Undergarment Odor: What To Do?

[633squadron]

I have a DUI TLS 350 drysuit with the Polartech Powerstretch 300 jumpsuit as the warmth layer. This setup works great, except that my jumpsuit always stinks of sweat after a dive. I dive a lot in Monterey, where the air temp at the surface is comfortably in the upper 60s, but the water temp is in the lower 50s.

In the past I've avoided washing the jumpsuit after every dive, because I'm afraid that overwashing will wear it out prematurely. I'm about the change this, because the stink is just getting to be too much to bear. I can literally smell the suit from the next room.

Any ideas, or comments? DUI gives instructions for washing the jumpsuit, but they don't say how safe it is to wash it on a regular basis.

 

[PfcAJ]

IIRC, its ok to frequently wash the 300g polartech. It helps a lot to air out the undergarment in the sun. Also, Febreeze that stank-suit if you have to. In any case, be sure to follow the tag when you do wash it, and try to use powder detergent. Wearing something like UnderArmour beneath the jumpsuit will help with the stank and can be washed all you want.

Btw, I dive a 400g thinsulate (frequent washing is bad). Air temps are often in the 80-90s here. You think your suit stinks???

 

[Diver0001]

Any ideas, or comments? DUI gives instructions for washing the jumpsuit, but they don't say how safe it is to wash it on a regular basis.

So... I'm just going to make a wild guess here but I would think if you can smell it from the next room that DUI customer support is going to tell you to wash it if you phone them.

just a guess.

Can we also make a guess if you're married or not? j/k

R..

 

[Mark Derail]

Check out Don's posts in the Pee thread ScubaSam did. srly

 

[vjanelle]

Do you purge the suit of air before getting in the water? The humidity of the air around you could be contributing to the moisture in the suit. I wear a wicking layer underneath my 400g bare hi-loft, only time I have to wash it is if my suit leaks.

 

[nielsent]

Embrace your dive garment stench... It is a proud reminder that you spent time underwater, something only a small population of people get to do... Also, no one can smell it underwater

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I wash mine after nearly every day of diving. I have done so for several years and it hasn't caused the suit to lose its warmth.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

With some undergarments you need to read the label carfully. Mine specifically state cold water only and no dryer. Line dry. What I have done is then fluff em a bit in the dryer with no heat. But as I don't seem to sweat much I've only needed to wash them a couple times in the years I have had them. But then I only have about 150 dives on the one set and another 75 or so on the newest one.

 

[hvrietsc]

Wear something from http://www.icebreaker.com instead of the fleece. I wear their stuff while running: talk about sweating a lot, but never it smells.

 

[ajduplessis]

Handwash in cold water, don't use any fabric softener or dryer.