Detergent

[sarahspins]

Sportwash

[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).

[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.

[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.

[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 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.