Commuting is just fantastic.. Its great for body and mind. It saves me loads of money BUT there is a downside. Apart from the occasional bike wash and maintenance required to keep me on the road, the biggest issue I face is my girlfriend. Gulp!
You see, because I commute so often I need a fair bit of cycling kit so I have clean stuff to wear each day. Quite often its damp when I get home but what annoys her is the smell. Me and my kit. I could wash it every day but that would be a waste of water. I’m not allowed to wash it with normal clothes because it taints them too and my kit has been banished from the laundry basket now aswell. I have to put it in a special bag in the utility away from everything else.
I wash and dry it diligently but that is no good either. It smells when its drying on the airer, so I’ve had to find a solution to my smelly problem.
I never tumble-dry cycling kit. It ruins it.
A quick google and I found out that there are specific sports washing liquids available that kill the bacteria that create the smell. I read a few reviews for the Halo Proactive Sports wash and it seemed to confirm it did the job. Cleans well and eliminates the odours. A closer look at alternatives and I found Wilko Activewear Laundry Liquid 25 Washes 1.5L which at £2.50 was less than half the price and the reviews confirmed it did the job.
TIP: Always do your zips up when you wash your cycling kit
So last Sunday I popped into Wilko and bought myself a bottle. The first wash was Friday night when I got home. A machine full of kit was washed in my new liquid and I can say, as I write this, I have it all drying right behind my chair. No smells and a thumbs-up and seal of approval from the girlfriend.
So…if you want to keep your girlfriend and your kit sweet. Try a specific sports wash for your kit. It works.
