My Gabba is destined for the bin unless we can revive (destink) it. MrsFicial says it's too stinky and, annoyingly, she's got a point. I've had it for years and wear it all the time, it's done 1000s of kms and still looks new.
Things I've tried:
Washing it often (typically at 40°C)
Using special sports odour-eliminator detergent
Shoving it in the freezer overnight (in a bag)
So, what is the best nuclear option for de-stink? A hotter wash to kill the bacteria? Tumble dry it? Leave it to soak in Milton?? Even if it's a bit risky for damaging the graphics/ waterproofing it's gotta be better than the bin.
So, what is the best nuclear option for de-stink?
Long Covid.
Or Miltons.
Sunlight (UV) and either vinegar or baking soda will kill off bacteria smells. Hotter wash if the fabric will stand it.
Check no-one has shat in your tumble dryer
Wash with a good quality powder. Try washing with Fairy Bio or Persil Non-Bio as these used have the highest Percarbonate/TAED levels
Napisan. Chuck some of that in with regular washing powder/liquid. Kills the bacteria that's likely the cause of the smell. We're long past reusable nappies with ours but I still use this stuff occasionally!
Dettol. It will stink of Dettol for ever more but everything else stinky will be killed to death. Worked for me after 2 weeks ski touring in two sets of long johns / base layers.
I used to have this problem in hot&humid SE Asia, and tried all other solutions. What NickC above said - sunlight. Good luck with that right now!
Washing it often (typically at 40°C)
There's the rub.
More hot.
Or more chemicals, Milton is probably the best shout?
What is a Gabba?
All our sports stuff is washed with Napisan/Vanish*, for destinkification purposes.
*They're both the same thing, sodium percarbonate, it reacts with the water to produce oxygen bleach, which kills the bugs that cause the stink. Vanish works out cheaper per kilo I think.
What is a Gabba?
Sorry, I thought it was common knowledge around these parts. It's a Perfetto.
It’s a Perfetto
I had to look that up as well 🙂
Sorry, it was a rubbish attempt at humour.
A Gabba/Perfetto is a Castelli brand jersey/jacket hybrid. Not quite a coat, but so much more than a jersey. It's sort of neopreney and wind/waterproof-ish. Not completely waterproof, but waterproof enough. Perfect for UK Autumn/Spring conditions. But the point I suppose is that it's neither jersey material nor coat so the usual rules of washing don't necessarily apply.
Thanks for the suggestions. Given that sunlight is out for a few months, it looks Napisan/ Dettol/Vanish, then.
I’ve always found it’s sunlight and a long windy day. I suspect that’s 50% of it too. I leave them out to hang for a couple of days in the summer (when it’s not going to rain, and obviously not damp and cold like now) and the breeze has a very positive effect at removing odour I believe
I've never tried it with something as expensive as a gabba but when my base layers get to the point where they are likely to be binned I stick them in a hot wash. 60+ should kill anything growing, it probably won't kill the jacket if not done too often.
I'd steer clear of the peroxide based cleaning products like Napisan and milton. I'd consider sponging the area locally before a wash but washing the whole garment seems like a bad idea.
There are other products on the market
https://www.nikwax.com/usblog/how-to-clean-and-refresh-your-baselayers/
Plenty of things will kill whatever is living in there without resorting to peroxides.
For a few years now I've been washing all my cycling kit (except waterproof stuff) at 50deg with bio liquid/powder. It got to the point where I was binning kit because it was stinking long before it wore out so I figured I'd nothing to lose. The extra heat doesn't seem to have affected it and now I get much longer use out of my kit as it doesn't stink.
Try Halo Sports Wash, much better at getting rid of smells from sweaty sports kit.
Given that sunlight is out for a few months it looks Napisan/ Dettol/Vanish, then.
pffft amateur- this is your perfect excuse for a cycling holiday somewhere sunny right now.
Don't buy Vanish, just get the much cheaper own brand stuff, exactly the same chemical.
Both Asda and Morrisons sell cheaper versions, or go to the Poundshop.
50deg with bio liquid/powder
This isn't a great idea, from what I remember of GCSE Science - "bio" cleaners use enzymes to break up grease and dirt, and enzymes are mostly made of proteins. Most proteins "denature", or lose their structure above about 40deg, which is why bio liquids and powders recommend cool washes or only up to 40deg.
Persil Bio at 40deg has been pretty good at killing the bugs making my cycling kit smelly, mostly.
Don't they recommend washing bedding at at least 60C to kill of something or other?
I just do everything at 40 as I can't be bothered to think about it.
halo as suggested above
Don’t they recommend washing bedding at at least 60C to kill of something or other?
They do. A 40c wash will just give you very clean bed bugs.
A Miele engineer recommended to do a 90c wash once in a while, cleans a lot of the crud and stuff out of the machine.
Or ask renton to hang it in his bedroom for a week.
I'd also use vinegar. Either add 1/2 cup white vinegar to water and soak for 15 mins and then wash, or use instead of softener in the machine.
It's sorted my cycle boots when they've got really stinky after having to put a foot down in muddy puddle water.
We make sure to try and hang things outside after washing. Also run your washing machine on a 90C with a machine cleaner poured in, after you've opened and cleared out the object trap to get rid of bits and pieces.
A Miele engineer recommended to do a 90c wash once in a while, cleans a lot of the crud and stuff out of the machine.
Yes, I run ours at 95C with machine cleaner every so often to clean out the machine....
This stuff is the best I've found (tried white wine vinegar as well). Still doesn't fully clean the door seal, which just seems to hog gunk.
Imho, most laundry detergents don’t get enough time to penetrate into the clothes fibres.
If my clothes are really bad or require a cool wash, then I give them a quick pre-wash, drain the drum and leave them in the washing machine for 24 hours.
Then I wash them at their recommended setting.
Is it safe to dunk the ‘gabba’ in the sea?
Sometimes salt water can have rejuvenating effect. But not on leather!
Inside out on a line on a sunny windy day. My clothes stink of damp if they don't dry naturally quickly. Uv kills bacteria as stated above. My trainers get stinky as i walk on the beach, soak overnight in washing up liquidĺ mix, dry the next day in sunlight, no more stink.
Tip top tip if using Vanish, read the instructions. I didn't and I sprayed it on my best Rab shorts to get rid of a coffee stain. Left them overnight. By the morning the coffee stain had gone. Unfortunately so had a large section of the fabric, it looked like it had just melted away.
What material is it? I hate the plastic materials, they seem to 'etch' with the vileness associated with sports kit, either that or I have weapons grade sweat.
On my kits, mostly cotton or polycotton, get it as hot as you can, and use cheese gratered soap bars as the detergent. Works much better if you give the drum a boil wash out with the same if possible beforehand .Leave out to dry in the air. Works a treat for my stuff.
Slightly confused by this thread- I'm a sweaty/stinky bigger but kit yst goes in the wash after each ride at 30 or 40°, and never got close to needing to throw kit out because of the smell?
Just use whatever Aldi washing liquid is in the cupboard, stick it on the line or an airer depending on the weather.
Bi carb + warm water + bucket + steep (Geordie work for marinade) overnight then wash.
Combo of Nikwax BaseWash and BaseFresh?
The first cleans, the second is like a conditioner but for potentially smelly baselayers. It does have a slightly chemically smell initially but seems to make teenagers sports kit ok for a while.
Another vote for Halo.
I buy mine from Sainsburys.
I would also agree that sunlight helps kill off the bacteria and make them smell better, because my gym/cycle gear smells a lot better in the summer.
