How to get the stink out?
 

Some of my synthetic fitness/cycling clothes will retain B.O. even after washing in regular detergent. I began using a product called "Win" and it was fabulous! It went out of production for a while but they're making it again but I know of no stores in my area that carry it. You can buy it directly from them for $20 for a two-pack of 21 oz. bottles plus $8 shipping ... too much. Amazon has it for the same price but you can get it shipped free if you have enough other stuff you're buying.

While Win was out of production, I started using Penguin Sport Wash. About $10 for 20 oz. at REI. It does works well, I have to say.

With either of those products, you get maybe 15 loads out of a bottle. That's almost 70 cents per load. For a couple of dollars more you can buy a 100 oz. bottle of Tide that will give you 64 loads ... a little less than 20 cents per load. But it doesn't get the stink out. I even tried the Tide sport wash with Febreeze but it left my clothes with such a heavy perfume smell I couldn't stand wearing them.

I'm washing at least one load every week and am wondering if there's something else out there that gets rid of the B.O. but without costing so much.

What works for YOU?

Borax.

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)

I don't seem to have this problem, regular detergent works.

+1 on Borax. Oxiclean works even better IMO. Don't use chlorine bleach. Never use softener on technical fabrics, ever.

+1 on not using fabric softener. A tag on one of my T-shirts warn against it.

I stopped wearing synthetic shirts a number of years ago, because I couldn't stand the smell after an hour or two. Merino wool doesn't have that problem.

If sodium bicarbonate or Borax doesn't work, then use Shout stain remover!

this.

I dry my stuff on the line outside. Never smells at all. I suspect the sunshine kills whatever bacteria cause the smell.

jim

Wool is a great fabric to have in Cycling Apparel for a number of reasons, but a good one to stress here is that it doesn't hold onto the stink! We use a mix of Poly and Merino to keep it soft, durable, and stink free.

Best ,and cheapest, way to de-smell your clothes is to line dry them in the sun. The ultraviolet sunlight will kill all the smell causing bacteria leaving you with really fresh smelling clothing.

Pour some white vinegar (1/8-1/4 cup) into the wash.....

once a synthetic has been aquired by the beast you must burn it.

for the future take steps to avoid the problem. wash your body before rides, and wash your clothes right after your rides.

+1 to the Borax with your detergent. Also +1 to bathing before riding (when possible) to cut down on the funk to begin with.

Have you tried washing your clothes with borax?

Me, too.

Penguin Sport Wash is made by Atsko. Here's the same thing at only 38.5 cents per load:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use BrightGreen brand non-chlorine bleach (just a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water) with it.

Vinegar. Wool is for freds.
Just don't look in my cycling closet to verify that generalization.

Menthol under the nose.

+1 on: Borax, line drying, white vinegar.

But my best idea is don't leave your bike clothes at the bottom of a damp hamper. Hang them over the edge so they'll dry if you're going to collect a few days before laundering.

+1 on this ^^^^

Never have a problem using normal detergent.

I only have issues with my base layers but that is usually around the time they are wearing out.

Make a mild solution using bleach, and soak the garments in it for 10 minutes, then wash. The stink will be gone. Bacteria causes the smell, and the best way to kill bacteria is to use bleach.

Prior to sun drying, soak sweaty clothing in bucket with washing detergent and water. Do this after each and every ride. While its soaking, do a wipe down of the bike using the same detergent and water in the bucket. Then go back to the clothing, agitate it a little and then ring out and do a rinse with clear water. Then hang dry. That will take maybe 15-20 minutes.

The used water goes into the grass or garden. You get the discipline of cleaning the bike after each ride, the clothes don't get smelly, the washer/dryer gets less usage, no special kind of detergent is necessary.

I use the big bucket the kind at Home Depot near the paint department.