28 Mar 7 tips how to get the sweat smell out of workout clothes!

Do you sweat when you exercise? Well if you do, then you’ve probably wondered how to get the sweat smell out of workout clothes, right?? Yup, sweaty smell happens.

But have you noticed that even freshly washed workout clothes can start to smell sweaty again? Yup, that can happen too.

I first started noticing that in my son’s workout clothes. Even though I’d washed it, it would start to smell again. Same thing also happened to my sports bras. What was I doing wrong?

Well after a bit of research, I realized what I needed to do.

So, here are my 7 easy tips on how to get those workout clothes smelling good again!

7 tips on how to get the sweat smell out of workout clothes-

#1. Air them out!

Usually after a workout, our clothes would make their way into the laundry hamper. Not such a good idea. Dumping sweaty/moist clothes in an enclosed pile is a great way to let that bacteria and smell grow! Instead, try hanging up them so they can air dry before you wash them.

#2. Wash them inside out!

I can honestly say, I’d never done that! Since bacteria, oils and sweat are concentrated on the inside, closest to your skin, turning out your sweaty gyms clothes will let the smelliest parts get cleaner. Huh!

#3. Pass on the fabric softener!

We never use them so this one was easy for us. Sure it might make them smell good but apparently fabric softeners and gym clothes don’t mix well. They can clog the fibers and prevent the performance fabrics from doing their moisture wicking and odour fighting jobs.

#4. Pour in the vinegar!

This one was a game changer! Adding vinegar made a huge difference to how fresh our clothes stayed. A vinegar bath works really well on those tough smells, like my son’s football/hockey gear and even on our running shoes. Vinegar neutralizes the odour and help your detergent work better. I mix 1 cup of white vinegar in a full wash.

#5. Add some baking soda!

Yup, good old baking soda. I’ve only tried this once (I ran out of baking soda) and it worked very well too. During the rinse cycle of your wash, just sprinkle in 1 cup and let it work it’s magic. Or if your clothes are mega sweaty, soak them overnight so the baking soda has time to deodorize.

#6. Just add lemon juice!

That lemon scent alone will make your stinky clothes smell so much better! But the added bonus is the citric acid in lemon juice will break down body oils trapped in your clothes and eliminate the odour causing bacteria. I haven’t tried this one simply because I don’t usually have a lot of lemons around and the vinegar is working so well for me.

(Speaking of lemons, know what else you can do with them? Add them to your drinking water. Here’s the post!)

#7. Let them hang dry!

Since performance fabrics don’t do well in dryers anyways (dryers tend to break down the fibers and performance properties), just let your clothes air dry. This way, moisture doesn’t get trapped and your clothes will smell better. And on a nice sunny day, it’s so nice to even hang them outside.

So there ya go. Hopefully some or all of these tips will help you get the sweat smell out of workout clothes. My favourite tip is adding the vinegar. It’s something I always have on hand and it’s inexpensive. Which one was your favourite?

Have you tried something different? How did that work for you? Let me know in the comments below.

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