• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Cart
    • Checkout
  • Calendar
  • Gear
  • Destinations
  • Archive
  • Forum
  • Members
    • Register
    • Login
    • Logout

Northwest in Motion

Inspiring, informing, and connecting cyclists, runners, hikers, and skiers

Home » How to » How to Wash Your Kit

How to Wash Your Kit

February 9, 2018 by David Longdon 1 Comment

Dirty, muddy, stinky, sweaty clothing are all part of being active in the Pacific Northwest. Our “mud season” extends from September through early July. Our relatively high humidity means sweat-soaked clothing year round. Keeping your clothing clean and neutral-smelling is tricky.

Shop Northwest in Motion

  • Sale!

    Nalini Dolomiti Lady

    $100.00 $55.00
    Select options
  • Sale!

    Nalini Green Lady

    $100.00 $55.00
    Select options
  • Sale!

    Nalini Nalinissima Ws Shorts-L

    $125.00 $49.95
    Add to cart

“Polypro” fabrics are great in that they are lightweight and dry quickly. But, their awesome wicking properties often result in a funky smell that leaves you wondering “is that really me?” One study suggests that the odor-causing bacteria that linger on sweaty clothing are different than the bugs associated with the sweat itself: “Corynebacterium is thought to be the main cause of armpit body odor, (yet) there was no Corynebacterium on the clothes. Instead, Staphylococcus flourished on cotton and poly, and Micrococcus, bacteria also known for making malodor, loved polyester.”

Mud-splattered faces and kit after a group ride. Save your buddies from a lengthy cleaning project by equipping your winter bike with fenders AND “buddy flaps” that extend almost to the ground.

As a result of the stink, I periodically need to recycle a smelly but otherwise perfectly decent fitness wardrobe.

For stinky clothing, my go-to had been Nathan Sport Wash. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to get it to work as advertised to get the odor out. The sweat stink remains, and actually smells worse to because of the Sport Wash’s perfume.

I’ve also used unscented generic HE detergent and Borax.

L to R: Nathan Sport Wash, OxiClean, Defunkify Active Wash, Generic unscented High Efficiency (HE) laundry detergent. Front: scoop of Borax.

If you aren’t familiar, Borax is the trade name for a naturally occurring mineral that is an awesome multipurpose cleaner. Add warm water and it produces hydrogen peroxide, the “oxygen bleach” found in cleaners like OxiClean. For most laundry loads I add a scoop of Borax to HE liquid detergent. A scoop in the dishwasher has the same effect as expensive anti-spotting products. It’s also a great alternative to abrasive powders for cleaning sinks, toilet bowls, and pots and pans.

I love Borax, but I haven’t been able to figure out a way to get it to eliminate the offensive stink from technical wear.

Muddy cyclocross racing makes Anne Marije Rook smile, but washing that kit might cause a frown.

Last summer I got a product sample from Defunkify Active Wash and I experimented with different combinations of washer settings and detergents to see whether I could conque the funk once and for all. I initially got mixed results with Active Wash–one time it seemed to work as advertised, then next time not. After emailing back and forth with their staff I tried the “heavy duty” washing machine setting. The heavy duty setting (on a Kenmore front-loading machine) uses hot water during the cleaning phase, and lasts two hours (versus warm water and 56 minutes for the “normal” setting.)

The result: The longer agitation time makes a huge difference. Active Wash eliminates the stink, whereas there was no change with HE detergent and Borax. Eric Sach, (now former) owner of The Balanced Athlete in Renton (which sold Active Wash) says he gets the same result.

Recommendations

Here are recommendations for keeping your tech clothing and gear clean and neutral-smelling:

Ideally, wash the workout clothes immediately after the activity so the malodorous Micrococcus don’t have time to stimulate stink. If an immediate wash isn’t possible, air dry the clothing before tossing it in the laundry bin. Sweaty tech clothing in a laundry bin is just gonna fester.

Very sweaty clothing with little or no dirt:
Use Active Wash and a heavy duty washer setting.

Sweaty dirt-splattered clothing:
Pre-soak for a couple hours to overnight in a bucket with a combination of hot water, a tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent, and a tablespoon of Borax. Launder with Active Wash and a heavy duty washer setting. Another option if the activity has left you cold, wet, and muddy is to take a hot shower wearing the muddy clothes. Then, strip down while in the shower, and put the items in a bucket for an additional pre-soak with detergent and Borax.

Greasy clothing:
As soon as possible, hit the grease spots with OxiClean or liquid laundry detergent and let it sit for a couple hours to overnight. I haven’t noticed a difference between using Active Wash or the detergent and Borax combo, so I’d err on the side of less expensive and use the detergent-Borax mixture.

Update August 12 2020:
I just came across an old-school formula that kills the funky smell even better than Defunkify Active Wash! This works in a front-loading washing machine, no guarantees you’ll get the same result with a top-loader.

1. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the drum of the washer

2. Add a normal/capful of detergent to the detergent cup, and fill the fabric softener cup with distilled white vinegar.

3. Load the clothes in the washer.

4. As described above, set the washer to a “heavy duty” setting so there is a long agitation time. Warm/cold water temperatures work fine.

5. Enjoy fresh-smelling clothing!

6. Whenever possible, line dry/air dry technical clothing. Keep your technical clothing away from velcro, which can shred it!

Other items:

Bike Helmet:
I know a lot of folks don’t bother washing their helmets, but think about all the sweat-borne funk that can build up in the helmet’s webbing and padding. Solution? Take your post-ride shower with the helmet, rinse it out, towel it down to soak up any water in the padding, then let it air dry.

Running and Cycling Shoes:
Most folks don’t worry about dirty shoes, but sweat-soaked shoes, or shoes soaked from a muddy run or ride can get rude. Recommendation: If the dirt is dry, start by using a coarse brush to get rid of the loose bits. If the shoes are muddy rinse them with a hose, dunk them in a bucket of clean water, or even shower with them. Remove the insoles before drying. An efficient low-cost way to air dry shoes is to push some scrunched-up newspaper into the shoes. If you have a shoe dryer, use it! Avoid the temptation to put the shoes near a heater to dry. Guaranteed you’ll end up with a petrochemical blob.

Ski/Snowbard/Mountaineering Boots:
Water usually condenses between the liner and the shell, and the feet sweat even on cold days. If you leave the boots as-is, the liners will become a multi-colored science experiment. Remove the liners and insoles as soon as you get back home. They will usually air dry overnight, but if you have boot dryers, use it! I generally bring all of the boot parts indoors and try to keep them relatively warm before putting them on at the start of each day. Avoid the temptation to put the liners or shells near a heater to dry. Guaranteed you’ll end up with a petrochemical blob.

What are your cleaning tips?

The foundation of fitness friendships are built with mud.

Related Stories

Filed Under: Clothing, Gear, How to, New products & services

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. casino movie says:
    November 8, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    casino movie

    How to Wash Your Kit | Northwest in Motion

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Inspired | Informed | Connected

We’re here to inspire, inform, and connect you with like-minded cyclists, runners, and fitness enthusiasts.

Running in the rainNorthwest in Motion was created by David Longdon, and is produced with a cadre of creative collaborators.

Bellevue pop up Italian Home & Kitchen
Francesca Carmichael manages our retail experiences.

Gear Wisdom

Road Rash Wound Care
How to Layer for the Pacific Northwest
Gearing up for a Bikepacking Epic
Women Gear Up for Bikepacking
Gearing Up for Bikepacking
How to Choose Cycling Shorts
Swiftwick Merino Wool @ Bridle Trails
How to Wash your Kit

Bicycle Helmet Safety Ratings
Hi Vis Helmet Hack

The n + 1: Platypus Tokul XC 8.0 & B-Line 8.0
The n + 1: Oakley Flak 2.0 XL w/ Day & Night Contrast Lenses
The n + 1: Roka Eyewear
The n + 1: Sensity Photochromic Lenses
The n + 1: Bialetti Moka Express

More Gear Reviews & Tips

Connect

Login or Register to comment and participate in the Forum.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Search

Share

Sponsor

Contact us about:
–sponsoring the calendar
–promoting your events
–sponsoring story categories
–promoting your business
–promoting your brand

Fitness During Coronavirus

Stay motivated, engaged, and connected. Check out the virtual events in our Calendar.

Support LOCAL businesses including Northwest in Motion’s online and popup retail!

Join the every other week Peace Peloton rides supporting economic reform for Black people.

Share your pandemic fitness experiences on our Forum.

Check out Cascade Bicycle Club’s Directory of Open Bike Shops

Recreate Responsibly

Footer

About
Contact

Partners
Advertise
Subscribe

Returns and Shipping Policy
Terms of Use
Privacy

Copyright © 2021 • Northwest in Motion, LLC • All rights reserved