How to get the smell of sweat out of clothes

[Drbrowns]

Any tips on how to get the smell of sweat out of gym clothes, especially tops. Even after washing two or three times they smell pretty bad. I don’t want to have to throw them out because they’re still in really good condition, and I can’t keep buying new gym tops every few weeks anyway. I don’t use fabric conditioner and I try to wash as quickly as possible after taking them off but not sure what else to do.

I spray the armpits with Dr Beckmanns spray for deodorant stains/smells. I then wash using a prewash setting with powder in the prewash bit and halo sports wash for the main wash. Put a couple of capfuls of zoflora in the fabric softener bit of the machine too or use sanitiser instead

This is the spray. I buy it from amazon

Yeah I think the low and quick might be what started the problem. Not sure if I’ll be able to get the halo wash in Ireland, have checked a few shops online, but will keep an eye out next time I’m in the supermarket. Will try the dettol wash at a higher temp and pre treat them with the Dr. Beckmanns stuff.

I’ve heard of spraying (cheap) vodka on sweaty tutus, can’t comment if it works.

I just add a capful of Zoflora to the wash and wash at 40C, not 30. That usually works.

Hang outside in sunshine, clothes turned inside out. UV light is known to kill the sort of bacteria that creates the odour. If it is a windy day also, as the clothes dry out, the combined effect of sun and wind will also remove particulate skin and bacteria detritus from the cloth.

White vinegar. Stick a very generous glug in the fabric conditioner compartment and then do the wash.

Personal trainer here (so I get through a lot of gym clothes!)

You need a sports detergent like Halo. Ecozone do one that is okay...ish and there are a couple of Spanish ones from a brand called Asevi which are alright too. I usually also chuck in a capful of either laundry disinfectant (I never got on with Dettol, but others have recommended it so it's worth a try) or cheapo vodka.

Most things I wash at 30 the first time, just to test the fabrics, and subsequently at 40 or 50. 30 isn't enough, even with the sports detergents. And you need to run a full programme, not a quick wash.

The most important bit: no fabric conditioner. Ever, ever, ever. It ruins technical fabrics (which are actually closer to plastics than fabric, really). And don't tumble dry either.

Lastly, if you've got stuff where the sweat smell is already 'baked in' (sorry) you might have to chuck and get new; once it's in it can be difficult to get out. You could try soaking in Napisan or similar, or white vinegar, and see how you go.

If you're after new gym clothing I can recommend Lululemon and Nobull; both seem to wash well and don't acquire that slightly odd musty smell that some sports clothing seems to get after a while. They're not cheap but they're tough and they will last.

I add a couple of drops on tea tree oil to smelly laundry and it usually does the trick.

I use a few drops of eucalyptus oil and that works!

OP, put the smelly clothes in a plastic bag and leave in your freezer overnight. The smell should be gone, then wash as normal.

I am a white vinegar fiend and always have a massive container in!

I keep a spray bottle of about 1:4 vinegar to water and spray my stinky gym tops (really saturate them, especially around the armpits) before washing. Quicker than soaking and seems to work well.

The only tip I haven't tried is the freezer one.

I've resorted to buying a couple of merino tops. They're the only ones I don't have an issue with. I can't wear anything with polyester else after a couple of wears it just stinks.

I really want to know the back story to how this conversation came about.

Fairy washing up liquid generously soaked into the area.

Halo is excellent. Unfortunately I'm allergic to it.

Vinegar is also excellent, but will eventually bleach the pits of the tops. Might not be as bleaching on synthetic as cotton?

I think that the smell is caused by bacteria consuming the sweat, not by the sweat itself. So I soak the pits of the shirt in hand sanitiser before taking it off. Works well on new shirts that haven't started ponging, not so well on older shirts that have already acquired pong.

Halo and vinegar work on both new and old pongs.

How are you drying them? I always find sticking my gym gear out for a few hours in the fresh air after a wash leaves them much nicer smelling!

Sometimes on offer at Wilko for £5 for 2.5l I get the sensitive one as it isnt fragranced.

This only works up to a point. Freezing bacteria slows them down, but doesn't kill them. Quite often the smell comes back when the clothes warm up again.

A little Zoflora in the pre-wash section of the washer. It even sorts out the Long-Sleeved-Running-Top-Of-Doom

No idea what DH does to his clothes but it freshens them up no end too.

Ha ha @AffIt dd used to dance, this advice was shared by one of her more fragrant friends, after all tutus are not the most washable items of clothing. Nothing exciting sorry. Dd didn’t stink enough to need to try it!

I wouldn’t wash technical fabrics at 60 degrees. You will ruin them.
I spray my DC’s school shirts (armpits) with white vinegar and never any residual smell. Their shirts don’t get washed until end of the week and armpits of shirts always smell. I wash at 40 also. I decant white vinegar into an empty spray bottle. Works fine.

I use the Dr Beckman's spray or other brand alternative, if you accidentally get it on your fingers it's like concentrated grapefruit juice so I think it's probably citric acid? Anyway vinegar also works.

But I do think you need to wash at at least 40 and bio powder is best. If this is not helping do a one off wash at 60 to kill the bacteria. It's a last resort thing before chucking the top away so I don't worry about whether it ruins the fabric.

Only way for us is Persil bio and soaking the arm pits in Zoflora on a regular basis.

Ideally wash as soon as you take them off so the sweat hasn't dried.

Have you checked for mould in the washing machine? If it's a front load machine check around and in the folds of the rubber seal/gasket. Otherwise, I use vinegar in the rise for all my gym clothes and towels.