Funky Fresh!

[Jason Harris 31]

Palms generally don't last that long with me, I guess because I sweat like a fiend and I'm not a finesse kind of guy. I've had my current ones replaced three times.

I'd suggest the Salming PG1's, but that's a different topic.

What I'd really suggest is Funk Free. I'm confident it will extend the life of your palms. It's billed as a deodorizer but the truth is it biodegradably (is that a word?) decomposes sodium -- salt -- which is the source of the smells. It's so effective at breaking down salt that the goalie on my team says his catching glove became easier to open after using Funk Free.

Regarding its deodorizing capabilities, the founder of Funk Free helped me with my booth at Vegas, so he had to come up with a sniff test for people to tell it really works: He sprays a card with ammonia and hands it to the person, saying, “No one’s equipment smells this bad.†Their head snaps back, their face cringes, and they agree. He then sprays the card two or three times with Funk Free and hands the card back. Most people are too scared to take the card back but, when they do, their face breaks out in a smile.

The stuff really works. You can ask Chadd -- I sent him a bottle to test.

[lesterhenson 0]

Salming USA:

I since you mentioned that salt (NaCl) is the cause of odor, I bet that the Funk Free stuff is just a base, diluted in water, (scinetific terms) that evens out the pH of the compound, thus returning the smell to a normal state. And that would explain why your sales man used amonia on his test card and then sprayed it with Funk Free. Im suprised he didnt use something like HCl (hydrochloric acid), that probably because he compound of Funk Free was diluted to much to balance the pH of anyhting stronger than NH4 (amonium).

Just another insight though:

acid+base= salt+H20

EDIT: I made a mistake so instead of typing this all over I will just correct myself:

Ammonium Hydroxide is a common type of BASE ( i thought it was an acid). So that musct mean that Funk Free is a weak acid. Maybe something like Boric acid.

Im kind of confused tho because a neutralization reaction is acid+base= salt+H20. So wouldnt more salt be on your gear? If im right, then that would mean that you would have to keep appling Funk Free to keep the smell away.

Owell, it was worth a shot.

Please correct me if you see anything wrong.

[Jason Harris 31]

Please correct me if you see anything wrong.

Lester, I'm going to have to read your post a few times before I gather the courage to venture a response! :o

[Chadd 916]

I have not noticed any recurring odor on the items I sprayed with the Funk Free, though one has to assume continued use will eventually bring back the odor. Nor have I noticed any detrimental effects of using the spray.

[lesterhenson 0]

Im not quite sure about the salt that comes out of your body, but regular table salt is NaCl (sodium chloride). THe neutralization reaction:

acid+base= salt+H20 is kind of confusing me because I am not sure if "salt" (in this case) means Na or NaCl. If salt that is prespired thru our pores is the same as "salt" then that would mean that only a small catalyst would be needed to throw off the pH (causing it to smell), for example just letting the fatty acids on your skin touch the palms of your gloves. To sum it up, IF I am correct then Funk Free would just be giving the smell of no odor when the gear is not being used; and when you wear the gear the smell doesnt start to come back when you profusely sweat in it, but when a small catalyst comes in contact with the area. Once again, IF I am correct then Funk Free would just be a gimmick that hides the smell during undisturbed times. It is just like if you take a jug of Phenolphtalein (a pH indicator) and add HCl. THe Phenolphtalein turns red. But when you add a base to the equivalent to the Phenolphtalein (like KOH); the result is that the solution turns clear again (its orignal state). Even tho HCl and KOH are very present in the solution, you cannot see or smell because the pH levels are at an equiliberium(sp?).

[Jason Harris 31]

Salming USA:

I since you mentioned that salt (NaCl) is the cause of odor, I bet that the Funk Free stuff is just a base, diluted in water, (scinetific terms) that evens out the pH of the compound, thus returning the smell to a normal state. And that would explain why your sales man used amonia on his test card and then sprayed it with Funk Free. Im suprised he didnt use something like HCl (hydrochloric acid), that probably because he compound of Funk Free was diluted to much to balance the pH of anyhting stronger than NH4 (amonium).

Just another insight though:

acid+base= salt+H20

EDIT: I made a mistake so instead of typing this all over I will just correct myself:

Ammonium Hydroxide is a common type of BASE ( i thought it was an acid). So that musct mean that Funk Free is a weak acid. Maybe something like Boric acid.

Im kind of confused tho because a neutralization reaction is acid+base= salt+H20. So wouldnt more salt be on your gear? If im right, then that would mean that you would have to keep appling Funk Free to keep the smell away.

Owell, it was worth a shot.

Please correct me if you see anything wrong.

Lester,

I really like your post, although I have to be honest that I don't understand it well!

Let me try to answer your questions with a question first. Are any acids safe to be digested? I only ask this because I've seen Mark spray Funk Free onto his tongue to prove it's safe. I don't think Boric acid is safe that way, but I don't know.

Regarding choosing ammonia, it may have been by accident. He was going to help me at the Vegas show, and we were trying to come up with a way to demonstrate Funk Free really works. I said he needed some type of scratch-n-sniff cards, and a week later he told me a friend suggested to him (Mark isn't a chemist) to spray ammonia onto card stock. Truthfully, the ammonia was diluted, because it would have taken too much spraying to prove the point.

The best way I can convey that the stuff really works is the test I did after I first started using it. Bear in mind that I met Mark at a tournament I was sponsoring and he handed out bottles to everybody on the team. I was very dubious, particularly because of the cost. I thought $12 for a bottle of spray that probably wouldn't work was ridiculous. So, I did the only test I could think of: I took my shin pad, which had been sprayed with Funk Free and aired out a few days earlier, and inhaled along the length. All I could smell was a slight citrus spray.

I was sold right there, especially when I realized a bottle would last between one to three months, depending on how often someone skates and how liberal they are in spraying.

The cool thing about Funk Free is you aren't limited to hockey equipment. Any equipment/bags that get smelly are candidates. As a matter of fact, Mark has a friend who sprays Funk Free into the kitty litter to kill the odors.

I can't say it any other way -- the stuff really works.

[lesterhenson 0]

Sorry for the double post, Salming USA:

I think it would be interesting if you tested Funk Free on a strong base like Sodium hydroxide to see if more Funk Free is required to demolish the smell. If more is required than I think that my statements/beleifs/etc are correct.

[Gongshow11 1]

Im not quite sure about the salt that comes out of your body, but regular table salt is NaCl (sodium chloride). THe neutralization reaction:

acid+base= salt+H20 is kind of confusing me because I am not sure if "salt" (in this case) means Na or NaCl. If salt that is prespired thru our pores is the same as "salt" then that would mean that only a small catalyst would be needed to throw off the pH (causing it to smell), for example just letting the fatty acids on your skin touch the palms of your gloves. To sum it up, IF I am correct then Funk Free would just be giving the smell of no odor when the gear is not being used; and when you wear the gear the smell doesnt start to come back when you profusely sweat in it, but when a small catalyst comes in contact with the area. Once again, IF I am correct then Funk Free would just be a gimmick that hides the smell during undisturbed times. It is just like if you take a jug of Phenolphtalein (a pH indicator) and add HCl. THe Phenolphtalein turns red. But when you add a base to the equivalent to the Phenolphtalein (like KOH); the result is that the solution turns clear again (its orignal state). Even tho HCl and KOH are very present in the solution, you cannot see or smell because the pH levels are at an equiliberium(sp?).

the nacl is the solid form, makign it a salt, the na is known as sodium and is a solid but hasnt bonded to form a salt yet. (salt is a result of aneutralization reaction)

[lesterhenson 0]

Ya, I must have missed something because the fact he sprayed it on his tongue is really hindering my explantion. YOu mentioned Citric smell. That smell comes from citric ACID, which obviously says that my statement about Funk Free containing acid is correct (to some extent), but that might just be for the smell only. Considering the cost, it can barely (if not at all) explain some of my reasonign because acids like HCl are expensive to obtain (even in a dikuted form). Im almost positive that HCl is out this equation but I think that Funk Free could be Citric acid diluted with womething else. Since you mentioned that odor etc comes salt, citric acid would help balance the pH. But just as "further reading" you might want to try putting on one shinpad (after a hard ice time and plenty of time to dry out with Funk Free) for like ten minuetes and then check for smell. I mean like tne mins sitting in a very relaxed and easy positon (not excercising). I think, due to the fatty acids etc in your skin, that maybe just maybe you will start to smell an odor slowly reaccur.

Interesting product, I will have to give it a try. Thanks for bringing it up.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

...gotta love MSH.

[Jason Harris 31]

Im not quite sure about the salt that comes out of your body, but regular table salt is NaCl (sodium chloride). THe neutralization reaction:

acid+base= salt+H20 is kind of confusing me because I am not sure if "salt" (in this case) means Na or NaCl. If salt that is prespired thru our pores is the same as "salt" then that would mean that only a small catalyst would be needed to throw off the pH (causing it to smell), for example just letting the fatty acids on your skin touch the palms of your gloves. To sum it up, IF I am correct then Funk Free would just be giving the smell of no odor when the gear is not being used; and when you wear the gear the smell doesnt start to come back when you profusely sweat in it, but when a small catalyst comes in contact with the area. Once again, IF I am correct then Funk Free would just be a gimmick that hides the smell during undisturbed times. It is just like if you take a jug of Phenolphtalein (a pH indicator) and add HCl. THe Phenolphtalein turns red. But when you add a base to the equivalent to the Phenolphtalein (like KOH); the result is that the solution turns clear again (its orignal state). Even tho HCl and KOH are very present in the solution, you cannot see or smell because the pH levels are at an equiliberium(sp?).

Lester,

What you've written is possible, but I don't think I would call Funk Free a gimmick.

Having said that, the possibility exists that Funk Free is effectively two "components." One may just mask the offending smell, while the other component is a citrus smell that makes the offending equipment smell better.

How it is accomplished COULD be a gimmick, yet I wouldn't classify the results as a gimmick, since your equipment smells WAY better than its natural state!

[lesterhenson 0]

When you mention the "two components," citrus might be both of these. Citrus acid would even out the pH and also cause that citrus smell. I think that Funk Free (from my understanding) is not a gimmick, but is a product of a very good idea that eliminates and/or covers odor by a simple but effective method.

[jimmy 194]

I have to jump in on this one. Bacteria causes smells in hockey equipment, not salt. Sweat is "food" for bacteria and also creates the correct damp conditions for colonies to multiply.

Most of the sprays are bacteriacides and that's why they work well at keeping odors down. I'm sure FUnk Free is a bacteriacide with a nice smelling fragrance added.

[Jason Harris 31]

I have to jump in on this one. Bacteria causes smells in hockey equipment, not salt. Sweat is "food" for bacteria and also creates the correct damp conditions for colonies to multiply.

Most of the sprays are bacteriacides and that's why they work well at keeping odors down. I'm sure FUnk Free is a bacteriacide with a nice smelling fragrance added.

You know what, Jimmy? That actually sounds right, although Mark never described it that way to me; he said it breaks down sodium. Of course, as I said, he's not the chemist!

Bottom line, though, is the stuff works.....way better than Fabreze.

[lesterhenson 0]

Jimmy, I somewhat agree and disagree:

"How does Funk Free work?

Funk Free breaks down the odor and replaces it with fragrance. "

http://funkfree.com//modules/xoopsfaq/index.php?cat_id=2#q2

Sweat contains salt (NaCl). Because funk free breaks down the odor, it leads me to beleive that the citrus evnes the pH.

"bateriacide"

DO you notice the conjugation of acid at the end of bacteracide? Acid, yes, it is what levels the pH in your "funk."

Citric acid also gives the smell imo. ALthough citric acid may not be the main ingredient, I think that another acid is contained in funk free (one that takes care of bacteria, hence bacteriACIDe).

[DeI 18 0]

...gotta love MSH.

I was gonna say the samething

[jimmy 194]

Jimmy, I somewhat agree and disagree:

"How does Funk Free work?

Funk Free breaks down the odor and replaces it with fragrance. "

http://funkfree.com//modules/xoopsfaq/index.php?cat_id=2#q2

Sweat contains salt (NaCl). Because funk free breaks down the odor, it leads me to beleive that the citrus evnes the pH.

"bateriacide"

DO you notice the conjugation of acid at the end of bacteracide? Acid, yes, it is what levels the pH in your "funk."

Citric acid also gives the smell imo. ALthough citric acid may not be the main ingredient, I think that another acid is contained in funk free (one that takes care of bacteria, hence bacteriACIDe).

I think we are on the same page.

From what I know of bacteriacides, and through testing, they work well at destroying the bacteria....and when bacteria is gone, most of the odors are gone too. Key is most. If Funk Free is a bacteriacide, natural or chemical, it should work the same.

I have three retail sprays that I sell, all work well at removing odors. One of them has no fragrance. The manufacturer claims the spray turns into ozone.

Ozone is the second most powerful sterilant in the world. This spray works, I tested it.

I also have two non-retail bacteriacides that I use in my deodorizing business. One is all-natural and works great.

Bottom line, bacteria causes odors and bacteriacides are effective. Their limitations though are that they cannot penetrate deep into equipment, unless you submerge in it, and that's not going to happen. So, they only get surface bacteria.

Still, better than nothing.

I will prob stock Funk Free as well. Sounds like it's OK.

BTW, I don't buy into gimmicks and tricks that sale reps use. They did the ammonia thing for me, but I took it with a grain of salt as you did. I always test products myself. GTG, have a gas line magnet to install.

[Guest Marcelo Cordoba]

Jimmy, I somewhat agree and disagree:

"How does Funk Free work?

Funk Free breaks down the odor and replaces it with fragrance. "

http://funkfree.com//modules/xoopsfaq/index.php?cat_id=2#q2

Sweat contains salt (NaCl). Because funk free breaks down the odor, it leads me to beleive that the citrus evnes the pH.

"bateriacide"

DO you notice the conjugation of acid at the end of bacteracide? Acid, yes, it is what levels the pH in your "funk."

Citric acid also gives the smell imo. ALthough citric acid may not be the main ingredient, I think that another acid is contained in funk free (one that takes care of bacteria, hence bacteriACIDe).

I think we are on the same page.

From what I know of bacteriacides, and through testing, they work well at destroying the bacteria....and when bacteria is gone, most of the odors are gone too. Key is most. If Funk Free is a bacteriacide, natural or chemical, it should work the same.

I have three retail sprays that I sell, all work well at removing odors. One of them has no fragrance. The manufacturer claims the spray turns into ozone.

Ozone is the second most powerful sterilant in the world. This spray works, I tested it.

I also have two non-retail bacteriacides that I use in my deodorizing business. One is all-natural and works great.

Bottom line, bacteria causes odors and bacteriacides are effective. Their limitations though are that they cannot penetrate deep into equipment, unless you submerge in it, and that's not going to happen. So, they only get surface bacteria.

Still, better than nothing.

I will prob stock Funk Free as well. Sounds like it's OK.

BTW, I don't buy into gimmicks and tricks that sale reps use. They did the ammonia thing for me, but I took it with a grain of salt as you did. I always test products myself. GTG, have a gas line magnet to install.

Jimmy,

Try shaving cream with Lanolin. I'll send you a tester if you want. I will send you the instructions on how I have seen it work; you tell me if it works :D

By the way, I don't rep a line of shaving cream, but, I just might go seek one ;)

[jimmy 194]

Jimmy,

Try shaving cream with Lanolin. I'll send you a tester if you want. I will send you the instructions on how I have seen it work; you tell me if it works :D

By the way, I don't rep a line of shaving cream, but, I just might go seek one ;)

:lol: No need to send a "tester". My bag is in my car as we speak and the bacteria is growing in my equipment at a rate of 20 million per minute. Should smell real good in two weeks when I get back from vacation! :D

There are a lot of thinkgs that work fine removing bacteria. What makes one better than another is the amount of effort/time it takes to do the task. The shaving cream thing sounds interesting, but more like a chore! Heck, I don't even like shaving in the morning...

[Guest Marcelo Cordoba]

:lol: No need to send a "tester". My bag is in my car as we speak and the bacteria is growing in my equipment at a rate of 20 million per minute. Should smell real good in two weeks when I get back from vacation! :D

There are a lot of thinkgs that work fine removing bacteria. What makes one better than another is the amount of effort/time it takes to do the task. The shaving cream thing sounds interesting, but more like a chore! Heck, I don't even like shaving in the morning...

Just put some in your hand and hand scrub into the glove. Let the gloves sit for 24 hours. You will need to do this a few times, but, you will find that your smell (bacteria) will be disappearing.

Good luck and enjoy vacation!

BTW, ever hear of a SaniSport machine? ;)

[Jason Harris 31]

BTW, I don't buy into gimmicks and tricks that sale reps use. They did the ammonia thing for me, but I took it with a grain of salt as you did. I always test products myself. GTG, have a gas line magnet to install.

Jimmy,

Honestly, it wasn't meant to be a gimmick. It was more a question of how to show the attendees it works, since anybody could put fancy graphics on a bottle. We were considering bringing used goalie equipment until Mark's friend suggested the ammonia on a card. Again, it wasn't meant to be a gimmick, just a means of demonstrating.

Interestingly, Mark said a couple of retailers have copied him by keeping a spray bottle at the counter to demonstrate. They've said it's helped their sales, because players are more willing to try a bottle.

Jason

[modernice 0]

After reading these posts about smell and funk free etc. I went online to investigate a little, as I have a vested interest in odor elimination for Hockey gear, namely base layers(under apparel) and odor elimination. So this is what I've found:

The offensive alkaline odor is produced by the subsequent break down of the amino acids into ammonia (NH 3) or trimetylamine compounds when they come in contact with the skin. The body excretes these compounds through perspiration and urine.

I could not find out how Funk Free truly works, but I can validate it's success at the retail level from a trusted hockey retailer that I know....I am hoping that the process is all-natural and not harmful to the enviro or skin in any way.

I also have an interesting link that explains how smell and disease is bred within your hockey gear, GERM WARFARE

the numbers are staggering and disgusting...

bottom line- I hope Funk Free is safe(it appears to be) because it seems to work well. I guess there web site does not want to "show the formula" and "share their secrets" but I would like to have a scientific opinion on its safety if any one can offer one up.

[jimmy 194]

BTW, ever hear of a SaniSport machine? ;)

Ever hear of a wife that don't like me using up all the profits!

Seriously, ozone is the best sanitizer and deodorizer. I do my equipment once a month. But.... I'm bad, play 4 times a week and NEVER air the stuff out.

[Jason Harris 31]

Here's another one for our resident scientists.

I've been having conversations recently with the guys at Puck Skin, because there's talk about creating an alliance of some of the smaller manufacturers to help our voices get heard in the din. In any event, I met the guys at the Vegas show, but it's really difficult to take time away from the booth, so I wasn't able to really peruse their products.

It's only recently that I've learned their product contains silver oxide (I believe) woven into the fiber. That's supposed to eliminate much of the odors that under garments like UA have. That's pretty good, but what they're working on is almost mindboggling. He said they have a material that essentially sucks in all odors; they're sewing it onto the neck tag.

Another friend said he's seen it and it seemed to work. Now that's amazing. So, Lester the resident scientist, if you're reading this thread, I would like your opinions how that might work! :D

Jason

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

I talked to Dave about it today - my old store carried Puckskin but I never tried it.

As far as the silver, it does work. I went to Super Show and I got these insoles with stripes of silver in it, and they do not smell...