The stink

[sookiesue]

Who's got a great way to get that stink out of all the polyester bike jerseys? I know there are magic formulas out there, so I'd love to hear them.

Back when I was doing cloth diapers with my kids (both toilet trained now - hooray!) I read that hanging diaper covers to dry in the sunshine could help clear up stains and odor.

That's the sort of stuff I'm looking for. I use unscented laundry soap, hang all my bike stuff to dry (and don't use fabric softener/scented dryer stuff anyway), and don't consider myself to be an exceptionally stinky person. But still, my jerseys are smelly.

I've heard wool jerseys don't get the stink, but it's too warm for me to use those in the summer.

Ideas?

I'm sure this has been discussed somewhere on the forum, so please direct me to any thread that may already exist...

Thanks for any suggestions!

[TrekDianna]

putting some baking soda in the wash worked for me.

[Irulan]

my special 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.

Edit: Before anyone goes suggesting WIN or other sports specific detergents, just know that it's regular detergent with oxyclean added in a fancy package that costs more.

[Artista]

TE offers Penguin Sport Wash that is touted as removing odors from high tech fabrics. I've been thinking of ordering some myself. Darn, I just placed an order that qualified for free shipping and I forgot about this stuff. Time to put it in my stash so that I'll remember next time.

[Artista]

Edit: Before anyone goes suggesting WIN or other sports specific detergents, just know that it's regular detergent with oxyclean added in a fancy package that costs more.

Hmmm...there's nothing in the product description for Penguin Sport Wash that would dispute this.

[trickycoolj]

I've had good luck getting odors out of things with vinegar in the rinse cycle (sheets, towels, sweaty summer clothes, sports gear, etc).

I typically wash my bike gear (and other wick-away sport clothes) in a gentle powder like Ivory Snow and if it was an especially sweaty day or I'm wearing my bike shorts "traditionally" I put plain white vinegar in a downy ball so it releases in the rinse cycle. Vinegar is a natural fabric softener and helps get detergent residues off of fabrics so that the fibers aren't coated and can dry properly. It also is a mild disinfectant so that helps with residual stink. Ever notice a musty/funky odor in your bath towels? The coating from the detergent residue prevents them from getting all the way dry, run them in a cycle with vinegar in the rinse and it goes away.

[Susan]

It helps to use vinegar or disinfective laundry additive. You can smell the vinegar after washing but the smell goes away when the laundry dries.

But the only thing that really gets rid of the stink is to wash in hot water. Most sport fabrics should not be washed hot, but I still do it once in a while - haven't had a problem yet. After that I hang them out in the sun if possible.

My wool jerseys don't stink as much, but to say they don't stink at all wouldn't be true

[Crankin]

I've never had a problem with jerseys stinking. May I ask what brands you have? I do remember when I first started riding (2000), some of the jerseys I had, and particularly, the ones DH and DS had were thicker,had more polyester, and held odor more.
I wash my shorts in hot water and hang to dry, but I've never washed jerseys in hot water.

[Bike Writer]

Another vinegar user here. I put in about a 1/2 to full cup depending on the size of the load. I use plain white vinegar and it takes away odors. So far it's never harmed anything of mine yet.

[Becky]

Biz. I do the soak that Irulan recommended if the clothes are really foul. After that, a 1/2 cup added to each load of cycling/fitness clothes keeps the odor under control. With the Biz, I never have to wash anything in water warmer than "warm".

[pll]

I've never had a problem with jerseys stinking. May I ask what brands you have? I do remember when I first started riding (2000), some of the jerseys I had, and particularly, the ones DH and DS had were thicker,had more polyester, and held odor more.
I wash my shorts in hot water and hang to dry, but I've never washed jerseys in hot water.

Ditto, I've never had an issue with stinking exercise gear. I put all of it in the washer on the 'warm' cycle right after exercise or the day after, hang everything to dry (indoors). If I have to wash it the next day, I make sure it is aired in the meantime (not crumpled and damp in a hamper). I use some ordinary Arm & Hammer detergent that I pick at a Target.

[Grits]

I have had the problem with my Buff headbands. I add some oxyclean powder in with the clothes and wash on gentle with my regular detergent.

[BodhiTree]

Dandruff shampoo works very well to get the stink out of man-made fibers.

[Irulan]

Hmmm...there's nothing in the product description for Penguin Sport Wash that would dispute this.

That's a new product I haven't seen. I'd like to pass the ingredients list on to my detergent specialist and see what they say. I do know that WIN is a regular detergent with oxygen boosters.

Y'all do know not to use fabric softeners with wicking fabrics? They build up residue that reduces the wicking function.

[ny biker]

My jerseys usually smell okay, though sometimes they maintain a faint sunscreen odor. But sometimes I have to wash my shorts twice to get them fresh-smelling.

I think I will try vinegar.