper.

(my day job is a technical fabrics specialist)

I don't know if it's true for wool cycling gear, but I from what I learned (I knit) that one should use just regular (not baby) shampoo on wool, because baby shampoo is supposed to be gentle on skin, whereas regular shampoo is supposed to be gentle on hair, which is essentially what wool is. *shrugs*

[Irulan]

I don't know if it's true for wool cycling gear, but I from what I learned (I knit) that one should use just regular (not baby) shampoo on wool, because baby shampoo is supposed to be gentle on skin, whereas regular shampoo is supposed to be gentle on hair, which is essentially what wool is. *shrugs*


you may be right about that. What I do know is that Woolite is full of junk.

[PamNY]

Soak in "Biz" overnight, at least 12 hours.

Does "Biz" still exist? I assume it does or you wouldn't mention it, but I haven't seen it in a store in years.

Pam

[Owlie]

you may be right about that. What I do know is that Woolite is full of junk.

Yeah. Woolite + wool= bad.

[cycling@42]

for all the ideas. I think I will be buying Biz tomorrow! The jerseys are costly and I'm not willing to spend the $ to replace them until I've tried all options to rid them of the stink!!

[Eden]

I found a detergent called Ecover for delicates that really works nicely to make stinky cycling clothes fresh again. It's biodegradable (the ingredients actually do look a lot like shampoo....). It has a very faint citrusy scent, but doesn't usually leave much of that on your clothes. It does remove odors quite well.

[smilingcat]

:eek::eek:woolite:eek::eek:

Oh dear :eek::eek: I rinse my jerseys really well and dry it on a line. Not in a dryer. did that many years ago and ruined my jersey. Evar since, I've line dry all my jerseys not dryer.

I've never heard of Ecover. I'll do a search and see what I can come up with. Its not at TJ's is it?

And what should I do with half a bottle of woolite? dumping down the toilette doesn't seem like a good idea, besides I hate wasting. Is it still okay to wash with it and just make sure I rinse and rinse? or is there something bad that will degrade the fiber?

more things to worry :(

[Irulan]

leftover woolite? I'd do ahead and use it up. You aren't going to "kill" your garments. It's just that there are better choices out there.

We all succumb to marketing in one way or another. ;)

[Irulan]

Does "Biz" still exist? I assume it does or you wouldn't mention it, but I haven't seen it in a store in years.

Pam


It is a lot harder to find now.

[ny biker]

FWIW, I wash all my clothes in the same detergent. I used to use Tide liquid detergent but last year I switched to 7th Generation. I dry almost everything in the dryer because there's very little room to hang wet things in a 1BR condo. If I presoak anything, it's in the same detergent that I use for regular washes. This has worked fine for my cycling and workout clothes.

[Jiffer]

I use Oxi Clean detergent with Arm and Hammer in it. Dh's running and cycling clothes used to smell so much that I wouldn't even wash my "less smelly" cycling stuff with his, because they'd come out of the wash smelling worse than when they went in! Now our clothes can co-mingle and they both come out smelling fine. I just sniffed the jersey I'm wearing that just came out of the dryer with his stuff and it's all smelly good!!!! :D

[sundial]

Does "Biz" still exist?

Another alternative is Nature's Miracle. It is an enzyme based product that is safe on fabrics.

[smilingcat]

Another alternative is Nature's Miracle. It is an enzyme based product that is safe on fabrics.

Nature's Miracle. Used it on a pair of capris. one of my kitties was angry with me and decided to let me have it. Soaked it in nature's miracle and it removed the cat pee smell altogether. Final test was the sniff test from all the other cats. And it passed. Yes it will get rid of sweaty smell too. Just make sure to wash with regular detergent afterwards to wash out the Nature's Miracle. It seems to leave residue of some kind if you don't. My capris smell and look like it was never sprayed by a cat.

Oh the product can be found in pet supply stores. Bit pricey but its the only thing that will remove something as potent as cat pee or day old tomato juice stain.

[Zen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biz_(detergent)



TISSUE, not issue :p

[OakLeaf]

Well dang, I'm sure that's not what my parents used to use when they cleaned off chicken skeletons to practice re-assembling them... :rolleyes:

I can't remember what they did use though. I seem to recall a faint odor of bleach.

[shellabree]

I ended up purchasing Win from Sport's Authority in 'hopes' that it would do what it is touted to do and get the burned-in stink out of my bras and technical T's. Did it work? Nope! Nada! Of course, I'm not surprised at all now that I've read it's just detergent with oxyclean added to it. No surprise at all, since I've already tried oxyclean to no avail.

In the most recent Bicycling Magazine, there was a "stinky" article that made mention of a new detergent called "No Sweat". Here's the link: http://www.nosweatlaundry.com/ It says that it completely gets out ALL of the bacteria via a hydrogen peroxide route. The article also said that you can just 'add' hydrogen peroxide to your regular detergent, but it doesn't say how 'much' to add. Hm, I wonder?

I'm very intrigued by the mention of Nature's Miracle on here. I actually keep that stuff around b/c of my pets. Never even thought to give that a shot. Thanks for the advice! :)

[Tuckervill]

My hubby's work out clothes are pretty stinky and it builds up. Febreeze for the laundry does take it out. I find the Febreeze to be kind of expensive.

Karen

[papaver]

I found a detergent called Ecover for delicates that really works nicely to make stinky cycling clothes fresh again. It's biodegradable (the ingredients actually do look a lot like shampoo....). It has a very faint citrusy scent, but doesn't usually leave much of that on your clothes. It does remove odors quite well.

Ecover is great! I love their products... but even for us they are expensive (it's a Belgian brand so no import taxes).

[Jiffer]

We use Arm and Hammer Oxi Clean detergent, yellow bottle. Dh's running and cycling clothes used to smell so bad, I wouldn't even keep my less stinky stuff in the same hamper with his, much less wash them with his, because the smell would transfer. Now our clothes can cohabitate and they come out of the wash oh so smelly good!

[TrekTheKaty]

Actually, regular shampoo isn't gentle on hair. At some point, people decided they liked their hair to be "squeaky" clean. Most shampoo nowadays strips hair. When I switched to gentler shampoo and shampoo less often, my hair improved dramatically.

Off to find some biz--after two years, my favorite jersey is starting to stink.

[jessica47201]

Has anyone tried any of the detergent that they sell in the hunting sections of department stores? The ones that are good for getting all of your body odor out so you can stalk your prey in the woods without being detected? If it is supposed to work for killing bambi, it should work for killing my competition, right?

[aeiea]

wait a minute wait a minute...

hunting detergent aside...

so I do a lot of handwashing of delicates and workout / cycling clothes ... I've been using regular laundry detergent, which I hate, and soaking them in that ... are you saying i can just use my cheap trader joe's shampoo?? or even a vinegar/water mix??

and where is this handbook of an inexpensive and purer life that you guys all seem to have?

[jessica47201]

I'm not sure if hunting detergent is gonna work or if it was the right thing to suggest, i'm just interested in knowing if anyone has used it and had any luck with it, since that's the whole point behind it's marketing.

[TrekJeni]

My friend is working on this problem and has solved it but I don't think we are going to go through with a formulation as he can't convince management it would be a money maker.

All I can say is try washing your athletic clothes in Head & Shoulders. The regular kind with Zinc Pyrithone. It has antifungal and antibac properties. Only need to do it about once a month. Helps with malodor issues in the front loaders too.

Try it and thank me later. :D

[MyOrbeaDiva07]

OK. Here is the best recipe for removing the Odor from your Stinky Jersey. "Nature's Miracle". You can find it at your local Pet Shop. Squirt/saturate the offending area (usually the underarm area of your jersey) with Nature's Miracle. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then wash as usual. It will not fade or stain your clothing. It is wonderful!! P.S. I don't own a Camel Pack but I bet it will work on that as well.. Just squirt it on, let it sit for a few minutes and then hand shampoo the affected area and rinse.

[Becky]

All I can say is try washing your athletic clothes in Head & Shoulders. The regular kind with Zinc Pyrithone. It has antifungal and antibac properties. Only need to do it about once a month. Helps with malodor issues in the front loaders too.

How much H&S would you use for a full HE washing machine load? Or is this best suited to hand washing?

[TrekJeni]

How much H&S would you use for a full HE washing machine load? Or is this best suited to hand washing?

My friend tosses a regular cap full in as if if you were using your regular liquid detergent. For hand washing, he just takes a five gallon bucket and puts a couple of squirts in it with water and lets the garments soak for about a half an hour.

[Biciclista]

I wouldn't put nature's miracle in a CamelBak, the smells in it are not from mammals, they are from molds and mildews. I'd use something stronger like bleach or vinegar (one alkaline, one acid, don't mix!)

[ny biker]

My friend is working on this problem and has solved it but I don't think we are going to go through with a formulation as he can't convince management it would be a money maker.

All I can say is try washing your athletic clothes in Head & Shoulders. The regular kind with Zinc Pyrithone. It has antifungal and antibac properties. Only need to do it about once a month. Helps with malodor issues in the front loaders too.

Try it and thank me later. :D

Cincinnati? Does your friend work where I think he works? (edit: if only I could spell it right.)

Thanks for the tip.

[Owlie]

Cincinnati? Does your friend work where I think he works? (edit: if only I could spell it right.)

Thanks for the tip.

That was my guess too...

[fatbottomedgurl]

My suggestion for stinky jerseys....wear wool.

[fatbottomedgurl]

Oh and natures miracle is an enzyme. It will eat any organic material including mold and mildew.

[aeiea]

My suggestion for stinky jerseys....wear wool.

The last time I wore wool, my sensitive skin got irritated (possible rashes) and I was uncomfortable. Have they improved how wool feels?

[Cataboo]

The last time I wore wool, my sensitive skin got irritated (possible rashes) and I was uncomfortable. Have they improved how wool feels?

try merino wool... smartwool, icebreaker, or ibex...

and read the woolweenies thread

[OakLeaf]

Are you allergic to wool or lanolin? There's no cure for that. Or were you just wearing high-diameter wool?

[KnottedYet]

Ahhh, wool... even my wool undies and socks don't stink. TE has a good selection of high quality small diameter wool (thanks, Susan!)

Here's a link to the Woolweenies thread: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=11808 It's very long, over 2,000 posts.

FWIW I wash all my wool with my regular clothes in Ecover or Dr. Bronner's lavender liquid castile soap, depending on the mood I'm in.

For my stinky man-made fibers I use Dr. Bronners or Ecover, dry them in full sunlight, and spray them after they dry with Aveda Chakra 1 if they still stink. I know, I'm just covering up the odor... but I'm phasing out my stinky fibers and can't be bothered to work harder on it. I will be looking into Head and Shoulders, though; that sounds like a good trick!

[indigoiis]

Alpaca wool has smaller diameter fibres. They don't make bicycle jerseys out of alpaca (yet.) But it's a nice lightweight and hypoallergenic, non-scratchy wool.

Indy
who doesn't work for head and shoulders
but has an alpaca or two.

[Biciclista]

I'm wearing alpaca right now. Have worn an alpaca sweater on a ride. I wouldn't do it all the time because Alpaca is kind of fragile. but it's sure nice stuff!

[aeiea]

Are you allergic to wool or lanolin? There's no cure for that. Or were you just wearing high-diameter wool?

No idea, but I'm the kind that can get irritated skin from clothing tags; currently in itching pain due to using the wrong lotion. Perfume and nickel, cannot come near it (I guess one benefit is having to tell BFs I can only have real jewelry lol). One reason I moved to a warmer place (from NYC) was to be able to wear less clothes!

I'll try those wool recommendations, though. And whoa, that WoolWeenies thread is loooong. Anything with hardcore fans is worth checking out.

Dr. Bronners <3 ... never thought of using that for clothes. Question, would the almond version make my clothes smell like... almonds?

[indigoiis]

I'm wearing alpaca right now. Have worn an alpaca sweater on a ride. I wouldn't do it all the time because Alpaca is kind of fragile. but it's sure nice stuff!

Alpaca shouldn't be fragile. Of course, I have come across some imported items that kind of fell apart after an accidental washing.

Basically, if you wash on cold, even with agitation most alpaca holds up well... but if you have a really special piece that is more delicate, you would just soak and spin it, and then lay flat to dry.

My alpaca socks have been through many cycles of laundry and while they are fuzzier than when I first got them, they are tough and comfortable and keep my feet warm and dry!

And they don't smell! ;) Yay alpaca!

[Biciclista]

i havae 3 different Alpaca sweaters, all catch easily - that's what i mean by fragile. I got them all at different times, so I assumed that was what the stuff was like.

[malkin]

Snagability may have more to do with the way the fiber is spun and then knit than what the fiber is.

[malkin]

Reading about alpaca, some old neuron fired and made me think "hollow."

http://www.dosalpacas.com/en/alpaca-fiber/

What do you know about that?!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I like Woolite. So sue me. :D I wash all my clothes in it, since half of my everyday clothes are either merino or lycra anyway. I don't use a heck of a lot in the load. Hasn't hurt my precious wools yet in 2 years now. Everything comes out smelling fine. Tried Ivory Snow and hated the smell. Can't bear the awful smell of Head and Shoulders ((shudder)) Baby shampoo?- too many suds. My husband does his own laundry and uses that expensive Kucaburra wool wash stuff on it. it smells like lavender.

[OakLeaf]

Dr. Bronners <3 ... never thought of using that for clothes. Question, would the almond version make my clothes smell like... almonds?

Yep. I prefer the lavender myself. I still use the industrial stuff in the washing machine, but I use Dr. Bronner's on my breathable gear, since it's soap not detergent.

[OakLeaf]

wait a minute wait a minute...... are you saying i can just use my cheap trader joe's shampoo??

Oh heck, hotel shampoo is what I use any time I'm traveling, to wash out clothes in the sink as needed. To the point that on trips to Europe where I'm forced to travel light, hotels sometimes stop bringing me more shampoo... :rolleyes:

Workout clothes are high on the list because they tend to dry so quickly. Even if I'm not traveling particularly light, I generally just bring one set to wear and one to wash.

[fatbottomedgurl]

They can have my Ibex merino wool sport bras when they peel them from my cold dead breasts.

[OakLeaf]

They can have my Ibex merino wool sport bras when they peel them from my cold dead breasts.

:D:D:D:D:D:D In your Ibex merino wool sport bra, they'll be your warm dead breasts.

[Cataboo]

:D:D:D:D:D:D In your Ibex merino wool sport bra, they'll be your warm dead breasts.

I still get cold clammy sweat breasts in my ibex merino wool sport bra. It's not as bad as the patagonia sport bra version. But blech.

[fatbottomedgurl]

Yeah they get soaked with sweat like any other bra. But so comfortable. I don't notice the wet until I get off the bike.

[indigoiis]

***Quick aside to the Hijack topic: alpaca :p ****
I know that the secondary fibers are hollow - those are often the ones that you feel because they are straight, a larger diameter than the other fibers, and often do not spin into the yarn but rather pop out.

The primary fibers tend to be very low in micron so very soft to the touch when spun.

The industry is trying to breed out secondary fibers... in some cases it is working but in all alpaca you will find secondary fibers. We also try to skirt it out of the fleece before processing.

Here's another good link:

http://www.gatewayalpacas.com/alpaca/alpaca-fiber/fiber-overview.htm

[Medianox]

Alpaca wool has smaller diameter fibres. They don't make bicycle jerseys out of alpaca (yet.) But it's a nice lightweight and hypoallergenic, non-scratchy wool.

Indy
who doesn't work for head and shoulders
but has an alpaca or two.

Currently knitting a fine gauge neckwarmer from 100% alpaca. It it hands down the softest fiber I have ever worked with (been knitting since I was 8).
Give those alpacas a hug from me!

[TrekJeni]

That was my guess too...

Yep - as do I and most of the town. :D

Jeni