Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert and advice columnist. She'll be here every week helping to answer your filthiest questions. Are you dirty? Email her. Are you still dirty? Subscribe to Ask a Clean Person: The Podcast on Acast, iTunes or Stitcher, and like Ask a Clean Person on Facebook.

I wash my workout clothes right after use, but some of the moisture-wicking shirts that I have still smell, especially in the armpit areas, even after washing. A second washing doesn't make it go away, either! How can I get the odor out? Thanks!

The other day at the gym, I was thumbing through my phone in between split squat sets when a man walked past me toward the cardio machines and nearly knocked me out with the smell of mildew mixed with BO. I gave silent thanks for the fact that it was legs day and I wouldn't be anywhere near him while I finished my workout, and went on about my day, because it's not appropriate to approach a stranger and start telling him that he's washing his gym clothes all wrong. But man, I really, really wanted to tell him that he's washing his gym clothes all wrong!

So yeah, I can totally help you out with this problem. And, more importantly, I'd like to thank you for giving me an excuse to tell you that you're washing your gym gear all wrong. This is a public service, truly.

Deodorizing Stinky Workout Gear

Synthetic fabrics are super prone to retaining odors, even when they've been through the wash, which I mention to you for two reasons. First, so that you'll be aware, going forward, of the temperamental nature of these fabrics. And second, in case you're worried that you have such powerful personal odor that you're destroying expensive workout gear with the force of your own fumes.

There are a bunch of factors that contribute to odor retention, most of which are easy enough to avoid once you know the specifics of how synthetic workout gear—especially the sweat-wicking stuff and anything with stretch in it—needs to be washed. I'll go into that downcolumn, but first, let's talk about what to do when you notice that even clean gym clothes have a noticeable sweat smell clinging to them.

Essentially, what's happened when you find yourself with clean but malodorous clothing is that there's product buildup on the fibers that traps odor-causing bacteria. So in order to get the smells out, we need to strip away all that buildup. And here's how you'll do that: Turn the the clothes inside out, machine wash them in cold water with half a dose of detergent (about a tablespoon is what to aim for) and 1 cup of white vinegar. The vinegar will help to break down product buildup and neutralize the bacteria that's causing the smells. When the clothes come out of the wash you might get a slight whiff of vinegar, but as they dry that smell will dissipate. Then, either machine dry the gear on low heat or, ideally, allow them to air dry. Easy, right? Right.

Now, you're probably wondering about the instruction to use only half a dose of detergent: One of the contributing factors to product buildup is the overuse of detergent. So when you start noticing that even clean gym clothes smell like a locker room, it's very likely that the fibers are retaining some suds from the overuse of detergent, so we don't want to add any more of the stuff than necessary to the party.

Preventing Stank from Developing in the First Place

There are three relatively simple things you can do to prevent odor retention from occurring again, and here they are:

  1. Let the clothes dry/air out before you put them into the hamper or laundry bag. When sweat-soaked workout clothes are tossed into a soggy heap, you're pretty much creating an ideal environment for bacteria to throw a big ole smell party.
  2. Don't overuse detergent! Oh man, this is such a big one and such a common thing to do—we tend to feel like more detergent = more clean. But actually the opposite is true: When you use more than the appropriate dose, the suds don't get fully washed out in the rinse cycle. And if soap is left behind on the clothes, it gives all that odor-causing bacteria an extra source of power, because bacteria loves to feed on soap. Bacteria has weird tastes, what can I say?
  3. No fabric softener. Ever.
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And a Few Best Practices on Laundering Workout Gear

When we get into Laundry School this September, I'll get into more specifics about the laundering of gym gear. But since we're here and I'm hellbent and determined to save the world from gym clothes laundering mistakes, here are the best practices when it comes to washing our athletic gear:

  1. Wash workout clothes inside out. The bacteria that causes our workout gear to stink to high heaven builds up on the inside of the clothes, so turning them inside out prior to washing will allow the water and detergent more contact with the source of the smells.
  2. Don't overuse detergent. More detergent doesn't make your clothes cleaner, and soap residue will contribute to the presence of smells even in clothes that have been through the wash.
  3. Add an odor-eliminating product to the mix. White vinegar is my go-to odor-eliminating product for use in addition to regular detergent. For regular loads, a quarter or a half cup of white vinegar, added either at the start of the wash or during the rinse cycle, will kill odor-causing bacteria and keep workout gear smelling fresh. Increase the amount to a full cup of the stuff when you need to reverse a smell problem that's already developed. If you hate the smell of vinegar, there are lots of other choices when it comes to odor-eliminating laundry boosters, like Borax or Zero Odor.
  4. Switch to a sports detergent. Sports detergents are formulated to address odor issues, and take away the need to use a second product in addition to your regular detergent. Some good ones to check out are HEX, SportsSuds and Tide Odor Defense. I've personally used all three on my gym gear, and, as a laundry-obsessed person who works out seven days a week, the laundering needs of my workout clothes are no joke.
  5. NEVER USE FABRIC SOFTENER, EVER EVER. This one is so clutch that I'm screaming at you so you'll remember it. Fabric softener doesn't play super nicely with stretchy and moisture-wicking fabrics, as it leaves behind a coating that makes it difficult for water and detergent to fully penetrate the fibers. Skip it in loads that contain workout clothes.
  6. Low-heat or air drying is crucial. Anyone who has experienced New York City in August already knows this: Heat will amplify odors. The same phenomenon that makes Manhattan smell like a urinal during the summertime will make your gym clothes smell like old feet, so when drying them in the machine, use a low- or no-heat setting. Even better, let the clothes air dry. The fabrics tend to be quick-drying, and as an added bonus, they'll last longer if they're not exposed to the heat and agitation of the dryer.