Boxing Gear Odor

Every athlete struggles with smelly gear to a certain extent, but some have a harder time than others. Boxers are among the athletes that struggle in the fight against smelly gear. Even the best boxer, who can win every bout in the ring, loses the bout against his own gloves.

Unlike basketball players, who just have sneakers and a change of clothes to wash, boxers have gloves, headgear, and shoes. All of these items pose specific challenges. Here are some tips on how to keep boxing gear smelling good.

Take Gear Home

The first step to refreshing a pair of gloves or shoes is taking them home. Some boxers might have to do this when their spouse or mother is not home. Gear is not usually welcome at home, but this is a necessary step. How else is one to wash boxing gloves? Gyms rarely have laundromats. The gear does not have to come home daily, but a weekly cleaning can go a long way. Use SMELLEZE® Reusable Gym Bag Smell Removal Deodorizer Pouches during storage to control the stinky sweat odors before you get to wash your boxing gear.

Wash Gear

Washing shorts and shirts is a fairly straightforward process; anyone who needs help washing them should call his mother. Cleaning gloves and headgear is a different story. This equipment often requires special care. Boxers should read the directions on their gear’s tag carefully. The gear should be washed at least weekly as directed. To help get the odor out from boxing gear, add ODOREZE® Natural Laundry Odor Eliminator Additive to your regular detergent or soak your gear in it prior to washing. This is designed to knock out the odors from any washable item. It also comes as a concentrate so just one bottle will be good for over 50 washes and it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals!

Dry Gear Out

One simple step boxers can take is to dry their gear out as quickly as possible. Skiers are always drying their boots out. This is done primarily so they can go out in the cold the next day, but it also reduces the strange stench that boots emit.

One efficient way to dry ski boots or boxing gloves is by using a hair dryer. The hair dryer must have a cool setting, which can be hard to come by on newer models. Dryers with only warm and hot settings can melt gloves. Those that have a cool setting, however, act as a powerful fan that pushes air through the gloves. With one of these, a pair of gloves can be dried in less than 10 minutes.

Another great way for keep boxing gear dry is to use MOISTURESORB® Reusable Moisture Removal Pouches. Just store your gloves, headgear, and shoes with this eco-smart pouch and it will absorb the moisture like a sponge during storage without leaving any mess. You can simply rejuvenate it in direct sunlight or heat in a microwave to use over and over again and it won’t harm your boxing gear.

Store Gear Openly

As much as possible, gear should be stored in a manner that allows it to be aired out. This can be difficult for people who use lockers at gyms, but those who keep their equipment in a bag can leave it unzipped. Just hang a SMELLEZE® Locker Smell Removal Deodorizer Pouch in your locker to absorb and eliminate the perspiration odor and keep your locker smelling fresh. The more gear can air out, the less it will acquire new smells.

Use Eco-Smart Odor Removers that Work!

There are a number of deodorizing products that boxers can use to reduce the odor from their gear. Many common household products claim to make items smell better. These, however, merely mask the odor. They will work – for about five minutes. After many uses, a pungent combination of the “mountain air” and sweat will be almost impossible to eliminate. Using these products is akin to an athlete using perfume daily and never showering. After a month, he or she will have a truly repulsive odor.

Odor-eating products work much better than these odor-masking products. SMELLEZE® Reusable Smell Removers can be used to eliminate odors from boxing gear without covering-up with any harmful fragrances or chemicals. They also work for years and are simply refreshed in direct sunlight for use again. In addition to the products mentioned above, you can also use SMELLEZE® Reusable Shoe Smell Removal Deodorizer Pouches to keep you boxing boots and gloves smell-free and dry.

John Tolve writes boxing-related articles for Box Fit UK.