Who is a laundry wizard? (stinky man-sweat problems)

[MayDay]

My DH exercises daily and gets very sweaty. I know it's not his fault, but it's disgusting. 

His exercise shirts (a combo of random free t-shirts and quick dry exercise shirts) are completely vile. They stink like nasty stanky man armpits.

I do laundry three days a week, so they don't sit for more than two days. I tried the "sanitize" cycle on the washer which gets very hot. I hang them to dry. I use Kirkland powder laundry detergent which consumer reports ranked very highly.

Any ideas on what to try? Do we just need to replace more often? 

[Rezdent]

Are you saying that they smell vile while waiting for the wash?
Or that they are coming out of the wash still smelly?

[Another Reader]

Tide Sport with Febreze works on cat urine.  Not much else does.  I'd give that a shot.  Also, I would treat the shirts like diapers and presoak.

[Frankies Girl]

White vinegar in the wash cycle works wonders.

http://jezebel.com/what-to-do-when-your-gym-clothes-reek-1141402734

[iris lily]

Are you saying that they smell vile while waiting for the wash?
Or that they are coming out of the wash still smelly?

I had the same question.

They may need to be washed twice, and soak prior to washing.

[MayDay]

They do stink up the house prior to washing, but my main issue is they still stink after washing.

Soaking in vinegar or something might solve both problems.  I will try the special tide detergent if that doesn't work. Off to read the article, too.

[Paul der Krake]

Another vote for using vinegar. Put all exercise clothes in one load with the smallest load size so it doesn't get too diluted.

[CheapskateWife]

We have this same problem at home...DH is a smelly man.  The best thing I have found is equal parts vinegar and ammonia.  There is something about that combination, added to your regular detergent that really seems to knock out the stank!  I use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of each ingredient for his loads and it kills the funk.

[Russ]

can vouch for Tide w. Febreze, but I only bought it because it was way on sale. vinegar works just as well for most things

[anotherAlias]

I have the same problem with a lot of my shirts, both work and play.  I sweat a lot from exertion, anxiety and the building I work in having the shittiest HVAC system known to man.  The only thing I've found to get the stink out every time is soaking my shirts overnight in a tub of water with a 1/2-3/4 cup of baking soda.  They have big boxes of baking soda in the detergent aisle.  You can also use washing soda but personally I don't like it as well.

[CatchingFire]

Another vote for vinegar.  It's like a miracle!

[kudy]

I'm not sure about smells, but Simple Green in laundry seems to get clothes cleaner for me.

[Rural]

+1 to the vinegar. If it doesn't do the trick, baking soda in the wash can help, too.

[Rube]

My workout stuff is mostly nylon and reeks after I use it. I use the Seventh Generation liquid lavender soap with the washer steam cycle. It works well until I use it again. I use powder for everything else. Regular liquid makes everything including the washer stanky.

[Dulcimina]

1) Get to the stink at the source.  He could try changing his deodorant.  I recommend the homemade stuff with baking soda and arrowroot/cornstarch and coconut oil.  2) Throw out the old stinky shirts, especially the synthetic ones. 

[rocksinmyhead]

yet another vote for vinegar. it works for us for exercise stank (household of two runners in a hot climate), dog stank, musty towels... basically all your garden variety nasty laundry stank.

[dcheesi]

1) Get to the stink at the source.  He could try changing his deodorant.  I recommend the homemade stuff with baking soda and arrowroot/cornstarch and coconut oil.  2) Throw out the old stinky shirts, especially the synthetic ones.

Yeah, I've had a lot less trouble with my shirts since switching to a deodorant only, rather than an anti-perspirant. I actually sweat less(!) and stink less, and the deodorant doesn't seem to cause a build-up on my shirts like the a-p did.

[AndThen]

So how do you use the vinegar? During the rise cycle? Will your clothes smell like vinegar? I freaking hate that smell so that's a major concern.

Likewise, how do you use Simple Green? I have a gallon jug of it so that would be equally helpful to use up.

[GuitarStv]

Couple of things to reduce stink:

1.  If you leave sweat filled synthetic clothing in a wet ball somewhere, the bacteria multiply and it gets really stinky.  Don't do this!

When a synthetic shirt is taken off post exercise, rinse the sweat out of it.  The easiest way to do this is hop in the shower with the shirt on (you're going to be showering anyways).  Then wring the shirt out, and hang it somewhere to dry.

2.  If you wash synthetic clothing immediately, it will often stay stinky and not kill all the bacteria.  Gather up all your synthetic clothes come laundry time and let them soak in Oxy-clean for at least two hours.  I've tried vinegar and it works pretty well.  Your clothes will not smell like vinegar after the wash.  Oxy-clean is better in my experience though.  After the soak, wash the clothing and immediately hang to dry.

3.  If at all possible, hang your synthetic clothing out in sunshine when drying it.  The UV rays are bad news for most bacteria, and the clothing will smell less once dry.

I'm not an expert, but I've been washing wrestling shirts/shorts for ages . . . and there's no athlete in the world who sweats more than a wrestler in a hot gym.

[rocksinmyhead]

So how do you use the vinegar? During the rise cycle? Will your clothes smell like vinegar? I freaking hate that smell so that's a major concern.

I have a top load washer with the little fabric softener compartment sitting on top of the agitator. I put the vinegar in there and turn on the "second rinse" setting. my washing machine basically just treats it like fabric softener. I can smell a little vinegar when I open the machine to take out the clean clothes, but it doesn't linger on the clothes or anything.

[$200k]

Atsko Sport Wash.  Leaves no stink, is designed for synthetics.

[NVDee]

Another option if you the above doesn't work,  it to freeze the offensive clothing for 24hour period.  Our household of mtn bikers/skiers/runners has it share of item that need extra cleaning and using the freezer on items not easily tossed into the washer has worked.

[rocksinmyhead]

When a synthetic shirt is taken off post exercise, rinse the sweat out of it.  The easiest way to do this is hop in the shower with the shirt on (you're going to be showering anyways).  Then wring the shirt out, and hang it somewhere to dry.

huh, this is a really good idea. never thought of that one!

[freeazabird]

I have a stinky husband also. Regular detergent was just not getting the job done, so we switched to this homemade recipe http://bmorebungalow.blogspot.com/2014/02/diy-how-to-make-quick-homemade-laundry.html

It has worked wonders and as a bonus is super cheap.

[Fi(re) on the Farm]

When I worked in a hot kitchen and my husband worked outdoors I used borax in the washer and vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. We avoided man made fabrics like the plague because they seem to hold onto smells.

[TrMama]

Gather up all your synthetic clothes come laundry time and let them soak in Oxy-clean for at least two hours.  I've tried vinegar and it works pretty well.  Your clothes will not smell like vinegar after the wash.  Oxy-clean is better in my experience though.  After the soak, wash the clothing and immediately hang to dry.

Another vote for soaking in Oxy-clean. It made all my bike shirts smell like new, even though I was about to toss them because they smelled so bad.

[justajane]

Oxy-clean, vinegar, and hanging them to dry in the sun are all good suggestions. There's also something they sell at Whole Foods and elsewhere called Bac-Out by Biokleen. It smells great and worked like a charm on my cloth diapers. If it can get the stink out of poopy diapers, I imagine it can defeat the stank of your husband's work clothes.

http://www.amazon.com/Bac-Out-Stain-Eliminator-Biokleen-Liquid/dp/B00EZL6V8K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1409701312&sr=8-3&keywords=biokleen+bac-out+stain

[daveydinner]

Just ditch all the polyesters and go natural. They stink worse than the man. My wife doesn't mind my BO smell but can't stand old stinky polyester shirts.

Sweat and odor-wicking wonderfabric: wool. Get thin merino wool clothes. Cost about the same as synthetic but renewable, comfortable and don't stink. Socks, undies, all wool.

[GuitarStv]

Just ditch all the polyesters and go natural. They stink worse than the man. My wife doesn't mind my BO smell but can't stand old stinky polyester shirts.

Sweat and odor-wicking wonderfabric: wool. Get thin merino wool clothes. Cost about the same as synthetic but renewable, comfortable and don't stink. Socks, undies, all wool.

Light wool blends are awesome.  I've found that bamboo blends are also pretty decent for not smelling no matter how much you sweat in them and wick reasonably well.  It's worth checking out the next time that you are buying clothing.

That said, throwing out all of your current exercise clothing and buying new, (usually much) more expensive stuff is not a mustachian approach to stinky laundry. . . and is certainly not better for the environment.

[OSUBearCub]

I'm a stinky man (sometimes, I keep it tamed). Only cotton shirts and I switched from antiperspirant to deodorant as has been suggested above.  Oxyclean doesn't do anything for me unless I let the shirts soak for quite some time - it's also pricey.  Instead, I like to put vinegar in with the rinse cycle.  The vinegar scent is gone by the time the clothes are dry - either by air drying or machine drying.  The absolute best option, though, is to dry the shirts on a line in the sun.  Free destankification thanks to the same UV rays that will give you cancer!

[Distshore]

Second with an overnight soak in oxyclean and add vinegar to the bleach compartment.  I've been able to keep both our overused, ancient gym gear in good shape this way for ~ 6 years.  Do not tumble dry.  Switch to deoderant, not antiperspirant to stop the underarms rotting out and discolouring.  I find we can both get a bit stinky by the end of the day (but washing your underarms is easy) but the stink doesn't get stuck in the clothing and washes out much easier than with antiperspirant.

[OzzieandHarriet]

My husband has the same issue. Best thing has been using homemade detergent (borax, washing soda, Fels Naptha soap -- lots of recipes out there) plus white vinegar in the wash water. It gets the clothes very clean and smelling good even with cold water. (Not to mention sheets, pillowcases, and towels …) None of the commercial detergents we tried worked as well as this combo.

[tccoastguard]

If all else fails, bleach in the bleach tray works. Fades the clothes slightly but eradicates the funk for sure. No bleach spots either!

[mudgestache]

If you google "getting sweat stains out of pillows" there is a recipe that I hear works wonders. We use homemade laundry detergent that has baking soda, borax and washing soda in it. I put vinegar in the fabric softener cup of every load. The vinegar smell evaporates once the clothes are dry. My husband is sweaty too and we also wash fleece bedding for our guinea pigs this way and it works great on odors.

[MayDay]

OP here. 

I tried the vinegar soak before washing, it didn't seem to make any difference.  Neither did an oxyclean soak. 

What did work was drying in the hot, hot sun.  I guess the UV zapped the nasties.  Sadly, it is now coming into winter, so I don't know how long I will be able to do that. 

I think his antiperspirant is a major contributor, as a bunch if people suggested.  I bought him some hippie deodorant, and he agreed to give it an honest try.  The antiperspirant is also making his work start armpits discolored, so if I can get him to give it up, it would also save us some $$$ in err placing work shirts. 

I checked the labels if some of his t-shirts, and it appears they are all nasty- the poly ones, cotton/poly blends, and 100% cotton ones.  So I am attributing it more to him and the antiperspirant than to the fiber content. 

I used to make detergent, and it did not do a good job on kids stains, at all.  I was having to re-wash their clothes and use a ton of stain spray.  I am not interested in doing that experiment again.  The costco stuff is cheap and works well overall.  I do have half a bottle of sport wash (meant for camping and hunters) that I use on delicate stuff like our winter coats, and our camping gear.  I might try it.  It's pretty expensive, though, so not a great long term solution.   

[Lyssa]

Not much to ad laundry-wise other than seconding oxiclean (combined with high temperatures) and natural fibres.

But just in case your husband has problems with sweating other than smelly gym clothes: I'm close to someone who suffered greatly from hyperhidrosis (not from smelling bad in his case, "just" the fact of having to go through several shirts a day and interacting socially with huge wet spots around the armpits) and said that having his under arm sweat glands removed via a laser operation was one of the best decisions in his entire life.

[Simple Abundant Living]

I started making my own laundry detergent like others here.  My DH hated it and his workout clothes were still stinky.  I now make this one.  It's not as "natural" as others, but it keeps the peace here.  I use downy unstoppables instead of the purex crystals as a personal preference 1-2Tbsp is all you need.  I use white vinegar in place of softener.  I have a front loader and I put the powder soap in the tub with the clothes instead of the dispenser.  I have also made these into tablets for the kids to use.  I used ice cube trays (don't fill all the way) and let them dry.  Then pop them in a bag and they're ready to go for the kids.

http://www.howdoesshe.com/cheaper-and-better-diy-laundry-detergent/

Sorry, forgot the link!

[galliver]

OP here. 

I tried the vinegar soak before washing, it didn't seem to make any difference.  Neither did an oxyclean soak. 

What did work was drying in the hot, hot sun.  I guess the UV zapped the nasties.  Sadly, it is now coming into winter, so I don't know how long I will be able to do that. 

I think his antiperspirant is a major contributor, as a bunch if people suggested.  I bought him some hippie deodorant, and he agreed to give it an honest try.  The antiperspirant is also making his work start armpits discolored, so if I can get him to give it up, it would also save us some $$$ in err placing work shirts. 

I checked the labels if some of his t-shirts, and it appears they are all nasty- the poly ones, cotton/poly blends, and 100% cotton ones.  So I am attributing it more to him and the antiperspirant than to the fiber content. 

I used to make detergent, and it did not do a good job on kids stains, at all.  I was having to re-wash their clothes and use a ton of stain spray.  I am not interested in doing that experiment again.  The costco stuff is cheap and works well overall.  I do have half a bottle of sport wash (meant for camping and hunters) that I use on delicate stuff like our winter coats, and our camping gear.  I might try it.  It's pretty expensive, though, so not a great long term solution.

Honest question for someone who has actually used sunlight for disinfection, whitening, etc: does it work in the winter? Because obviously there are still UV rays, but they are less direct (just like all the other bands of sunlight). Similarly, does it work on cloudy days? Because clouds block some UV but much less than visible light (you can still get sunburned). Curious how these effects impact sunlight-based laundry techniques.

Also, OP, my boyfriend recently recounted to me an article about how it turns out that polyester (not sure if specifically or as a representative of synthetics generally) is hospitable to a type of bacteria that doesn't grow on cotton that makes it extra stinky. Could be something to look into/consider?

[NoraLenderbee]

The antiperspirant is also making his work start armpits discolored, so if I can get him to give it up, it would also save us some $$$ in err placing work shirts. 

For armpit discoloration, I have read that hydrogen peroxide is effective. You're not supposed to use bleach because it will make the sweat stains yellower.

[Bose]

I know this isn't what you were asking, but I'll mention it anyway - have him try taking a magnesium supplement each day.  Cut the armpit odor at the source.  Give it a shot, anecdotal evidence suggests it's effective (e.g. me + several people I know)

[kite]

OP here. 

I tried the vinegar soak before washing, it didn't seem to make any difference.  Neither did an oxyclean soak. 

What did work was drying in the hot, hot sun.  I guess the UV zapped the nasties.  Sadly, it is now coming into winter, so I don't know how long I will be able to do that. 

I think his antiperspirant is a major contributor, as a bunch if people suggested.  I bought him some hippie deodorant, and he agreed to give it an honest try.  The antiperspirant is also making his work start armpits discolored, so if I can get him to give it up, it would also save us some $$$ in err placing work shirts. 

I checked the labels if some of his t-shirts, and it appears they are all nasty- the poly ones, cotton/poly blends, and 100% cotton ones.  So I am attributing it more to him and the antiperspirant than to the fiber content. 

I used to make detergent, and it did not do a good job on kids stains, at all.  I was having to re-wash their clothes and use a ton of stain spray.  I am not interested in doing that experiment again.  The costco stuff is cheap and works well overall.  I do have half a bottle of sport wash (meant for camping and hunters) that I use on delicate stuff like our winter coats, and our camping gear.  I might try it.  It's pretty expensive, though, so not a great long term solution.

Honest question for someone who has actually used sunlight for disinfection, whitening, etc: does it work in the winter? Because obviously there are still UV rays, but they are less direct (just like all the other bands of sunlight). Similarly, does it work on cloudy days? Because clouds block some UV but much less than visible light (you can still get sunburned). Curious how these effects impact sunlight-based laundry techniques.

Also, OP, my boyfriend recently recounted to me an article about how it turns out that polyester (not sure if specifically or as a representative of synthetics generally) is hospitable to a type of bacteria that doesn't grow on cotton that makes it extra stinky. Could be something to look into/consider?

We give our laundry a dose of Vitamin D all year round in the north east.  Sunny winter days are just fine for drying, and refreshing.   And that's pretty much the only option for wool bedding.   I can't recall trying it on cloudy days because those are too damp for anything to dry.