best way to wash equipment

[Gamble 0]

my local and only shop that actually cleans hockey gear went out of business so i just wanted to know what i can do to clean my gear at home

[Monty22 832]

my local and only shop that actually cleans hockey gear went out of business so i just wanted to know what i can do to clean my gear at home

I've had good luck soaking shin pad liners, elbow bads and shoulder pads in a tub of warm water with Oxyclean. I then leave them out on the deck in the sun to dry.

[number21 3]

You could try a laundromat and use a front loading machine on the gentle cycle. But anytime you put gear in a machine you run the risk of damage. AND I think most laundromats have signs that usually say "no sports equipment" anyway.

So the easiest route may be a soak in the tub like Monty said.

I have done shin liners, my elbows and shoulders in a top load machine at home on the gentle cycle with a little detergent and oxyclean. So far so good, nothing has been damaged. Then I hang to dry in front of a box fan.

Finally you could check with local schools or fire departments and see where they get their gear cleaned.

[Zombies #77 10]

I have put everthing (separatley), but skates and helmet in my top loading wash machine on the handwash cycle, and then hung to dry. I was scared it would ruin my gloves, but they turned out fine.

[tmw1582 6]

I put everything except my helmet and skates in my front load washer on gentle once a month and I have not had any issues. I have been doing it for about a year now and I have not noticed any equpiment break down.

[coryroth24 15]

For the top load washers, I would try to avoid one with an agitator. I would also throw items that have Velcro into their own mesh laundry bags. This way the Velcro won't stick to anything else other than the bag if it gets loose. I ruined a jersey this way. Washed my elbows and jerseys together and the Velcro did some good damage to my game jersey.

[HockeySavants 5]

Every single pair of gloves I buy go straight into the washing machine, I've come across some that smell worse than death.

Hot/Cold on small load with normal spin cycle.

I put Oxyclean inside the gloves, pour Wisk on the inside and outside of the gloves, and also drop a Tide Stain Release In-Wash Booster.

Every glove comes out smelling amazing, won't do any other process ever again.

Only issue I've had are with Bauer 4 Rolls, the shiny strip on the back rolls can come loose or wrinkle up if you use too fast a cycle.

I will also wash shins and elbows, but I prefer to hand wash my shoulder pads since the spin cycle scares me, don't want my pads to be ripped in half.

So far everything has been fantastic, and no smell on any of my gear.

Of course, refer to your palms instructions if there is specific instructions on how to wash those.

[hockeyphan 1]

is there any danger washing pad with some detergent in my tub with warm water + letting it air dry??? I

[LeMagnifique66 0]

is there any danger washing pad with some detergent in my tub with warm water + letting it air dry??? I

I've done it and know others who do too. (I've also known folks who throw their stuff in a chlorinated swimming pool.) One thing I always do is add Borax to the wash water. Supposedly it kills bacteria similar to chlorine bleach. But, unlike bleach, it won't break down fabrics/materials if you put a little too much in. (The detergent I use is also a "scent killing" anti-bacterial type. Something you would find in the hunting/outdoors section of Wal-Mart, for example.) The reason I feel this is a very important step is because dampness provides a breeding ground for bacteria. (The same bacteria that is making your gear stink enough to want to wash it in the first place.) Since drying thouroughly soaked gear in a hurry when just hanging it isn't really possible, I like to kill as much of the stuff that is on/in it as I can beforehand. Hanging the gear near a box fan or heating duct in winter works well to facilitate faster drying.

Thankfully, I have one local laundromat with a couple huge, front-loading washers that doesn't really care what you put in them. I load up two laundry bags with all of my gear (shoulders, pants, gloves, shins... everything but helmet, really) and head there every 2 to 3 months. I used to wash on gentle cycle out of fear of damaging something, but over time I've stepped it up to more normal cycles and everything has held up fine. About the only problem I've had is being made fun of in the locker room for being the only person there who's gear bag doesn't smell like unwashed butt crack with a side of toe jam on a hot summer's day.

[muddy 2]

+1 for using a big front load washer for our gear too. It seems to come out fine even if its not on a gentle cycle.

I have one available at work that me and a buddy use. We also have a UV light bin that we use to disinfect medical equipment that I have been thinking about trying out as well.

I guess that is another perk for living at a firehouse 10 days/month!! HAHA!

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

guess that is another perk for living at a firehouse 10 days/month!! HAHA!

+1 for that, Simple Green does wonders for everyday equipment/clothing washing, and color safe decon stuff does well for blood products

[Biaggi 0]

I have always used my dishwasher for gloves, shins and elbows. I generaly dont use any detergent at all just let the hot water do its magic. then run an "empty cycle" before i wash dish's again.

[mug25 2]

I dont care how my stuff smells. It's Hockey. I accepted the fact that my gear would smell a long time ago — that and I a Y chromosome...

...kidding aside. If I had a local shop that professionally cleaned gear, I'd get it done every few months or so. Otherwise I just deal with it.

[Chadd 916]

The key is taking care of it all along and not letting it get bad in the first place.

[Axxion89 32]

What Chadd said but in the event that it does get bad, I use a local cleaner that has an Esporta wash system. Was skeptical at first but it really does work. I use it every so often for tough to clean gear (goalie) or if I buy used gear. Besides proper maintenance, its the only cleaning method I have used that has gotten 100% of the smell gone, and it cleans up dirty gear nicely.

[rasputiny 1]

I follow Chad's advice - couple sprays of Febreze anti-microbial and air dry immediately after the game. However, my gloves do gain an odor eventually. To cure this, I throw them in the freezer in an airtight bag (so they don't take on the freezer smell - and so the freezer doesn't take on a stinky glove smell). Apparently it kills off the bacterial - this is also the suggested method for stinky shoes, etc. I then throw some shaving cream on the palms.

I avoid washing mostly because I've heard that soaking the foams is bad. Is there any truth to this? I would like to clean my stuff at some point without ponying up $50 for the esporta.

[Law Goalie 147]

Be really, really careful with UV and ozone... they can break down the foams and plastics in hockey equipment, and are especially bad on most mass-produced goalie masks with vinyl ester or polyester resins.

For disinfection, just use isopropyl alcohol, between 70% and 50% dilution. That kills most of the bacteria that create the smells, and keeps you from getting Renberg'ed if you have a little abrasion. The sooner you spray your gear after it leaves your body, the better.

Hand-washing anything with mild, dye- and perfume-free detergent is fine; front-load machines are generally OK, as are top-loaders if you can take the agitator out, but anything that isn't your own hands runs the risk of wrecking something. Nylon and polyester are generally fine with being washed; some polyurethane based materials (synthetic leathers like Clarino, Jenpro, etc. can be damaged more easily, and don't love alcohol either, but are also more or less sterile.

A simple rinse with warm water followed by a drying in front of a fan and dehumidifier will do more good and less harm than the vast majority of products mentioned. You'd be amazed how much crap - literally, bacterial excrement - comes out if you just hose your gear down in the shower and leave the plug in the drain. I used to be a big advocate of steam and boiling water, but I don't like what they do to the backing layers of most textiles.

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

For those with a front load washer, this stuff is AMAZING

http://www.fresh-wave.com/pages/Fresh-Wash.html

[SnoJH 0]

I've mostly just used my hose to wash it and let it dry in the summer. I just hope my neighbors don't notice the horrid smell hahaha

[hunt3rsean 44]

I used to wash my chest gear, elbow pads, shin guard liners, and gloves in my top loading washer. Never had any damage to the gear. However, I went through to washer belts before I decided to call it quits. Luckily, I rent an apartment and my maintenance did the fixing for free. And they didn't catch on to why the belts were breaking. Safe to say I don't do it anymore. However, it worked great.

Now I just soak my gear in the tub using warm water with mild detergent. I do this about once a month and spray down the gear with anti-bacterial febreeze when I hang the gear to dry after games. So far it's kept the smell minimal to none at all.

[Thinkingjack 51]

I take care of all my gear as much as i can but sometimes you gotta wash it. So all my gear except gloves helmets and skates over go with me over to a laundromat.

use the biggest front loader they have, mild water, gentle wash, use oxy clean or use arm and hammer with oxy clean power boost.

or tide with febreeze sport in it. and a little oxy clean on that

throw them all in and let them go. for drying put em on the floor or a table at home with a fan pointing directly at them and under 15 minutes its dry for me.

[Capt.Hook 23]

Wait, we're supposed to wash our gear?

I used to be really bad and just let it marinate in the bag. Now I dry it out with a fan but that's about it.

God bless you guys. I'm the guy people move away from in the locker room. I never have to complain about space - ha ha.

[cooperalls 4]

I take care of all my gear as much as i can but sometimes you gotta wash it. So all my gear except gloves helmets and skates over go with me over to a laundromat.

use the biggest front loader they have, mild water, gentle wash, use oxy clean or use arm and hammer with oxy clean power boost.

or tide with febreeze sport in it. and a little oxy clean on that

throw them all in and let them go. for drying put em on the floor or a table at home with a fan pointing directly at them and under 15 minutes its dry for me.

Is the fan made by Pratt & Whitney?

[Thinkingjack 51]

Is the fan made by Pratt & Whitney?

lol no, its a honey well 3 speed tower fan, it's pretty rad

[Chadd 916]

Is the fan made by Pratt & Whitney?

One of these will dry a locker room full of gear in 30 minutes or less. Mine finally died after 12 years or so, time for a new one this year.

http://www.laskoproducts.com/?p=430