How To Get That Old Sweat Smell Out Of Your Workout Clothes

Whether it’s in a cute, spandex athletic set or that ancient sorority T-shirt, anything you work out in is bound to get a little stinky. You’re doing the work! You’re sweating! You’re busting your ass! So of course it stands to reason that the pits and crotch and everything in between on your “workout clothes” might have an odor — even after they’ve been thoroughly washed. But luckily, there are ways to get your clothes smelling back to normal and not like you’ve constantly just run a 5K.

Let me be clear: Don’t be embarrassed by any scent in your workout clothes. Again, you’re doing the damn thing. That is a hard-earned odor, you know? You should be proud of that stank. But like... sometimes you want to run to the grocery store or school pickup before a workout, and you’d prefer if you didn’t smell like one of those old Febreze commercials where they blindfolded people to sniff your pits.

For starters, the type of fabric you’re wearing to workout could lead it to be a little smellier than you like. Research from the University of Alberta found that polyester tends to hold onto odors more in the makeup of the fabric than materials like cotton and viscose. (Which may explain why so many activewear companies are touting viscose.) So if you have a polyester tee that you prefer to hit the treadmill on, maybe swap it out for something different.

And then, honestly, it’s just about giving your clothes the proper washing technique to keep them from smelling like your gym bag. (Again, a worthy odor.) Wendy Saladyga, fabric care expert and manager of Technical Performance at Henkil for Persil, tells Scary Mommy that a big issue with most workout clothes is that they’re dried before you can actually tackle the odor, which can sometimes “seal in the smell, making it tricker to remove.” But all hope is not lost. She recommends targeting the smelliest areas of your clothing — like the underarms — and treating them as you would a stain. Just pour a small amount of liquid detergent directly in the area and allow it to absorb into the odor. “It may be helpful to turn your garment inside out to better reach the smell,” she says.

You can also try soaking your workout clothes by mixing up a solution of detergent and water. Let them soak for a while, and then wash like normal. When choosing a detergent, look for one that’s odor-fighting and can clean deep into the fabric fibers. You can also look for “stain-fighting enzymes” to help tackle built-up body oil in the fibers. Saladyga says she personally washes her activewear separate from her everyday laundry, which could help target some of those specific scents in your clothes.

It may take a little extra work and thought, but you can absolutely get the workout stank out of your clothes so your favorite leggings and tanks are no longer off-limits for a Target trip. Just give an extra scrub — maybe make one day a week the day to wash all your workout gear — and check the scents before you dry them.