do you stink too?
 

What is the best washing detergent for my cycling clothes? Mine stink really, REALLY bad and the stink doesn't really go away.

Best thing in my experience is Oxyclean. Next best is borax. Add to wash. Presoak if really bad and it will totally remove all bad odors and kill what caused them. Neither will damage cycling parallel, cycling gloves, and even cycling shoes. Do not use chlorine bleach, which can damage some synthetics, and don't ever use fabric softener, which can destroy the wicking properties of technical fabrics.

Clothes line and drying in the sun really help.

One of the most important things you can do is wash them ASAP after a sweaty ride. If synthetics sit around damp they can develop a horrible funk that is hard to get rid of. If normal washing with detergent (I like Woolite for Darks) and a little Oxyclean won't do it, there is a product called Nature's Miracle available at most pet stores. Get the original, not the soapy or citrus stuff. It is mainly known for getting out pet stains and odors but it works wonders on any organic stains and stinks. It will remove blood, grass, and food stains (except some of those bright artificially colored sports drinks) and will get rid of the odor of sweat, mildew, and assorted organic funk. Just mix it 50:50 with warm water and put it in a spray bottle to pre-treat clothes. Give it a few extra shots in the pits, crotch and other sweaty areas. Let it sit for a couple of hours, it doesn't matter if it dries, then wash normally. It is important to let this stuff sit for a while to do it's voodoo. If you throw it straight in the wash after spraying it doesn't do much. You can also mix it 20:1 in warm water for an overnight pre-soak. I've saved flood damaged synthetic clothes that wreaked using this stuff. It really is very good and doesn't damage fabrics.

As DiabloScott mentioned, a couple of hours on the line outside freshens clothes up nicely. Don't let anyone tell you that line drying in the sun damages the fabric. These are cycling clothes. They are designed to be on your sweaty body in the sun for hours at a time, day after day. If a couple hours in a sunny breeze would damage them, they wouldn't be much good for their intended purpose.

Last, but not least, personal hygiene makes a big difference.

+1 on Borax. I learnt about this on BF Road from Machka. As soon as i get back from cycling, I pre soak my clothes in a little hot water with Borax, then wash in about thirty minutes to an hour (depending on what else is keeping me busy), then hang dry. I do this with my gym clothes too. No funky smell whatsoever. Borax works!

+1

Borax works very well, as does lemon scented dish washing detergent (Lemon Fresh Dawn is the champ). You cannot put dish detergent in a washing machine because it foams like crazy and can damage the pump, but a presoak in a tub with a bit of hand agitation, followed by a rinse and normal machine wash works very well.

There's also a product called sink the stink sold in dive shops, which is made to de-stink wetsuits which are probably the world's champs at getting funky.

I've been familiar with borax since my mother used it 50+ years ago when I was a kid. I did side by side testing on some stinky mildewed cloths and sponges. Oxiclean removed the odor more quickly and more completely than borax. Details of the chemistry are similar between them. Borax is way cheaper than Oxiclean.

I prefer my clean clothing to have no added odors so eschew scented products.

White vinegar in the fabric softner dispenser is amazing for stinky athletic clothing, the stink is from bacteria that isn't removed from material using general laundry detergent. The vinegar seems to kill or remove it if you stay after it. My wife suggested it and I was shocked after just one wash cycle...not a hint of vinegar smell afterwards either...win/win. Several of my items needed several wash cycles but viola, its gone.

One of the most important things you can do is wash them ASAP after a sweaty ride.

And if not, at least hang them inside out so they dry out. I find the only time I notice bike clothes becoming malodorous is when I take them off and throw them in the hamper. So now I hang them in a ventilated place when I'm done riding and haven't had any problems. I've yet to figure out how to keep gloves from stinking though.

Another vote for vinegar. Everyone looks at me like I just slapped their mother when I suggest this. Shepp30 knows what he's talking about.

I don't know why, but our bike clothes do not stink at all. We wash them in the standard Kirkland detergent.

There are two variables. One everybody's body chemistry is different, so some are more prone to workout or gym clothes odor than others.

But the real key is what you do after riding. Generally it takes water for the clothes to "ferment" and get funky. If you immediately air out and try your cycling clothing they probably won't get too smelly. OTOH, if you just toss them into a hamper or pile while damp don't expect them to get any sweeter smelling.

BTW- if you really want a nasty surprise, throw your clothes in the washer, and forget to pull them out to dry before starting your two week vacation. (Don't ask).

Rinse in warm water. Wring, then soak clothes in about 1/2 cup of white vinegar for 5-10 minutes. Rinse again and wash normally.

Somewhere I read that the stink was from bacteria living on soap residue. Vinegar removes soap residue and probably kills the bacteria.

Which reminds me of the old joke: two old people are sitting together when one says, "Oops, I just let a silent-but-deadly." The other responds, "I think you need a hearing aid."