Cleaning clothing is actually a science, if you think about it – the interaction of various chemicals with liquids and heat lead to our clean (and stink-free!) clothing. Are you making simple laundry mistakes that could be leading to perpetual yoga-gear stink? We’ll tell you how to find out, what to change and how to find a natural deodorizer too!
4 Stink-Causing Laundry Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)
- You’re using too much detergent. This is counterintuitive, but instead of dousing your dirty duds in loads of suds, consider this: your washer is designed to handle a certain amount of detergent. If you use more than you need, it may not rinse away completely, leaving residue behind that can trap odors instead of washing them away.
- Your dryer heat is too high. High heat seems like it would be a natural deodorizer in that it would kill bacteria and get things super-dry, right? Unfortunately, a lot of our magically quick-drying and sweat-wicking athletic clothing is made of performance fabric that needs a little more TLC. Check the care label and use lower heat for performance fabrics—it helps protect the fibers and the moisture-wicking properties you bought them for in the first place.
- You’re letting dirty clothes sit too long. Even if you don’t have time to get a load of laundry going, resist the urge to let athletic clothing sit damp in gym bags or hampers. That creates the perfect conditions for mold, mildew, and bacteria to fester. Letting sweaty clothes air out before you can get them into the wash helps avoid creating the warm, damp environment that stubborn odors love.
- You’re using fabric softener. That “soft” feeling you get from using fabric softener is actually a coating that can build up on fabric fibers. You may have noticed the effects on athletic clothing not performing as well over time or towels becoming less absorbent. And that buildup can make stubborn odors harder to get rid of too. You’ll be better off saving the cash and ditching this product completely, because just a laundry detergent and a natural deodorizer can easily handle your stinkiest gear!
How to Deodorize Laundry Naturally
The trick with stubborn laundry odor is to tackle the source instead of just covering it up with fragrance. Sweat, body oils and dead skin can build up in athletic clothing and contribute to the funky smells that seem to come roaring back the minute you put supposedly clean workout clothes on.
Force of Nature is a non-toxic deodorizer that tackles stubborn odors at the source without added fragrance. For washable clothing and gear, fully saturate the odor-prone areas, let it sit for 2 minutes, then wash as normal or let the item dry as directed.
Here’s how to optimize your de-stinking strategy further:
Clothing: For your washable gym clothes and team uniforms, spray with Force of Nature to saturate, focusing on areas where sweat concentrates like armpits and seams. Wait 2 minutes and then wash as normal. If you get in the habit of doing this when you get back from the gym, you can help keep that set-in stink from becoming a permanent member of the team. Remember to test in an inconspicuous spot the first time to be sure the dyes used are colorfast.
And if you’re also rethinking the detergent itself, Force of Nature Laundry Detergent Sheets are fragrance-free, concentrated and independently tested in a 3rd-party lab to clean common stains just as effectively as Tide Liquid, Tide Pods and Seventh Generation Liquid.
Shoes, skates and cleats: Air fresheners and dryer sheets can mask odors instead of eliminating them. With already stinky shoes and cleats, fully saturate the interior and allow them to dry completely. Don’t rinse. Once you’ve done this, you can give them a quick spray after each wearing to help keep odors from settling back in.
Gloves, Pads, Guards & Helmets: These are undoubtedly the worst offenders, but the strategy is the same. The first time, fully saturate them and allow them to dry. After that, a preemptive spray after each use—including straps, foam and all those little places where sweat likes to hide—can help keep that stink at bay.
Bags/Carriers: Don’t forget to give your yoga mat bag or gym bag a routine spray down with a natural deodorizer like Force of Nature. A lot of gym bags are awkward to wash in a machine, so this is an easy way to deal with odors without creating a whole new cleaning project. Because, truly, nobody asked for another cleaning project.
Your Questions About Stubborn Laundry Odors, Answered
Why do my clothes still smell after washing?
Lingering odors can come from sweat and body oils trapped in fabric, detergent or fabric-softener buildup, clothes sitting damp too long, or buildup in the washing machine itself. Using more detergent or adding more fragrance doesn’t necessarily solve the problem—and can sometimes make stubborn odors harder to remove.
How do you get stubborn odors out of laundry?
Start by addressing what’s causing the odor instead of simply covering it with fragrance. Use the right amount of detergent, avoid letting sweaty clothes sit damp, skip fabric softener because it can leave buildup, and pretreat stubborn odor areas before washing. Force of Nature is a non-toxic deodorizer that can be used on odor-prone areas like armpits and seams before washing to tackle stubborn odors at the source.
How do you get sweat smell out of workout clothes?
Let sweaty workout clothes air out instead of sitting damp in a gym bag, wash them promptly, avoid using more detergent than you need and be cautious about using fabric softener on moisture-wicking performance fabrics. For stubborn odor, pretreat sweat-heavy areas like armpits and seams before washing.
How can you deodorize laundry naturally?
The goal is to tackle the source of the odor rather than simply masking it with added fragrance. Start with good laundry habits—proper detergent dosing, avoiding fabric-softener buildup and not letting damp clothing sit. For especially stubborn odors, use a fragrance-free deodorizer that tackles odor at the source. Force of Nature is a fragrance-free, non-toxic deodorizer designed to eliminate tough odors without added fragrance.
Why do my workout clothes smell again as soon as I wear them?
Performance fabrics can hold onto body oils, detergent and fabric-softener residue, and odor-causing compounds even after washing. Once the fabric warms up and gets damp again, those stubborn odors can become noticeable all over again. Avoid buildup by using the right amount of detergent and skipping fabric softener on performance fabrics. Pretreat stubborn odor-prone areas before washing with a non-toxic deodorizer like Force of Nature, which tackles bacteria- and mildew-related odors at the source.
