Since hot water laundry washes are not really possible here , what is the best way to launder gym clothing to keep the stank out.

I have used Dettol antiseptic liquid and it seems work a bit - but 100% cotton t shirts tend to still smell even after being washed with it.

Any suggestions ?

Get a hot water heater...Buy a washing machine that heats water from a cold feed....Hot water laundry isn't impossible.

If you are renting an apartment then a hot water tank is probably impractical but you could buy a washing machine.

Edited December 23, 201213 yr by inthepink

Add a cup of vinegar, add it where you normally use the conditioner or softener.

That takes the smell out not cover it up like many other cleaning stuff by using deodorants and perfumes.

Edited December 23, 201213 yr by Khun Jean

My wife and I use washing powder from Zulian and we also use a fabric softener, fabric softeners often have a scent in that can cover odours.

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Add a cup of vinegar, add it where you normally use the conditioner or softener.

That takes the smell out not cover it up like many other cleaning stuff by using deodorants and perfumes.

White vinegar ?

I use cool water for washing back home in Canada and it seems to get my clothes clean. If you want hot water in Thailand then rig a system where you pump your water onto black piping on your roof in the sun. That will heat it up in a hurry. A builder friend in Canada uses a similar system in the summer and runs copper wire behind his wood stove in the winter. It really cuts down on hot water bills.

Vinegar works very well as an odour neutraliser. Yes, just plain old white vinegar.

I'm sorry but I fail to see how hot wash is not possible here,my Samsung front loader which I call a western washing machine heats the cold water to the desired temperature,which I very rarely use as a cold wash in this type of machine with the correct automatic powder,and decent fabric softener such as comfort will suffice,if you paid say 5000 baht for a top loader that does nothing but swill the clothes around in dirty cold water it's hardly surprising.

Been there done that got the smelly T Shirt,every pun intended.

Hang the clothes in the sun to dry. If you are worried about colour fade, turn them inside out.

Take a look at a previous topic

I never use hot water. I buy cold water detergent and it does fine. Yes I would use vinegar for smelly gym clothes but not street clothes.

Cold water is far easier on garments too, including colors. I don't like big electricity bills if not necessary.

Purex Ultra Coldwater Laundry Detergent. Five star rating. Scroll down. Maybe there's something similar in LOS.

OOps time for me to get my eyes tested I read the title as Smelly sh*ts

I find that the cause for residual odor is leaving the laundry in the machine too long after washing. If you remove straight away and immediately hang to dry you should not have and odor issues.

Another trick to remove sweat stains from gym clothes is to soak in water with a few aspirin tablets added. Takes a lot of the yellow stain out modern fabrics (the water turns yellow) although not quite 100 pc.

If your clothes are that smelly, might be a body chemistry problem. Try a change of diet...

If your clothes are that smelly, might be a body chemistry problem. Try a change of diet...

No , thats my butt - but some Asepo takes care of that ....

Another trick to remove sweat stains from gym clothes is to soak in water with a few aspirin tablets added. Takes a lot of the yellow stain out modern fabrics (the water turns yellow) although not quite 100 pc.

.... certainly takes the headache out of the whole process.

Seriously, your clothes stink so bad that they smell even after theycome out of the washing machine...<deleted>?

You could also try adding about a teaspoon of eucolyptus oil to the wash, or if you can find it some, tea tree oil, both stop odours and the tea tree oil is also anti fungal and anti parasitic.

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I find that the cause for residual odor is leaving the laundry in the machine too long after washing. If you remove straight away and immediately hang to dry you should not have and odor issues.

If that is the case then the washing machine does not rinse the detergent out completely.

The detergent is bio degradable which basically means that it will rot, including the smell.

Detergent that is not solvable enough because of temperature can stick between the fabrics of your clothes. Cotton a bit more then on synthetic fibers. White vinegar can help with that too. Another is some baking soda or borax.

Fresh out of the machine clothes should be completely odorless (In Thailand maybe a little chlorine smell as that is in the water).

Any additive that makes clothes smell good is basically some sticky goo between fabrics that will make the next cleaning more difficult. Do that many times and your clothes will actually fill up with that stuff, making especially cotton not as 'breathing' as when new.

Edited December 24, 201213 yr by Khun Jean

I find that the cause for residual odor is leaving the laundry in the machine too long after washing. If you remove straight away and immediately hang to dry you should not have and odor issues.

If that is the case then the washing machine does not rinse the detergent out completely.

The detergent is bio degradable which basically means that it will rot, including the smell.

Detergent that is not solvable enough because of temperature can stick between the fabrics of your clothes. Cotton a bit more then on synthetic fibers. White vinegar can help with that too. Another is some baking soda or borax.

Fresh out of the machine clothes should be completely odorless (In Thailand maybe a little chlorine smell as that is in the water).

Any additive that makes clothes smell good is basically some sticky goo between fabrics that will make the next cleaning more difficult. Do that many times and your clothes will actually fill up with that stuff, making especially cotton not as 'breathing' as when new.

Its not the detergent (if indeed, the OP is not promptly line-drying after a wash). Do an experiment. Run clean clothes through the washing machine using nothing but water. Leave in the machine in the tropical heat for a few hours. Smell. Tada! You've grown smelly mildew! No detergent required.

Not disagreeing with your point about not putting so much cleaning/smelling "stuff" on your laundry. I agree with you on that, it can build-up and ends up making your clothes less comfortable to wear - dry skin and allergies all around. But, a bad smell, due to fungus and mold will happen, regardless of detergent.

I find that the cause for residual odor is leaving the laundry in the machine too long after washing. If you remove straight away and immediately hang to dry you should not have and odor issues.

If that is the case then the washing machine does not rinse the detergent out completely.

The detergent is bio degradable which basically means that it will rot, including the smell.

Detergent that is not solvable enough because of temperature can stick between the fabrics of your clothes. Cotton a bit more then on synthetic fibers. White vinegar can help with that too. Another is some baking soda or borax.

Fresh out of the machine clothes should be completely odorless (In Thailand maybe a little chlorine smell as that is in the water).

Any additive that makes clothes smell good is basically some sticky goo between fabrics that will make the next cleaning more difficult. Do that many times and your clothes will actually fill up with that stuff, making especially cotton not as 'breathing' as when new.

Its not the detergent (if indeed, the OP is not promptly line-drying after a wash). Do an experiment. Run clean clothes through the washing machine using nothing but water. Leave in the machine in the tropical heat for a few hours. Smell. Tada! You've grown smelly mildew! No detergent required.

Not disagreeing with your point about not putting so much cleaning/smelling "stuff" on your laundry. I agree with you on that, it can build-up and ends up making your clothes less comfortable to wear - dry skin and allergies all around. But, a bad smell, due to fungus and mold will happen, regardless of detergent.

You are correct about the mildew, as i always use vinegar i don't smell mildew after a i leave clothes in the machine for a few hours by accident. Mildew is killed by the vinegar and the chlorine in the water also helps with that.

As the wash machine is not air tight mildew will come back and thrive on wet clothes, so indeed it is best to take out the clothes as fast as possible and preferably dry them in the open air, although in bangkok they would probably get dirty when you do that.

If your clothes are that smelly, might be a body chemistry problem. Try a change of diet...

No , thats my butt - but some Asepo takes care of that ....

Or a coffee enema.

Ask 'em at Starbucks.

If your t-shirts are made from function materials they will stink like crazy if you use fabric softener. Most brands include an instruction NOT to use fabric softener. I made this mistake with my shirts when I started using materials like this at the gym without reading the instructions...

If they are 100% cotton I have absolutely no clue what the problem is.

If your t-shirts are made from function materials they will stink like crazy if you use fabric softener. Most brands include an instruction NOT to use fabric softener. I made this mistake with my shirts when I started using materials like this at the gym without reading the instructions...

If they are 100% cotton I have absolutely no clue what the problem is.

Yea, cotton is best. Synthetics always stink from workouts.

Maybe it's the drying method. If they stay wet too long, cloudy day or it rains on them, clothing gets sour. Only solution then is to wash 'em again.

P.S. You have a good sense of humor, Jimmy.

Edited December 25, 201213 yr by HeijoshinCool