Sometimes no matter how many times you wash your uniform it just keeps smelling bad. Bacteria can be hard to kill, and regular washing just may not be doing the trick. So we did some research and found a few ways to help eliminate that funky odor with some great uniform washing tips to get the smell out.
Tip 1: Leaving your gi or rash guard outside in the sun.
UV rays from the sun can kill bacteria that cause bad odor. However, this may not always work as our Earth’s nifty atmosphere blocks most harmful UV rays, and coincidentally, blocks the wavelength of UV needed to kill bacteria.
– How does it work? –
Short wavelength UV rays cause the breakdown of nucleic acids in these organisms. When these acids breakdown, these organisms (bacteria) are unable to perform vital cellular functions caused by the disruption of their DNA via UV radiation. Using UV radiation to kill bacteria has been an accepted practice since the mid-20th century and has aided in medical sanitation and in sterile work facilities. Niels Finsen won the 1903 Nobel Prize for Medicine for his use of UV against tuberculosis of the skin (lupus vulgaris).
Tip 2: Using homemade laundry detergent
Credit goes to Josh via Reddit.com
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Tip 3: Using vinegar
- Grab a large bucket (preferrably 5 gallons), and cram your stinky gi inside.
- Dump enough white vinegar into the bucket so that you just cover your gi. You can get white vinegar from any grocery store. You don’t need the expensive stuff, you can grab a gallon jug for probably around $2, but make sure you get enough to cover whatever’s in your bucket!
- Leave it for at least 2 hours, but you can just leave it overnight if you don’t like waiting like us.
- Dump it all out and wash & dry it as normal.