Can sweat smells become permanently ingrained in sports clothes?

[throwaway78]

I was unwell recently and left some of my used sports gear in the bathroom laundry bin for handwashing. They were there for weeks because I was too ill to do laundry etc, especially handwashing. I've since washed them (mostly in bio liquid except a couple of things that can't be) and hung them out to dry in the sun. But on my last run (alone! luckily) I'm pretty sure I could smell sweat coming from my running top (grim). I'm thinking it's because they've sat there all that time and maybe the smell has "set" in the clothes, is that possible or am I just imagining it?

I use a dettol laundry thingy to help with DS's very stinky sports kit. I wash it on a high temperature to kill the bacteria which causes the smell and I line-dry whereever possible as the heat from tumble drying can reactivate the bacteria and make it multiple again.

Sometimes his needs two goes to make it smell neutral again and I also spritz the armpits with white vinegar too - all is not lost yet, OP!

Yes but if you use something like Halo sports wash you can get rid of the stink.

Halo sports wash is anti fungal and I think that really helps with the kind of smell you're referring to

Enzyme style cleaners are your friend in this situation I find! Or a simple vinegar soak? That works on even the most disgustingly smelly things DH manages to create.

I forgot some of you are dealing with stinky teenager/DH sports gear! 😆😆😆

A spray of white vinegar on the armpits for basic everyday sweaty smells before washing, and a soak in dissolved washing powder or bicarbonate of soda for more lingering smells.

I use a clothes armpit spray on smelly gym kit. DR Beckmann from Amazon usually although I've been trying an enzyme spray from no nonsense and that seems to work too.

I wash a full team's rugby kit. This is what I've learnt.

1. Laudry detergent, but not too much, as it's difficult to rinse out of synthetic fabrics.
2. Dettol laundry stuff instead of fabric conditioner - definitely no fabric conditioner

When I put the kit in the washing machine it sometimes smells so strong it almost makes me gag. Once I've washed it like this, it smells fresh

What temperature are you washing at? I find I can get rid of and ingrained sweaty smells with a 60 degree wash (usually I wash at 40, but do a 60 periodically as needed)

Sorry the enzyme spray is Professional strength rather than No nonsense

Dettol laundry sanitiser. Do you hand wash your sportswear? I don't hand wash anything. Put it in the machine in a laundry bag (delicate cycle if needed) and it's fine.

Also leave it drying on the washing line, inside out for a couple of days. Even in rain. Daylight and fresh air seems to help nuke smells.

Thanks for the suggestions, going to give them a try.

I do handwash a lot of things that recommend that, yes, but I'll try machine washing this time.

@dementedpixie What's the professional strength one you use, sorry?

I use Halo and wash on 30d. Plus do an extra rinise

Halo sports wash is incredible. We have a lot of sports kit in this house, and I swear ds's rowing training kit could walk around itself before it goes in the wash but yet it will come out fragrant even when he's left it stuffed in a plastic bag suppurating for a week

Definitely test out kit in the machine too. I use white vinegar or Napisan on armpits sometimes too. I wear Rapha cycling gear that must be made out of angel tears, the way they go on about washing it. Tried it on a delicates wash and everything was fine. Washed an old cycling top of theirs in a "normal" 40 wash and again, it's perfect. I only use a drop of fabric conditioner because the grippy bits on the legs of cycling shorts can become less effective, but I've found most sports kit to be pretty much bomb proof, because it's designed to be.

It's this one although I think most of them will.be very similar and use enzymes to break down smells. I got the 3 for 2 offer and they're 500mls each.

It was from the stressnomore website

https://www.stressnomore.co.uk/brands/professional-strength.html

I've bought this 4 pack a few times and it seems to work too

I buy anti bacterial stuff in home bargains. It's not expensive. Just put a couple of capfuls in along with detergent with all of DS's football / gym stuff.

Try using napisan powder as a pre soak if you think its I grained and then wash as normal.

I dilute some vinegar in water in a large jug and dunk DS’s football shirt in it before washing (no point just doing armpits as he leaves them festering in a bag so the whole thing smells!). Was amazed when I first tried it and it worked!

@dementedpixie Oh I see, "Professional Strength" is a brand name, it makes sense now.

Thanks everyone! I'm going to order Halo sports wash as well as the enzyme sprays which I didn't know existed. Shame it has optical brighteners as I won't be able to use it on my more expensive gear normally but I will this one time.