Get the stink out of your workout clothes

There’s nothing better than a great workout, especially in the middle of the summer to make you sweaty and stinky. The harder you work, the more you sweat. Your sweat combined with the bacteria on your skin makes you stinky. We’ve got some tips and tricks to keep your clothes from smelling and to keep them all in the best condition for the longest time possible.

There are a couple of things you can do that will help. Wear an antiperspirant and not just deodorant to minimize the sweating that will lead to the odors. Any clothing that has a microbial finish in the fabric will smell less than regular moisture-wicking workout gear.

Most importantly, try to hang up and separate your soggy workout wear. When you stuff it all into a gym bag or a hamper, it does not dry well or quickly and bacteria will continue to thrive where it is both warm and damp, which will then make your clothes smell even worse. Anything you can do to let your clothes dry off quickly will help, especially if you aren’t going to wash them for several days. You can also wipe down the inside of your workout bag with a vinegar and water solution to keep it from smelling. An inexpensive empty spray bottle is the perfect way to keep some of this solution on hand for all of the times you need it. Depending on the size of your bottle, about one quarter up to one half of a cup of vinegar is sufficient and then fill the bottle to the top with water.

If your clothes are exceptionally smelly, it can help to pre-soak them for about half an hour up to overnight in a mixture of vinegar and water. If you fill a big sink with water, use about one to two cups of vinegar in it. When you are done letting everything soak, rinse thoroughly with water prior to washing. This is also a perfect time to pre-treat any stains you see with Roux Maison Stain Remover. It works great on many different organic and in-organic stains and performs really well on technical athletic fabrics. If you have a lot of deodorant stains and marks, rub the fabric together on that item of clothing and it should help eliminate them. When you have thick waxy areas of deodorant smeared on your clothes, the machine won’t always get them out on their own. You can also add vinegar to the rinse cycle, especially if you did not pre-soak your clothes in it. A couple of ounces in the rinse cycle will also help kill any residual bacteria and eliminate odors. Don’t worry, the vinegar odor rinses away and won’t persist on your clothes.

You’re ready to wash! Turn your clothes inside out for the best results and do not over pack the drum of your washing machine. Use at least warm water for the best results and two capfuls of your favorite scent of Roux Maison Sport Detergent. It was specifically made for all of your technical and athletic clothing and will give you great results and remove the bacteria and odors that linger in these clothes. Another great benefit of Roux Maison Sport Detergent is that it won’t remove any of the moisture wicking or water proofing properties in the technical and performance fabrics of your athletic clothes and it also doesn’t leave behind any chemical residue.

We are not big fans of using the dryer if you can avoid it. The heat can set any residual odors in your clothes and it will also set any stains that you may have missed. It isn’t great for all of the elastic, spandex and lycra in these clothes either. If you can hang dry, that is optimal. If not, try to use a no to low heat setting on your dryer.

Never use any fabric softeners or dryer sheets. Ever. They all leave chemical residue on your clothes that will degrade them over time. If you’ve ever had the inside seams on your yoga pants fray, it’s not your thighs but all the chemicals that other laundry products leave behind on your fabrics that slowly eat them up. Another reason not to use fabric softeners and dryer sheets is that they will inhibit the removal of the bacteria from your clothing the next time you wash. The chemicals in the fabric softeners and dryer sheets coat your fabrics so the bacteria and stinkiness are not fully eliminated and are just buried underneath those chemicals. Gross isn’t it? These chemicals will also inhibit the moisture wicking and performance properties of your workout wear. In case you’re wondering, fabric softeners and dryer sheets have the same effect on all of your clothes, not just your workout gear.

Use Roux Maison Stain Remover and Roux Maison Sport Detergent and vinegar when you need it and your workout wear will last longer, perform better and smell better. Keep your clothes dry and turn them inside out when you wash. Avoid chemical laden fabric softeners and dryer sheets. It’s not a lot to do or remember to keep all of your workout wear looking good for years to come and it’s so worth it! We would love to hear your tips too!

PopSugar Fitness: Tried and Tested: The Best Laundry Detergent For Your Fitness Gear