Detergent

[Shaula]

What is the best detergent you guys recommend for cycling clothes? I have a front loader HE washer. Thanks!!!

[Blue_Fedora]

I use Tide TotalCare for all my clothes... including cycling clothes. I skip any kind of fabric softener for the workout clothes as it effects the wicking properties.

After reading various forums I've learned quite a number of people use special detergents for their cycling clothes... but I don't.

[Blueberry]

Charlie's Soap (http://www.charliesoap.com/showProd.asp?prodID=4) I use it for everything. Of course, it's cheaper at Whole Foods!

[Owlie]

I don't use fabric softener, so I just use the same detergent I use for everything else.

[ny biker]

I use 7th Generation detergent for all laundry.

For cycling clothes I sometimes do a long pre-soak, also with 7th Generation, to make sure I'm getting the sweat and sunscreen out.

[rubywagon]

I use Seventh Generation on regular laundry, but my cycling clothes are extra stinky, so I use WIN detergent on my high tech fabrics.

[Irulan]

Here's my soapbox about WIN etc. I've been a techincal fabric specialist for 15+ years, and I have been asked about it a LOT.

WIN is regular detergent with oxygenators (aka Oxiclean) added, specially packaged and marked up. You can get the exact same results with your regular laundry product and a scoop of Oxiclean. But hey it's your money.

Woolite- is actually very harsh with lots of conditioners added to it which makes everything feel so soft. You are much better off with regular old baby shampoo.

Do not use fabric softener with wicking or technical fabrics of any sort. It actually gums up the fibers so that they won't function properly.

Dryer heat is another thing that will kill your technical fabrics, especially anything with lycra in it.

I know, more than you asked for but I am fairly rabid about this subject.

If your stuff has really nasty stink to it, soak it overnight in Biz and then wash with detergent and oxyclean.

Dawn will get most bike related grease out of clothes.

[Aquila]

I get whatever is for he with no dyes or perfumes, and cold water formulated.

And then I add some baking soda for biking clothes. I don't know if that actually helps, but I try to convince myself it does. :)

[rubywagon]

WIN is regular detergent with oxygenators (aka Oxiclean) added, specially packaged and marked up. You can get the exact same results with your regular laundry product and a scoop of Oxiclean. But hey it's your money.

Good to know. Thanks! I think.

[NbyNW]

I got a bottle of WIN out of curiosity and it works fine, a little goes a long way, but I agree with the above -- there doesn't seem to be any real advantage over regular detergent.

I've successfully gotten out grease stains, even old ones, using Oxy-Clean.

[ny biker]

From a thread on shorts -- apparently hand washing clothes in dandruff shampoo (Head and Shoulders or with the same active ingredient) gets the odors out, too:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?p=519536&highlight=head+shoulders#post519536

[lattae]

I found Tide Sport with febreze and it claims that it's specially designed for sports apparel. It does have a nice clean scent.

[zoom-zoom]

I use the Tide w/Febreeze and Borax...the Borax helps soften our HORRIBLY hard well water and seems to help with stink and stains, too.

[sarahspins]

Sportwash :D

[marni]

I use generic 7th generation type laundry detergent no fabric softener and never in the drier. I did buy some special sports detergent but it didn't do much for the excessive smell so I gave up and went back to general detergent. I can tell if it has been a good bike week by the number of sweaty outfits hanging to dry on the shower rod bedfore washing.

marni

[moonfroggy]

i use soapnuts

[ny biker]

BTW, I've been meaning to post this -- I have found that sunscreen is turning my white tops yellow. This includes the cool wings as well as a white Shebeest tank top and a pink tank top with white trim. I think a big part of the problem is that it takes up to a week before I have enough clothes piled up to fill the washer, so they sit for days before getting washed out. I've started soaking them in soapy water immediately after wearing. The cool wings are so small I can soak them in a tupperware container -- I put the top on and shake it around for agitation, then let it soak a bit.

[zoom-zoom]

BTW, I've been meaning to post this -- I have found that sunscreen is turning my white tops yellow. This includes the cool wings as well as a white Shebeest tank top and a pink tank top with white trim. I think a big part of the problem is that it takes up to a week before I have enough clothes piled up to fill the washer, so they sit for days before getting washed out. I've started soaking them in soapy water immediately after wearing. The cool wings are so small I can soak them in a tupperware container -- I put the top on and shake it around for agitation, then let it soak a bit.

Does this help? Even when I wash things immediately the yellow seems permanent. Bummer, since I have a couple of things that I don't want to wear, now, since they look NASTY!!

[Owlie]

Maybe it's the water? I know water hardness influences how dyes set, so it wouldn't surprise me if it influences how stains set.

For those of you who hand-wash things, what do you use? Laundry's expensive at my complex, and unless I've worn every pair of shorts and every short-sleeve jersey I possess (or washing a few days' worth of mine and BF's stuff), it's not worth the $1.50 to use the washer.

I use a spot of dish soap or hand soap (depends what's on hand) to get the isolated grease spots out of my jerseys.

[Skierchickie]

I use Tide - the one that's free of dyes & perfumes. It doesn't get the armpit smell out. I'm not sure - maybe it would if I rubbed some on the areas in question. If they come out still smelling, sometimes I put my jerseys & running tops in with another load afterward, for a second go-around. I do find that if I spray Nature's Miracle (the stuff for neutralizing pet odors & stains) on the underarms first, it does work. I did that yesterday with 2 jerseys that really stank, and they came out great. Sometimes I add baking soda to the load - I think it helps.

My Mom gave me a bottle of Penguin Sportwash a couple of years ago. I couldn't see that it was much better than regular detergent. Definitely not worth the cost (to me).

I think that my armpits are especially problematic. Maybe it's my diet? Age related? I don't know. I hate it. DH's workout clothes NEVER smell. Mine smell 5 minutes after I put them on (the synthetic ones, anyway). :mad:

[zoom-zoom]

Maybe it's the water? I know water hardness influences how dyes set, so it wouldn't surprise me if it influences how stains set.

It's possible, though our hard water doesn't have this effect on non-synthetic whites. Perhaps if we wore the sport sunblock it would, though. We don't get pit-stains on our jerseys, just the sunblock stains. Shame, since SO many jerseys have white trim around the neck, which is the first place that yellows from sunblock.

[Owlie]

It's possible, though our hard water doesn't have this effect on non-synthetic whites. Perhaps if we wore the sport sunblock it would, though. We don't get pit-stains on our jerseys, just the sunblock stains. Shame, since SO many jerseys have white trim around the neck, which is the first place that yellows from sunblock.

It does depend on fiber type (e.g., wool and other animal fibers will take acid-based dyes, but cotton won't), so maybe?

I wish they wouldn't do that with jerseys. It looks cool when new, but after a while....ick. I don't have a problem with sunblock (don't use it... :o ), but it still gets a bit nasty. Luckily I only have two with white collars and I don't wear either of them much.

[Irulan]

For those of you who hand-wash things, what do you use? Laundry's expensive at my complex, and unless I've worn


baby shampoo.

[redrhodie]

Irulan, since you're an expert in this area, I have a question. My bf's a chef, so we have lots of white jackets, some of which have technical fabric panels down the sides, but they are also embroidered. He has to look "impeccable". Should I put vinegar in the rinse? What about borax or baking soda? What about bleach, which I don't currently use? I appeciate any help.

[Irulan]

You can't use bleach on synthetics. I have yet to find a good way to keep synthetics bright. Oxy/biz is about the only way I know how. I would more wonder whos bright idea it was to put synthetic panels on a chef coat.

[redrhodie]

You can't use bleach on synthetics. I have yet to find a good way to keep synthetics bright. Oxy/biz is about the only way I know how. I would more wonder whos bright idea it was to put synthetic panels on a chef coat.

Yeah, they bill them as "breathable panels" which he does say is good in the kitchen, but also with the embroidery, I'm at a loss. I'll try Oxy/biz. Thanks.

[OakLeaf]

I get whatever is for he with no dyes or perfumes, and cold water formulated.

And then I add some baking soda for biking clothes. I don't know if that actually helps, but I try to convince myself it does. :)

It does. I didn't always use it.

I do the same as you. I use All Free & Clear, which doesn't come from P&G, is fairly inexpensive, and works just fine. My water is so hard that it doesn't much matter if I use the HE detergent in my front loader or not. :rolleyes:

[esmorin]

Thanks for the awesome tips, everyone! Especially about the dry and the fabric softener...which I was doing to my cycling clothes. I am going to immediately discontinue that...and hopefully convince my husband to do the same!

[Irulan]

if you ever have noticed what happens to your nice bras if you put them in the dryer... same thing to anything with a lycra component.

[GLC1968]

I use ECOS or Ecover brands for soap, throw in a scoop of oxy clean (scent free version) and I use white vinegar in the fabric softener cup. My whites are white and my bike clothes don't stink. This is for ALL of our laundry too, not just bike stuff.

[Crankin]

I use All free and Clear for everything. None of our cycling clothes stink...

[abejita]

I use Tide TotalCare for all my clothes... including cycling clothes. I skip any kind of fabric softener for the workout clothes as it effects the wicking properties.

After reading various forums I've learned quite a number of people use special detergents for their cycling clothes... but I don't.

I believe that Tide TotalCare has fabric softener in it.

[Blue_Fedora]

I believe that Tide TotalCare has fabric softener in it.

It does not contain fabric softener but according to their website it does have Protective Fiber Complex. Based on my 11 months of using it, it hasn't impacted the wicking of my family's athletic clothes.

[Irulan]

It does not contain fabric softener but according to their website it does have Protective Fiber Complex. Based on my 11 months of using it, it hasn't impacted the wicking of my family's athletic clothes.

Protective Fiber Complex.

What exactly is that?

I just love technical obfuscation.

[Blue_Fedora]

Protective Fiber Complex.

What exactly is that?

I just love technical obfuscation.

Couldn't tell ya! LOL! But I can tell ya that when I don't use fabric softener along with the Total Care, there's a serious static cling problem... so that tells me whatever it is it's NOT fabric softener! LOL!

[XMcShiftersonX]

Assos sports wash for all cycling clothes. I also have a HE front loading washer.

[arielmoon]

Seventh Generation.

[OakLeaf]

There's always homemade.

Buying a homemade detergent kit (http://www.blessmybirth.com/?s=Lehman) kind of defeats the purpose IMO ... but once you're started, you can buy all the ingredients anywhere.

[Becky]

7th Generation or Earth and Sun- depends which store I'm shopping at.

Washing soda along with laundry soap, OR
Nature's Miracle (yep, the enzymatic stuff from the pet store) along with laundry soap if stuff is really rank.

White vinegar in the softener cup.