stinky tennis clothes.. FRONT LOADING WASHER????

S

Safina

Semi-Pro
MAKE SURE (if you have a FRONT LOADING WASHER) that the rubber gasquet isn't hiding a giant pile of mold that is transfering to your clothes.

it made my polyester shirts REEK until i found the cause.
becaise it never went in the dryer, the mold really took hold in my Nike shirts... then once I started to sweat the smell REALLY came out and people must have thought i never showered.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2057785_control-mold-front-loading-washer.html

Sorry, if you already knew about this, but this was a very stinky problem until I found the cause. I bet I am not the only one that has been wearing moldy clothes!!!! Check and see!
 
nyc

nyc

Hall of Fame
Hate to burst your ahem, "bubble", but after having done some R&D work with Unilever, I learned that today's performance synthetics and their incompatibility with detergents are to blame, so neither your gasket, nor Richard Gasquet are to blame.

Simply put, today's machines and detergents are not designed to fight the odors that accumulate in your favorite Nike shirt - they will take care of the stains and dirt, but after a couple of uses, your shirt will reek.

Try handwash, and throw a little vinegar in, if you don't mind smelling like a Ghurkin instead....
 
S

Safina

Semi-Pro
i disagree... sounds like the R&D went bad and the mold got to your brain!

i think that was an episode of HOUSE m.d !!!!
 
V

volusiano

Hall of Fame
nyc said:
Hate to burst your ahem, "bubble", but after having done some R&D work with Unilever, I learned that today's performance synthetics and their incompatibility with detergents are to blame, so neither your gasket, nor Richard Gasquet are to blame.

Simply put, today's machines and detergents are not designed to fight the odors that accumulate in your favorite Nike shirt - they will take care of the stains and dirt, but after a couple of uses, your shirt will reek.

Try handwash, and throw a little vinegar in, if you don't mind smelling like a Ghurkin instead....
Click to expand...

I handwash my dri-fit tennis shirts with regular liquid detergent and let them air dry. I don't have any problem with my clean shirts being smelly at all. So I'm not sure why you think regular detergents are not compatible with performance synthetics and make them smelly.
 
ananda

ananda

Semi-Pro
i do find a difference between machine washing sweaty shirts and hand washing them. the machine just doesnt take out the stink.

my routine is to take off shirt and rinse in water and squeeze out sweat asap.
then soak in detergent a while. then wash off detergent. (i agree with volusiano's routine)

i have one tshirt that was once machine washed whithout the above routine. it still stinks (if you smell from close) even after umpteen machine washes and soaks.
 
O

OrangeOne

Legend
volusiano said:
I handwash my dri-fit tennis shirts with regular liquid detergent and let them air dry.
Click to expand...

I carry my dri-fit shirts into an uninhabited forest, and wash them in the bubbles of a free-flowing stream, and then allow them to dry in the westerly gusts of wind blowing only when the sunlights reflects from the river onto the perfect rock slabs nearby. I then air them with the farts of fairy penguins....
 
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jonolau

jonolau

Legend
I used to sell biocides which are used as anti-bacterial agents incorporated into certain brands and types of clothing (eg. anti-bac socks, underwear, shirts etc).

Basically we have bacteria living naturally on our skin and this also transfers off onto the clothing that we wear. Washing doesn't wash off 100% of the bacteria, and over time, you'll find that the bacterial level in the clothes build up. The bad smells (sour smell/sewerage smell etc) you get are from the gases that the bacteria emit when they feed on food sources such as skin flakes and perspiration.

The only solution is to soak the clothes in a diluted bleach bath for about 30 mins before washing every few months to eliminate as many of the bateria colonies as possible. But be careful as bleach will remove dyes from non-colorfast material such as cotton. Synthetics are quite okay (only exception is the cotton threads used to sew on the logos).

If you have cotton/dyed clothes, then soak them in a phenolic disinfectant such as Dettol. It will not remove all the bacteria, but will at least guarantee that you won't stink as much.
 
V

volusiano

Hall of Fame
OrangeOne said:
volusiano said:
I handwash my dri-fit tennis shirts with regular liquid detergent and let them air dry. /quote]

I carry my dri-fit shirts into an uninhabited forest, and wash them in the bubbles of a free-flowing stream, and then allow them to dry in the westerly gusts of wind blowing only when the sunlights reflects from the river onto the perfect rock slabs nearby. I then air them with the farts of fairy penguins....
Click to expand...

Not sure what that means, but it looks like maybe someone was smoking dope or something and got inspired by my very simple comment and started to get poetic on their high. Either that or the mold got to their brain.;)

The reason I hand wash my tennis shirts is very simple. Not because I treat them delicately or special or anything, but because I'd rather hang a clean one up to dry than hang a wet/dirty one up to dry after playing. I don't like to pile up dirty tennis shirts in the hamper like I pile up my other clothes for laundry day because they get much wetter/dirtier than the regular clothes. So I'd rather wash that dirty one right away.

Since I only wash that 1 dirty shirt at a time, it's very quick and it literally takes me only about a minute for the whole thing. I actually don't even let it soak. I just agitate for about 30 seconds in detergent water, then rinse with plain water, squeeze it dry and hang it up. Quick and simple, 1 each time, and I also never worry about running out of clean tennis shirts.
Click to expand...
 
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ananda

ananda

Semi-Pro
OrangeOne said:
I carry my dri-fit shirts into an uninhabited forest, and wash them in the bubbles of a free-flowing stream, and then allow them to dry in the westerly gusts of wind blowing only when the sunlights reflects from the river onto the perfect rock slabs nearby. I then air them with the farts of fairy penguins....
Click to expand...
soooo funny, bro. you shd be a writer, for heavens sake. excellent alliteration.

i once again have to agree with Vol.. the reason for not machine washing them is that these sweaty things need to be handled right away. the more they stand the more the stink becomes chemical (like ammonia). and typically one tends to let clothes accumulate for the machine. you also dont want this stink to gt onto other clothes.

good idea about the dettol. someone suggested baking soda on another thread ("my shhirt stinks of ammonia", or somtin like that), but my mum said that's not a gr8 idea for the cloth.
 
S

southpaw

Rookie
I've had good luck with Oxyclean. I was skeptical at first. Normally, I don't trust anything I see in infomercials.
Hot water, 2-3 scoops, and let it soak for 4+ hours. Slower to work than chlorine bleach, but just as effective.
 
S

Safina

Semi-Pro
how dare you make such rude insinuations!!!

may the fungus of a thousand fairy penguins infest your armpits!!!


anyway, the purpose of this thread was for those that have front-loading washers to check the rubber seal. because it was very gross, the amount of crud that i removed from there... now i leave the washer door open and clean out the lining as often as possible. and i am pretty sure i am less stinky.

but i will try OrangeOne's washing ideas.
it appears he has really gotten the art of washing dri-fit clothing down to a science. +1 nomination for post of the year!!!
 
S

slice bh compliment

G.O.A.T.
OrangeOne said:
I carry my dri-fit shirts into an uninhabited forest, and wash them in the bubbles of a free-flowing stream, and then allow them to dry in the westerly gusts of wind blowing only when the sunlights reflects from the river onto the perfect rock slabs nearby. I then air them with the farts of fairy penguins....
Click to expand...

LOL, I do that too! You might try this: I feed the pharting penguins free-range sardines that swam in the sweat of Lance Armstrong's ex-girlfriends. I find that makes their most juicy farts a bit more like Scotch Guard, which is a nice bonus.

Great imagery, oh, Orange One! Uhm, sorry about the ''up-yours, Armstrong''. I admire his courage, but I just can't seem to respect him as a person....as a family man.

Peace,
--slice
 
racingdad23

racingdad23

Semi-Pro
nyc said:
Hate to burst your ahem, "bubble", but after having done some R&D work with Unilever, I learned that today's performance synthetics and their incompatibility with detergents are to blame, so neither your gasket, nor Richard Gasquet are to blame.

Simply put, today's machines and detergents are not designed to fight the odors that accumulate in your favorite Nike shirt - they will take care of the stains and dirt, but after a couple of uses, your shirt will reek.
Click to expand...


This is very incorrect. Frontload washers have a inherent problem with mold buildup leading to this problem. It is well documented and class action lawsuits against the manufacturers have been the result. Part of the problem though is with the education of owners. Frontload machines must remain open while not in use. Also a monthly tub wash cycle of bleach and/or vinegar is recommended. Use of a brush/rag to wipe the gasket clean will also help curb mold growth. I sell all of these machines. The two worst are the Maytag Neptune and the Whirlpool Duet/Kenmore HE3 though there have been problems with other machines also.

You are not alone with your problem. Maytag was sued by thousands of people for this very reason.

Contrary to the above statement and regardles of what Uni-lever says "today's" machines are quite capable of handling the rigors of sport related odor. I personally own the Bosch 500 series FL washer and dryer and have not experienced any such problems with the new HE detergents and/or the latest technology in washing products. I have though educated my wife on the proper maintence of her $2000 laundry set.

The only machine to be proven to completely combat mold growth is the Samsung "Silver Care" models which utilize silver ions to destroy 99.99 of all odor causing bacteria.
 
C

cali10splayer

New User
OrangeOne said:
I carry my dri-fit shirts into an uninhabited forest, and wash them in the bubbles of a free-flowing stream, and then allow them to dry in the westerly gusts of wind blowing only when the sunlights reflects from the river onto the perfect rock slabs nearby. I then air them with the farts of fairy penguins....
Click to expand...

So do I! Except I use the breath of horny toads to air them out. I found it was more effective. HAHA.
 
A

apor

Rookie
As has been noted above, a soak in any vinegar will kill all the odor-causing critters in your shoes, clothes, whatever, and will not fade or damage the fabrics. it's the safest and cheapest way.
 
S

slice bh compliment

G.O.A.T.
I'm goin' back to cotton.
Cotton.
Cotton.
I'm goin' back to cotton.
Hey y'all I don't think so.
[sax solo]

Props to LL Cool J and also props to the vinegar idea.
Maybe we can add some shallots, garlic, coarse ground pepper and olive oil to that and call it a salad dressing.
 
Carolina Racquet

Carolina Racquet

Professional
I take a similar approach to one mentioned above where I put a small amount of bleach in with my performance fabrics to eliminate the bacteria.

I guess vinegar would also work, but I'm afraid I'd smell like a dou**e bag. Not good.

On another note, I notice that most manufacturers suggest not to use fabric softener while washing performance fabrics. Is this because it might attract and retain more bacteria?
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
Carolina Racquet said:
I take a similar approach to one mentioned above where I put a small amount of bleach in with my performance fabrics to eliminate the bacteria.

I guess vinegar would also work, but I'm afraid I'd smell like a dou**e bag. Not good.

On another note, I notice that most manufacturers suggest not to use fabric softener while washing performance fabrics. Is this because it might attract and retain more bacteria?
Click to expand...

Fabric Softeners add a waxy build-up that defeats the wicking quality of performance fabrics along with the absorbance of towels. Found Tide detergent for performance fabrics works well.

http://www.tide.com/en-US/product/tide-washing-machine-cleaner.jspx

http://www.tide.com/en-US/product/tide-plus-febreze-freshness-sport-he.jspx
 
S

slice bh compliment

G.O.A.T.
Yes. Classic social marketing propaganda by the Top-Loading Washer Union. And the good folks at WIN. And the Vinegar Use in Laundry Guild of America (VULGA) lobby.
 
M

macs971

Rookie
Any washing machine had 30 min short cycle.
use this for your clothes any time you play in it.
Finally put your clean clothes after a good shower :)
 
O

ondray

Guest
OrangeOne said:
I carry my dri-fit shirts into an uninhabited forest, and wash them in the bubbles of a free-flowing stream, and then allow them to dry in the westerly gusts of wind blowing only when the sunlights reflects from the river onto the perfect rock slabs nearby. I then air them with the farts of fairy penguins....
Click to expand...

Reminiscent of federerbestclass.
 
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