I’m commuting every day by bike, about 2 x 12 km. Hence, I am wearing cycling clothes, which I wash daily. Currently, I put my clothes in a reusable plastic cloth bag, and I noticed a bit of a musk in my office even though I leave the window open 24 hours a day (unless it is very cold outside).
How do you deal with this issue? Do you have any ideas?
A few more details:
I’m sensitive to BO, and I use special detergent for sports clothes and often add antibacterial detergent as well.
If I use a plastic bag, then my cycling kit is damp when I put it on before I get back home.
I’ve never noticed that issue, and my first thought is that your sensitivity to the smell makes you pick up something that nobody else does. Is there anyone at work who would give you an honest opinion if there is a smell or not?
As altenatives - can you store the bag outside on the window sill?
I’d also maybe roll the wet stuff in a towel to absorb the moisture. Not sure if that’s help, but maybe spray with deodorant before putting in the bag. Or you could try washing it under the shower (presumably you shower when you get there?)
I’d also take a clean set of bike clothes to work, so you don’t have to change into wet stuff for the ride home.
I commute about 15 miles each way. At my old office it wasn’t a problem as you hang up your clothes in an airiated shower room. The new office shower room is tiny and enclosed and whilst you can still hang up clothes they don’t really dry out and can be a bit
I prefer to commute in a waterproof soft shell and that doesn’t stay in there it gets a healthy dose of deodorant and dries out in the air on the back of my chair. As a result it seams to be odour free.
I would have thought storing things in a plastic bag would be a growing ground for odour generating bacteria.
Don’t ever put damp kit away in a bag if you intend wearing it again, apart from the BO problem all the bacteria from your crotch will be multiplying increasing the risk of infections.
Sweat doesn’t smell, the bacteria that live on it do. Those bacteria need moisture and time to make the bad BO smell, therefore, the faster you can dry your kit the less smell is produced.
Hanging your kit up to air in your office will dry them faster, depending on the humidity where you are, opening a window may not be more effective that leaving the window shut and letting the aircon deal with the moisture. ( where I live RH is often close to 100% so opening a window doesn’t help)
I assume you are having a shower and the BO smell is your clothes not you?
As others have pointed out merino clothing helps because the bacteria that smell can’t reproduce on it as well as they can on cotton or synthetic fibres. Merino socks and tops are easy to get hold of padded cycling shorts not so much… The downside to merino is it takes longer to wash and dry than synthetic fabrics but you can wash it less often if it is well aired between wears.
Perhaps the least obvious solution is to ride your commute more slowly if you stay in Z1 you could probably stay cool enough to do it in your office clothes and not even have to change.
Can you hang them outside somehow?
Friend of mine takes a plunge in the river near his work before he arrives. Spring fed so crystal clear. Maybe a rinse in the kitchen sink while nobody is looking?
Maybe a half height dressing screen (like the foldable ones that often have an asian theme) set 6" from a wall with a towel rack attached to the back of the screen (or a foldable clothes rack behind the screen), and a fan blowing directly on the clothes. Women have been doing similar with their dainties for a really long time.
As another person with a very sensitive nose, I can say that just like I smell body odors that most don’t, I also smell vinegar after it’s been on clothes. The first (and only) time I tried using vinegar on clothes, I ended up washing the shirt multiple times and finally just throwing it in the garbage. This solution works for most people, but would not for me.
As others have said - avoid a bag - try to get the clothes hanging and in open air. I drape my cycling clothes over my bike and put a fan on them. Quite effective for quick drying and that keeps the smells down.
Agree with many others. Putting clothes in a bag is the worst strategy. I commute to work everyday. I shower in the AM before the commute. I don’t ride hard, but I do typically break a light sweat. Bike clothes come off and hang in an armoire in my office. If there is rain in the a.m. and my clothes get wet, I run a fan. I wash my bike commuting clothes every evening. Sweat does not smell. It is the bacteria that grow on your cycling clothes in a wet bag that smells. If your cycling clothes are clean when you start your commute, they probably won’t smell after a light sweat.
