You keep washing this sweatshirt, but its scent keeps the smell coming. For many people this is a well-known phenomenon. Why do some gym clothes retain unpleasant odors even after washing? This is often due to the fabric in the garment.

The main reason behind this is synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and lycra. These materials naturally repel water and absorb “oily stuff”. Leave odor molecules for now as typically oily substances. So they stay regular in clothes after washing, says Alexandra de Rave, a textile technologist.

Do not leave sportswear in the laundry basket for a long time.

talk to him Belgian VRT News She also says that we shouldn’t just blame the fabric of the clothes. We also have to look at ourselves. We often wear casual clothes and leave the gym clothes in the gym bag for a couple of days. Sweat by itself has no smell, it’s the bacteria that create the smell. And in such a dark, damp environment as a gym bag, those bacteria thrive, and love nothing better! “

This is why you never leave sportswear in the laundry basket for too long. And when you come home after a running or sports class, it’s best to let all your clothes dry on a clothes hook. “And preferably do some washing as soon as possible afterward.”

So why not work out in cotton clothes?

You might think: I no longer wear tracksuits made of synthetic fabrics. Why not wear cotton clothes while doing sports? Don’t, says the textile technologist. Although cotton is a fabric that absorbs odors less quickly, it is not recommended for sportswear.

“Our body sweats to cool down, which is the most efficient way to keep our body temperature around 37 degrees. That sweat has to evaporate. However, cotton will hold all of that sweat and prevent it from evaporating.”

Two tips for dealing with smelly sportswear

The expert offers two tips on what you can do if you continue to suffer from smelly gym clothes. This way you can put the clothes in the washing machine separately at a higher temperature. You don’t have to worry that the clothes will shrink as a result, says de Rave. “If the polyester is going to be dyed or printed, very high temperatures are used, 130 to 200 degrees.” She added that Lycra is slightly more temperature sensitive than polyester and nylon.

As a second option, the textile technologist refers to vinegar. She says you can soak your workout clothes in a bowl of vinegar before putting them in the washing machine. She explains that vinegar attracts water, and if it’s in the fabric, it makes you wash away odors more. By the way, don’t use concentrated vinegar, as you say.

Instead of that subway All other cleaning tips and miracle remedies in a row, with which you can remove even the toughest stains.

exhausted? Summer makes us sleep worse, you need to take this into account