[HN Gopher] Microbial Odor Profile of Polyester and Cotton Cloth...
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       Microbial Odor Profile of Polyester and Cotton Clothes After a
       Fitness Session
        
       Author : Eisenstein
       Score  : 17 points
       Date   : 2023-07-30 22:07 UTC (52 minutes ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
        
       | jgoldber13 wrote:
       | I use merino wool rather than cotton or synthetics. It wicks
       | sweat, doesn't chafe and doesn't smell after sweating in it.
        
         | elchief wrote:
         | Icebreaker sells some good stuff. Get em on sale though
        
         | yeeeloit wrote:
         | What types of garments do you use that are made from merino
         | wool, and what sports do you engage in?
        
           | version_five wrote:
           | Not the op, I have some winter running base layers made of
           | meriono wool and and I swear by merino wool glove liners to
           | wear when running outside on the cold. I don't think anything
           | wool would be suitable for exercise when it's warm, but I've
           | never tried it.
        
             | civilitty wrote:
             | The merino wool mixes from REI work well in warm weather,
             | especially when hiking where the temperature experienced
             | can swing wildly due to sun exposure, sweat, and wind. It
             | has the benefit of keeping warm even when wet much like
             | wool but it breathes better.
        
       | pards wrote:
       | > The polyester T-shirts smelled significantly less pleasant and
       | more intense, compared to the cotton T-shirts.
       | 
       | This is consistent with my experience. I stopped buying expensive
       | exercise clothing many years ago because they only last a season
       | before they smell too bad. Instead, I buy them at the end-of-
       | season sales or at discount retailers like Winners [0].
       | 
       | Unfortunately, in Canada it isn't feasible to hang them out in
       | the sun to dry - for much of the year they'd just freeze.
       | 
       | [0]: https://www.winners.ca/en/how
        
       | version_five wrote:
       | Sounds like a moot point because cotton chafes and synthetic
       | doesnt. I hang up my clothes outside after I exercise (and before
       | I have a chance to wash them) and it makes all the difference. In
       | general, odor is not about the acute sweat - at least
       | anecdotally, exercise sweat doesn't really smell, it's about what
       | happens when you bunch up your clothes and let bacteria grow in
       | them. So getting them dry and out in the sun matters more than
       | the fabric.
        
         | alexjplant wrote:
         | > cotton chafes and synthetic doesnt
         | 
         | I hate cotton and generally go for at least a poly blend for
         | this reason... also because cotton inevitably ends up with a
         | weird texture and pilling. Unless it's high-end weave in a
         | dress shirt or something I'll take a synthetic every day of the
         | week and twice on Sunday.
        
         | analog31 wrote:
         | Use of sunlight noted. Any other ideas for disinfecting without
         | bleach (just due to effect on color)?
        
           | flatline wrote:
           | For clothing, baking soda is remarkably effective at
           | eliminating odors, which I assume means it has some
           | antibiotic properties.
        
           | throwaway4aday wrote:
           | Buy a steam cleaner, they're quite inexpensive now if you buy
           | a "steam mop". Just make sure to get one that has attachments
           | for cleaning clothing. They're great for cleaning everything
           | else as well.
        
           | version_five wrote:
           | I've soaked them in vinegar periodically if I find they get
           | really gross.
           | 
           | I think there's also accepting that after a bit exercise
           | clothes don't smell great close up. If circumstances require
           | really odor free ones (a workout date?) I'd probably buy new
           | clothes.
        
           | Eisenstein wrote:
           | You could use ozone, but that is probably more trouble/danger
           | than it is worth.
           | 
           | You could use an autoclave.
        
         | daneel_w wrote:
         | Anecdotally, sweat starts to smell after it has soaked for a
         | bit in bodily hair. The sweat on my forehead, back and chest
         | never smells of anything, but the sweat on my scalp and in my
         | armpits does. My theory is that the smell develops from sweat
         | reacting with (or releasing something from) perhaps the sebum.
        
           | throwaway4aday wrote:
           | that's still bacteria that causes that
        
         | webmobdev wrote:
         | On the other hand cotton fabric tends to absorb sweat better
         | and is more airy thus allowing the human body to cool down much
         | better than synthetic fabrics.
        
           | brokenkebaby wrote:
           | Not in my experience. Cotton takes your sweat, and makes you
           | feel like you are soaking in it (and that's why it chafes
           | more - skin loses elasticity in prolonged contact with
           | water). Nothing is airy about it.
        
             | coldtea wrote:
             | It's not a matter of experience. Cotton is objectively more
             | breathable.
        
       | Schnitz wrote:
       | If you wash your clothes after working out the study seems moot,
       | they let the clothes ripen for 28h unwashed before testing.
        
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       (page generated 2023-07-30 23:00 UTC)