Undergarment Odor: What To Do?

[NAM001]

I WASH MINE in the washer with ODERBAN. you can get it at home depot. good for enything. dog wets your floor use it baby bedding use it old people smell use it.,. it has some organism in it that consumes the stink. o use it in my laundry for my work clothes also. keep a mix in a spray bottle for the animals. put it in your carpet cleaner also and not use the special pet cleaning solotion.

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.

 

[HenrikBP]

Machine wash - gentle cycle. Add "Sink-the-Stink" to the last rinse cycle. Hang dry.

I wash my 4th Element Polartech undies after every weekend of diving. Now after 3 years and 120+ dives in them, I guess the socks have lost enough loft that I'd consider getting a new pair.

I also wear UnderArmor base layer, which seems to help, both with the sweating and still feeling dry, as well as the smell.

I'll have to check out ODERBAN though. Sounds like it might be cheaper than "Sink-the-Stink".

Henrik

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi 833squadron,

Below is an article I wrote for the "Ask RSD" column of Rodale's Scuba Diving:

"How Do I Clean Smelly Wetsuit Undergarments?

by Doc Vikingo

This periodic task contributes much to the comfort of the diver and his companions. There are a number of ways of accomplishing this, but none should be attempted until insuring that they are consistent with the manufacturer's cleaning instructions.

As well as regular cleaning/deodorizing, some preventative measures will help keep odors down. These include removal after each dive to avoid absorption of perspiration and rinsing well in warm water and hanging out to dry after each day of diving.

The best cleaning/deodorizing results will be obtained by soaking the garment in an enzyme-based cleaner such as "Odor-B-Gone" or "Home Page of Sink the Stink" These are available through many dive shops and online. The piece should be soaked in one of these for a number of hours, and preferably overnight, then removed and allowed to dry.

While not as effective, cleaning can also be done by washing with Woolite, agitating either by hand or placing in a front loading washing machine with at least a "gentle" and preferably a "hand wash" setting. A top loader set at "normal" could rip stitching. The temperature setting should be on warm, not hot. Add a small amount of liquid fabric softener to the rinse cycle. Next, gently squeeze the water out by hand.

With the garment still slightly moist from the rinse, mist completely with "Febreeze," available at grocery stores, and dry by hanging outside or in a drying space in your basement or the like. The garment should be stored on a hanger and in a place which is well-ventilated.”

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[fjpatrum]

Maybe I'm missing something, but if you're sweating that much shouldn't you wear a lighter undergarment?

As for washing, I've found that with my synthetics (not used for SCUBA) washing them in a gentle cycle and then line drying them works well for getting the stink out. I wash after every "heavy" use, IE actually doing something other than sitting on the couch.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that adding a light-weight wicking layer underneath your warmth layer makes a huge difference too.

 

[ddmattos]

+1. But I do wash my Fourth Element undergarments after every day of diving if possible. I use Very little detergent ( less than 2 tbsp) on gentle cycle with a 2nd rinse. My machine doesn't have the big agitator like the older machines. They still look and function like brand new after 50+ washes.

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.

 

[Teller]

I agree the under armour helps, I wear a long sleeve under armour shirt and under armour pants under my drysuit under garmets. I only wash my under garmets about every 20 dives and I let them air dry.

 

[NAM001]

OdOderban or odoban runs me about 10$ a gallon. I USE ABOUT 2 GAL AT MOST a year for all uses in the house and laundry i have seen it under different names. the 2 i mentioned above and i think odogone and possibly others. check with your nursing home laundry they certainly use it. have noticed no problems with the animals licking it from the carpets. leaves a eucolyptis smell and other flavors depending what they sell. i will guess that the brand DocVikingo mentioned is probably the same thing it is an enzyme cleaner and the enzymes destroy the bacteria's / whatevers and hence the smell's

machine wash - gentle cycle. Add "sink-the-stink" to the last rinse cycle. Hang dry.

I wash my 4th element polartech undies after every weekend of diving. Now after 3 years and 120+ dives in them, i guess the socks have lost enough loft that i'd consider getting a new pair.

I also wear underarmor base layer, which seems to help, both with the sweating and still feeling dry, as well as the smell.

I'll have to check out oderban though. Sounds like it might be cheaper than "sink-the-stink".

Henrik

 

[Jax]

Most important:

Gentle cycle. Do not use the dryer. Air dry on line or hangers!

I use Woolite, 1 tablespoon per set.

 

[LiteHedded]

do it like this:

SantiDiving - drysuits & undersuits for divers

 

[Jax]

BTW, a few of you are being slashed of my "Want to dive with you" list!