so does any1 here wash their uniforms right after they get back home from training? just curious.
:wavey:
Since we kind of on the subject any tips on how to get the smell out of an uniform. My uniform smells fine coming out of the wash, but five minutes after I throw it on and start warming up in class it's smelling pretty funky.
First of all, you're likely not getting that thing clean when you wash it. Use a little more laundry detergent (or a better one) and put it on a longer wash - you should be washing a gi/dobuk with as much power and fervor as you would whites with an additional rinse. Don't use fabric softener, use a cup of white distilled vinegar in the rinse bin for your washer for the primary rinse, allow the secondary rinse to be a clear, cold-water rinse.
Second, you need to be clean when you wear it. Don't go to class dirty, man. It's gross. Once or twice each week, use an exfoliating scrub in the shower on your entire body - there are plenty of these out for women and I've noticed that some inexpensive brands are putting out a men's line - Suave, Old Spice, Axe all have an exfoliating scrub. You'd be more effective if you use an exfoliating MITT (found in the beauty section) or the Axe Power Shower Tool plus a good cleanser. Don't use a moisturizing shower soap, it only leaves dirt and soap residue on you and you wind up dirtier than you were before. Body odor is the result of the interaction of bacteria and sweat plus residue, so you need to make sure whatever you're putting on your armpits contains an antiperspirant - put it on CLEAN SKIN - and allow it to completely dry. Spray-on ones suck, solids suck. The best are the gel types and Mitchum is the best OTC brand I've ever found.
Febreze is helpful in these situations. In the old days before Febreze, I knew people who would boil their uniforms with a box of baking soda mixed into the water. You basically need a alkaloid compound to neutralize the scent.
Febreze, even in residual amounts, activates respiratory issues for me immediately. If someone sprays it around me, I have an attack. That stuff is bad for you and it really only adds residue on an already dirty gi/dobuk.
add a cup of white vinegar to the washer. This is actually a really good idea for all laundry.
I use white vinegar too - in place of fabric softener and I have no static cling issues nor yellowing of whites nor residual odors .... it is the cheapest and healthiest rinse agent ever.
I've heard that was a good idea from a few folks as well. Forgive my ignorance, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to use that with an HE washer? Would I add it to the bleach section or add it to the detergent itself?
stevebjj answers that below, but I add it to the fabric softener bin instead.
A few months back, I wrote an article on care for the Gi (specifically the BJJ kimono, but many of the tips are universal).
http://www.stevebjj.com/2009/07/washing-the-bjj-gi/
In an HE washer, I add vinegar to the bleach bin. I would NEVER use bleach on a gi/dobok/whatever.
Agreed on the bleach thing, and you need to get that thing out of your bag and into the wash as soon as freakin' possible. If you can't, then hang it on a hanger instead of throwing it in a bag. You *can* keep a spritzer of a 50-50 vinegar and water mix in your car and spritz that thing a bit once hung - that will at least begin the deodorization process and if hung in your car near the window (like dry cleaning), the sun with the vinegar will start the cleaning process for you and will help prevent that skanky smell.
One other thing that works well for me is a mixture of laundry detergent and baking soda as a pre-treat. It's much less caustic and toxic than Spray N Wash or other commercial pre-treatments.
To recover your dobuk, wash it a few times on the Whites setting with baking soda or oxyclean added to the wash and allow it to dry in the sun, if you can - if not, hang it dry until the third wash.
For the seat of your pants, try a Fels-Naphtha bar. Cheap and they work great!
