Get Rid of the Smell From Your Gym Clothes

Just because you’ve started the day off right at the gym, it doesn’t mean that you need to prove it with the less-than-pleasant smell that’s wafting from your gym clothes. Body odor gets its start when our glands produce one of two types of sweat, which then combines with bacteria to emit that signature odor.¹

And you can imagine how that odor would then worsen when kept in a damp, dark place like your gym bag. But fear not. There are a few steps you can take to remove it from fabric without having to work more after working out.

Rinse and repeat

You worked all day and then summoned the gusto to work out on top of that. The idea of doing a load of laundry when you just want to sink into your bed means it’s probably not going to happen. So, the clothes stay in your bag until it seems like the smell is there to stay. No sweat.

Eduardo Herrera of Slate NYC dry cleaners suggests diluting two ounces of dishwasher soap in a half gallon of water². No joke. These dish soaps can be stronger than laundry detergents and give an extra boost towards breaking up invasive oil. And with Modere’s Dish Wash, you can be sure your sudsing strength will be nontoxic and gray water safe. Just double check that your machine is running warm and isn’t more than ¾’s full and you’ll be on your way to fresh fitness wear.

Not keen on using dish soap? Modere’s nontoxic, biodegradable and gray water safe Laundry Detergent packs a punch against persistent odor with its 4x concentrated formula. And it doesn’t include any of the harsh ingredients conventional products employ.

Sometimes stains and the smell that come with them just need and extra wash to be shown the door. So, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

However, should conventional methods fail you, vinegar can also be an effective deodorizer that’s great at removing particularly deep stains. When rubbed into the stain, the liquid’s acidic nature can penetrate the fabric and nullify stubborn sweat stains.

But post-workout sweat isn’t the only culprit when it comes to odorous stains. Stress can be just as bad.

Stress stinks

Some food for thought: Stress’ effect on sweating is, well, beastly. When the apocrine gland is activated by stress, it secretes a milky fluid that, while odorless at the start, becomes more foul when mingled with bacteria¹. And while the gym is generally a place of physical – not emotional – stress, it’s something to consider if you’re struggling with an especially pervasive odor.

Gym clothes, minus the smell

Moral of the story: Taking the necessary steps with smelly gym clothes can save you from having to work out after your work out, gaining you time and energy. And imagine what you can do with all that free time. The options are limitless. You can finally finish that book, streaming that show or cook a healthy homemade meal and place yourself ahead of the curve for a healthier tomorrow.

You’ve hit the treadmill. So, take the rest of the night off. You’ve earned it.

Formulated with a powerful blend of plant-derived surfactants, Dish Wash brilliantly cleans dishes without controversial chemicals.

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