dobok condition

[0425]

I do wash my uniform after every workout, but I have a spare one that I use on my "off class" days to train in at home or at the gym on base. Since we kind of on the subject any tips on how to get the smell out of an uniform. My uniform smells fine coming out of the wash, but five minutes after I throw it on and start warming up in class it's smelling pretty funky. Of course getting a new dobok is always an option, but my current one is physically still in decent enough shape to be a practice one other than the foul aroma coming off it. And before anyone suggests it, I do shower, with soap even.

I've got the same issue. I'm going to try bleach free OxyClean tonite after class and I'll give you some feedback next week.

I am guilty of sometimes not washing it right away, I'm sure that doesn't help....and yes, I too shower with soap (daily even!).

 

[granfire]

I do wash my uniform after every workout, but I have a spare one that I use on my "off class" days to train in at home or at the gym on base. Since we kind of on the subject any tips on how to get the smell out of an uniform. My uniform smells fine coming out of the wash, but five minutes after I throw it on and start warming up in class it's smelling pretty funky. Of course getting a new dobok is always an option, but my current one is physically still in decent enough shape to be a practice one other than the foul aroma coming off it. And before anyone suggests it, I do shower, with soap even.

A lot of that is body chemistry. I had a ballet teacher once who swore up and down professional dancers smelled better than amies, being they workout and sweat several hours every day compared to a an hour or so a few times a week.

Add to that water intake and food choices, the posibilities are endless.

Febreeze is good, but frankly, as long as it's 'funky' and not like you crawled out of a dead horses butt...I'd not worry too much.

Sometimes the washing machine needs a cycle with hot water and a gallon of bleach, too, don't ask me how come I know, but especially in the summer things seem to get icky and leave a funky smell on the laundry, a round as discribed above takes care of it for a while.

 

[TKDHermit]

thing is my pants are turning black instead of yellow. lol. and apart from the butt part, even the thigh part of the pants have black lines when they dont touch the floor. in full dobok they cant be seen yes, but its kinda unsightly when wearing a tshirt with the pants.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

thing is my pants are turning black instead of yellow. lol. and apart from the butt part, even the thigh part of the pants have black lines when they dont touch the floor. in full dobok they cant be seen yes, but its kinda unsightly when wearing a tshirt with the pants.

You there to fight or dance? Embrace the funk and get on with it.

 

[granfire]

thing is my pants are turning black instead of yellow. lol. and apart from the butt part, even the thigh part of the pants have black lines when they dont touch the floor. in full dobok they cant be seen yes, but its kinda unsightly when wearing a tshirt with the pants.

Wear a Black T-shirt

 

[TigerLove]

I have a black and a white dobok.

No matter in which i trained, i wash it after training. If it stays for some time in bag, it will be stinky to, not just yellow.

Black is fading out bit by bit..but looks good.

White is ok per now (one year, i wash it two times a week), i will see how things will go. I think that hepfull thing is that this is a pretty expensive and quality doboks we ordered from Japan (for hapkido, hard as judo dobok, even harder) so it will take some time for Tide destroy it.

But, i think that also important is how much Tide you put in - i put just a bit - so dobok can get some nice aroma, and water will do the rest. If you put tones of Tide when washing probably dobok will be destroyed much quicker. And also, i wash it by hands, not machine.

 

[Miles]

And also, i wash it by hands, not machine.

When I was first married, we were young and dirt poor (as opposed to older and a little less poor now!) Anyway, I would come home from training and hand-wash my dobok in the bathtub after I showered and then hang it there until morning when I would iron it to make it less board-like.

Now I have a lot of doboks which I rotate much like ATC. In this economy, it is important to spend $$ to keep things moving. I recommend spending some $$ at Kwon since it is Michigan-based (and we can use all the help we can get).

 

[sadantkd]

add a cup of white vinegar to the washer. This is actually a really good idea for all laundry.

 

[sfs982000]

add a cup of white vinegar to the washer. This is actually a really good idea for all laundry.

I've heard that was a good idea from a few folks as well. Forgive my ignorance, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to use that with an HE washer? Would I add it to the bleach section or add it to the detergent itself?

 

[Steve]

I've heard that was a good idea from a few folks as well. Forgive my ignorance, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to use that with an HE washer? Would I add it to the bleach section or add it to the detergent itself?

A few months back, I wrote an article on care for the Gi (specifically the BJJ kimono, but many of the tips are universal).

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

In an HE washer, I add vinegar to the bleach bin. I would NEVER use bleach on a gi/dobok/whatever.

 

[shesulsa]

so does any1 here wash their uniforms right after they get back home from training? just curious.

:wavey:

Since we kind of on the subject any tips on how to get the smell out of an uniform. My uniform smells fine coming out of the wash, but five minutes after I throw it on and start warming up in class it's smelling pretty funky.

First of all, you're likely not getting that thing clean when you wash it. Use a little more laundry detergent (or a better one) and put it on a longer wash - you should be washing a gi/dobuk with as much power and fervor as you would whites with an additional rinse. Don't use fabric softener, use a cup of white distilled vinegar in the rinse bin for your washer for the primary rinse, allow the secondary rinse to be a clear, cold-water rinse.

Second, you need to be clean when you wear it. Don't go to class dirty, man. It's gross. Once or twice each week, use an exfoliating scrub in the shower on your entire body - there are plenty of these out for women and I've noticed that some inexpensive brands are putting out a men's line - Suave, Old Spice, Axe all have an exfoliating scrub. You'd be more effective if you use an exfoliating MITT (found in the beauty section) or the Axe Power Shower Tool plus a good cleanser. Don't use a moisturizing shower soap, it only leaves dirt and soap residue on you and you wind up dirtier than you were before. Body odor is the result of the interaction of bacteria and sweat plus residue, so you need to make sure whatever you're putting on your armpits contains an antiperspirant - put it on CLEAN SKIN - and allow it to completely dry. Spray-on ones suck, solids suck. The best are the gel types and Mitchum is the best OTC brand I've ever found.

Febreze is helpful in these situations. In the old days before Febreze, I knew people who would boil their uniforms with a box of baking soda mixed into the water. You basically need a alkaloid compound to neutralize the scent.

Febreze, even in residual amounts, activates respiratory issues for me immediately. If someone sprays it around me, I have an attack. That stuff is bad for you and it really only adds residue on an already dirty gi/dobuk.

add a cup of white vinegar to the washer. This is actually a really good idea for all laundry.

I use white vinegar too - in place of fabric softener and I have no static cling issues nor yellowing of whites nor residual odors .... it is the cheapest and healthiest rinse agent ever.

I've heard that was a good idea from a few folks as well. Forgive my ignorance, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to use that with an HE washer? Would I add it to the bleach section or add it to the detergent itself?

stevebjj answers that below, but I add it to the fabric softener bin instead.

A few months back, I wrote an article on care for the Gi (specifically the BJJ kimono, but many of the tips are universal).

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

In an HE washer, I add vinegar to the bleach bin. I would NEVER use bleach on a gi/dobok/whatever.

Agreed on the bleach thing, and you need to get that thing out of your bag and into the wash as soon as freakin' possible. If you can't, then hang it on a hanger instead of throwing it in a bag. You *can* keep a spritzer of a 50-50 vinegar and water mix in your car and spritz that thing a bit once hung - that will at least begin the deodorization process and if hung in your car near the window (like dry cleaning), the sun with the vinegar will start the cleaning process for you and will help prevent that skanky smell.

One other thing that works well for me is a mixture of laundry detergent and baking soda as a pre-treat. It's much less caustic and toxic than Spray N Wash or other commercial pre-treatments.

To recover your dobuk, wash it a few times on the Whites setting with baking soda or oxyclean added to the wash and allow it to dry in the sun, if you can - if not, hang it dry until the third wash.

For the seat of your pants, try a Fels-Naphtha bar. Cheap and they work great!

 

[terryl965]

I require all students to own atleast two uniforms and they cannot practice if it is dirty or smelling. I have always said people need to be tought everything when they start any Martial arts because common sense leaves there head on the first day.

 

[MasterWright]

Maybe spray and wash on the bottoms. I try not to use any type of stick or gel deoderant, just spray types before putting on the uniform top. that seems to help keep the underarms from yellowing. Hopefully your fellow students won't complain if you put them into a headlock.

 

[Steve]

Just to add to some things regarding vinegar. A 5% solution of vinegar to water is a natural disenfectant. It kills 99% of germs and such, but is non-toxic (unlike bleach).

Also, a stronger solution is a great soak. If you have a yellowed gi/dobok or whatever, try soaking it overnight in a strong solution of white vinegar (or some people swear by cider vinegar).

If you're worried about the smell, don't be. It's a non-issue. The smell goes away as the gi dries.

If you're handwashing your gis, I sincerely hope you never actually sweat in them. Three things contribute to getting clothes clean: cleaning agents (whether it's detergent or whatever), water and agitation. Very few people have the time or patience required to adequately agitate an article of clothing by hand. And beyond that, it's a real chore to sufficiently rinse the clothes.

 

[granfire]

Just to add to some things regarding vinegar. A 5% solution of vinegar to water is a natural disenfectant. It kills 99% of germs and such, but is non-toxic (unlike bleach).

Also, a stronger solution is a great soak. If you have a yellowed gi/dobok or whatever, try soaking it overnight in a strong solution of white vinegar (or some people swear by cider vinegar).

I think the Vinegar sold in grocery stores is around 5% so a cup in a load if laundry is pretty small, but it works, but straight up for tougher stains. I have seen concentrated vinegar at my local Asian grocery, I think it's 22% but don't quote me on that.

If you're handwashing your gis, I sincerely hope you never actually sweat in them. Three things contribute to getting clothes clean: cleaning agents (whether it's detergent or whatever), water and agitation. Very few people have the time or patience required to adequately agitate an article of clothing by hand. And beyond that, it's a real chore to sufficiently rinse the clothes.

LOL, put it on, jump into a river and beat yourself against a rock...

well, if quickly done a rinse works I suppose, I just cringed at the thought of hand washing a heavy weight/ judo grade uniform....they are not very cooperative dry, let alone wet, but then again, that could be part of the training regiment....

(FYI, laundry used to be a tough and dangerous chore...)