Smelly cycle kit - what to do?

[Schneil]

Should be able to use watered down bleach on man-made fibres? Dunno, just a wild thought. Test it first, don't take my word for it !

mmmm maybe as a last resort, I might kill the colours in my bright yellow jerseys

 

[Keith Oates]

I sweat a lot on my commutes but just hang the jerseys and shorts up to dry and there is no smell for the return trip home. Then they are washed every day and I rotate about 6 sets of jerseys and shorts. However I have two jerseys that I only use for rides where I'm going to begin and complete the ride at home. I don't know what material they are but they smell to high heaven at the end of a two hour+ ride but the smell goes in the washing machine by using normal washing powder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

That

Buy more stuff

That's what I did,I have three kits over 7 consecutive commutes and I rotate them.

 

[Bluenite]

Don't use bleach. try changeing washing powder (Daz) then rafter the wash just set your machine to rinse your clothes again (because of your skin)

 

[col]

Ahhhh sounds like a plan!

Stick em in dry, before washing or just after? How long for? (I don't want to melt anything)

Dry,try a minute first, if that doesnt do it, do 30 seconds extra,then again if needed. Just check on the temperature of the item to make sure it doesnt get too hot. Should zap those smelly bugs. I did this with my walking boots too, as they were well used and it worked fine. And put the washer on the hottest your cloths will allow too.

 

[MattHB]

If your commute is long, then a set of kit per day is the only option. It's the drying the sweat in through the day, then wetting it again at the end of the day that's the problem. The bacteria breed during the day.

Repeating that cycle any more than once is asking for smelly trouble, not to mention being unpleasant to wear.

 

[jonny jeez]

That


That's what I did,I have three kits over 7 consecutive commutes and I rotate them.

any excuse

 

[Sittingduck]

Errrgh, to putting stinky cycling kit in a shared microwave at the office! That's just grim...

 

[ianrauk]

Errrgh, to putting stinky cycling kit in a shared microwave at the office! That's just grim...

Can you imagine if someone wanting to heat up some food caught you doing it? lol

 

[leemo]

I thought the commuting forum would be a good place to ask this.
My bike clothes are getting really smelly and my workmates are complaining!
My tops and base layers are polyester, so are my shorts. even though I wash them regularly, the are building up smells.
What's the best way of getting your kit de-oderised?

I've had great results with Vanish Oxy Action on polyester cycling tops and lycra padded shorts, normal 40 degree wash.

 

[Chrisz]

Washing is the key!!!

Wash your kit, wash your pits - everyday - regardless!

Either that or learn to accept the fact that people will call you "Stinky"!

 

[Bodhbh]

Either that or learn to accept the fact that people will call you "Stinky"!

The OP is lucky his workmates called him it upfront, he could have got a smelly rep and no one said anything !

 

[Schneil]

Washing is the key!!!

Wash your kit, wash your pits - everyday - regardless!

Either that or learn to accept the fact that people will call you "Stinky"!

Don't worry I have a shower as soon as I come into work and straight after I get home
I hung my (clean that morning) kit up as soon as I got to work, next to an open window (so I didn't smell the room out), to dry out. It smells miles better! I'll make sure do the same when I get home, and not have it fester in my laundry basket.

 

[Globalti]

Ah I think I can see where I'm going wrong here, I'm wearing the same top and shorts for 2-3 days of commuting.
Also I don't think my washing liquid and 30 degree washing is cleaning the smell out of the clothes (Persil non-bio small and mighty).

Your problem is that polyester, polypropylene and other synthetic textiles are quite "transparent" to certain odour molecules. Perfumes, flavours and other volatiles can even evaporate through plastic jerrycans causing them to "wall" as volume is lost. The odour molecules from sweat are buyric acid, isovaleric acid and other nasties, which are readily absorbed then gradually released by your synthetic clothing. Best solution is to be scrupulously clean, wash everything very hot with a liquid detergent, which usually contains a better perfume than a powder, and wear natural materials like wool as much as possible.

 

[Jezston]

By Polyester cycling kit are we talking cheap stuff like from Sports Direct?

If so, get rid of it.

When I started I bought cheap kit like that. It's crap, doesn't draw moisture away and smells really weird even after being washed. A £40 jersey from the likes of Endura, Pearl Izumi etc is worth far more than double a £20 sports direct top.

Shopping trip this weekend?