Dobok Care

[Maestro402]

All

I love my new TKD school (had to move) they are strong on proper technique and conditioning ... HOWEVER, that means I sweat ... A LOT. I have been going through Doboks like wildfire b/c they are staining and then eventually they look bad. I don't want to be disrespectful and wear a stained dobok to class so I eventually have to buy a new dobok. Honestly I have gone through two in 9 months and I wash them after every wear.

Is there a way to get them white again or at the very least care tips someone can give me that would allow me keep that from happening to the next one.

It's just annoying and getting expensive.

Thanks
Maestro

 

[Grenadier]

Fairly easy solution:

Get some chlorine-free bleach from the store, and use it. Any of the sodium carbonate-containing formulas should work fine, such as Oxyclean, SUN Oxygen, etc.

A half scoop of SUN Oxygen cleaner powder in each load of white laundry helps keep the whites bright, while not degrading the fabric the way that chlorine bleach does.

Best of all? It's cheap.

 

[Maestro402]

I think I know the answer to this but a lot of days I like to sneek away from work and squeeze in a noon class. Needless to say after work I have to go back to work and my dobok stays in my bad ... in my car. Is not putting it in the washer immediately after class causing more of an issue?

Thoughts? Obviously I know little about laundry.

 

[dancingalone]

Yes, the longer time you allow the sweat to sit in the uniform, the more likely it will set. I have experienced the same problems you have, and there's not really a 100% effective solution.

I've tried chlorine & nonchlorine bleach. Hydrogen peroxide. Petroleum-based cleaners like Goop or M15 (these actually work to an extent). Oxyclean (like the Sun cleaner recommended above). Dishwashing detergent. Tide with bleach. Air drying in the sun. You name it.

They all work in varying degrees but even when used as a treatment in a chain, you will never get all the yellow stains out totally. I have several high quality uniforms like Hirota and Shureido that are in great shape other than the unappealing stains on the collar and at the underarms. <shrugs> I have learned to accept this as a price for wearing white uniforms. These days for hard workouts, I usually wear a natural colored judo uniform which hides the problems entirely. I save the expensive uniforms for special occasions or seminars/gradings.

Best solution: switch to a black uniform or a natural color uniform. But this is probably an unacceptable solution in taekwondo schools.

 

[Steve]

I use white vinegar in every load of laundry I do. While I can't know for sure what your stains are, my personal experience is that vinegar will work better than anything else you'll try.

If the stains are really bad, I'd add a cup of vinegar to the wash cycle (in addition to the normal amount of laundry soap) and then another 1/2 cup to the rinse. In general, I only use it in the rinse (instead of fabric softener).

Your clothes won't smell like vinegar. It's dirt cheap. It's green. It's safe for front loaders. And it works.

I wrote an article on my blog with my top 10 tips for washing gis. While specifically intended for BJJ gis, it applies to any smelly, sweaty laundry.

http://www.stevebjj.com/2009/07/washing-the-bjj-gi/

Hope it helps.

 

[Maestro402]

Thanks for all the great input. My wife bought me a nice Dobok for my bday. I think I'll just use that for tournaments and testings and get a couple of lower "quality" ones for working out. I'll try to keep those quality. Also, I'm going to see if i can use the vinegar method too. Thanks again.

 

[Omar B]

Wash it right after using it. Don't let it sit in a bag for an hour.

 

[Steve]

Thanks for all the great input. My wife bought me a nice Dobok for my bday. I think I'll just use that for tournaments and testings and get a couple of lower "quality" ones for working out. I'll try to keep those quality. Also, I'm going to see if i can use the vinegar method too. Thanks again.

I really think you'll be surprised at how well it works.

 

[XBOXLIVE]

:ultracool

 

[Balrog]

I think I know the answer to this but a lot of days I like to sneek away from work and squeeze in a noon class. Needless to say after work I have to go back to work and my dobok stays in my bad ... in my car. Is not putting it in the washer immediately after class causing more of an issue?

Thoughts? Obviously I know little about laundry.

Keep some plastic coathangers in your car. After class, rinse your dobok out in the sink. It's better than nothing. Wring it out, put it on the hanger in your car and wash it that evening.

 

[jks9199]

Two things:

First, I assume if you're sneaking in a noon class, you're showering before you go back to work. You can take your dobok into the shower with you, and get it rinsed, then wring it out good and put it on hangers in your car, not folded into your gym bag.

Second... see the last part above. Even if you don't want to rinse it -- put it on a hanger, not into your gym bag. Dark is friendly to the germs and stuff that stains and stinks.

 

[rlobrecht]

Are you allowed to wear a t-shirt under your dobok? In addition to the suggestions above, that can help.

I wear the "Under Armor" type, but you might find that a cotton one keeps the sweat away from your uniform better.

 

[Bruno@MT]

We use black so its not much of an issue. I once read that originally, Takamatsu sense had people use white keikogi. When Hatsumi sensei started the Bujinkan, he used white as well but allegedly his wife complained that she couldn't get the grass stains out of it so he switched to black. Don't know if it is true but it is possible. Afaik the Jinenkan and Genbukan organizations just continued to use black when they split from the Bujinkan.