Northern California - Kinda nasty but serious question

I have my favorite riding gear that I wear about five times a week and after a year it kinda stinks. No matter how well I wash it (always by hand) it never smells nice again.

Does anyone have a tip for keeping their gear smelling springtime fresh?

Just a thought pops into mind, maybe soak it in a baking soda solution? (I've never tried it)

I think it's better to wash it with the washing machine and then hang dry. The centrifuge action of the spin cycle will get rid of more liquid (which can still have odor) than you can trying to wring it dry.

What gear are you talking about?

I wash jerseys, bibs, and socks after every ride. I rinse the helmet pads after all rides unless I know I didn't sweat. My backpack, messenger bag, and hydration pack have been pretty sweaty in the past but I've never washed them; I guess I should sometime.

What gear are you talking about?

I wash jerseys, bibs, and socks after every ride. I rinse the helmet pads after all rides unless I know I didn't sweat. My backpack, messenger bag, and hydration pack have been pretty sweaty in the past but I've never washed them; I guess I should sometime.

My jersey and bib shorts. I hand wash and hang dry after every ride. Maybe I'll try throwing them in a gentle cycle in the washer then hang drying. It just seems like such a waste to run a whole wash cycle for two little things.

My jersey and bib shorts. I hand wash and hang dry after every ride. Maybe I'll try throwing them in a gentle cycle in the washer then hang drying. It just seems like such a waste to run a whole wash cycle for two little things.

Maybe you could rotate our jersey + shorts (if you had a few) through the week, and then just do one gentle cycle bike load weekly... less wasteful, no?

I add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the final rinse -- voila! No smell.

I use the delicate cycle, cold water, hang to dry, no fabric softener, ever.

I add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the final rinse -- voila! No smell.

I use the delicate cycle, cold water, hang to dry, no fabric softener, ever.

Jeeesh! I just find a swamp...dive in and shake off!...You're all so OCP!:roflmao2:

Clorox Ultimate care...bleach without the bleaching out.

I wash shorts, jerseys & arm/leg/knee warmers with other darker colored laundry-- no bleach, regular cycle, cold, then hang dry. Not exactly special treatment, but I've still got 20-year-old jerseys that don't look any worse for wear... The shorts are a different story, but they've worn out from riding, not washing. Helmet pads & gloves get hand washed in the sink then hung on the line. My gloves tend to be the items that get the smelliest. Hey Red, thanks for the tip about the vinegar; I'll have to try that one when things get particularly gamy...

I've worn the same jersey maybe twice without washing 'em. And shorts always hit the laundry hamper after a ride (except when commuting), just because I've heard that you can get saddle sores from wearing shorts that are less than clean. But nobody would ever accuse me of being OCP, that's fer sure! :lol:

I just wash it all with my clothes. Works just fine and likely does a better job than I would hand washing.

I have washed shorts and jerseys in regular and delicate cycles in the machine. After the wash I always air dry them with the shorts turned inside out so the chamois doesn't stay damp too long.

Every now & then I use this.
http://www.penguinsportwash.com/sport.html

Takes care of the problem

I add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the final rinse -- voila! No smell.

I use the delicate cycle, cold water, hang to dry, no fabric softener, ever.

What's the reasoning behind this little tidbit?

What's the reasoning behind this little tidbit?
Tiny particles of the softening agent get into the fibers of the materials, and cause them to break down faster, is my understanding. I'm probably wrong, but I tend to follow the care instructions on the clothes anyway.

I wash them inside-out in the washer with cold water, detergent and Borax, then hang to dry.

Hang dry indoors causes that nasty smell for me. Hanging it outdoors with a little bit of breeze or directly under the sun takes care of that smell :)

A good trick that I also use for my lacrosse bag:

After washing, I hang dry with a dryer sheet in the crotch of the bibs. I also stick a half dryer sheet in each shoe, and one in the helmet.