Gym Bags and Kit Hygiene

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Gym Bags and Kit Hygiene

What to carry, why kit smells, washing technical fabric and skin infections

Gym kit develops problems that ordinary laundry does not fix, and the reasons are specific to the fabrics involved.

Why technical kit smells

Synthetic fibres are oleophilic — they hold onto body oils, which feed the bacteria that produce odour. Washing at low temperatures with fabric softener leaves both the oil and a coating behind.

That is why a t-shirt can come out of the machine smelling clean and smell again within ten minutes of being worn.

Washing it properly

Never use fabric softener on technical fabric, which coats fibres and destroys wicking. Use a sports detergent or an ordinary one with a pre-soak in a cup of white vinegar and water.

Wash inside out, do not overload the machine, and wash promptly rather than leaving kit in a bag. Air dry rather than tumble drying, which degrades elastane.

The bag

A separate ventilated or waterproof compartment for wet kit, and empty the whole bag after every session. A bag left sealed overnight is where mould and smells start.

Wash the bag itself periodically, which almost nobody does.

Skin infections

Gyms and changing rooms spread verrucas, athlete's foot and occasionally more serious skin infections. Wear flip-flops in communal showers, do not share towels or razors, and cover any cut or graze before training.

Wipe equipment before and after use, and wash hands rather than relying on wiping.

What to carry

A towel, water, a padlock, flip-flops, a change of clothes and a plastic bag for wet kit. Anything more sits in the bag for months.

Kit that lasts

Check the elastane content, since higher percentages feel better and degrade faster, particularly with heat and chlorine. Buy a second of anything that fits well.

Replace sports bras and leggings when the elastic stops recovering rather than when they look worn.

Training kit that works

Fit matters more than fabric for anything you move in. Try squatting, reaching overhead and bending forward in a changing room rather than standing still, since that is where leggings go sheer and tops ride up.

A properly fitted sports bra is the single most important item for anyone who needs one, with support matched to the activity.

Washing frequency

Every session for anything worn next to the skin. Kit worn twice is where odour becomes permanent, since bacteria become established in the fibres.

Shoes for the gym

Flat stable shoes suit lifting, where a compressible running sole reduces stability. Running shoes suit running. Cross-training shoes compromise between the two and suit mixed sessions.

Keep gym shoes for indoors, which keeps the floor clean and the shoes lasting longer.

Shoes

Keep gym shoes for the gym, air them between sessions and rotate pairs, which does more for odour than anything else.

WHERE TO BUY

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