Maintaining Your Sports Wearables The Right Way

Cleaning the equipment you use regularly is essential. Apart from these precautions, it would help if you sanitize your electronics and cell phones because they carry more germs. Because your smartwatch and activity tracker may contain pathogens, you must thoroughly disinfect them.

Why is Your Smartwatch Possibly the Dirtiest Piece of Sports Technology you own?

Owners of wearable technology should be concerned. We found smartwatches to be the dirtiest of all things evaluated in the study, harboring 3,746% more germs than a standard toilet seat. Wow! They’ve been discovered to be an excellent growing place for many aerobic bacteria and Staphylococci. It was visible on both the watch surface and the strap.

Staphylococci is a kind of bacterium that can cause a variety of illnesses. Skin infections, styes, boils, abscesses, food poisoning, and even toxic shock syndrome are examples of this.

We couldn’t be more in agreement. When we’re all making an effort to wash our hands more frequently, it would be a good idea to reconsider how often we clean everyday goods. A smartwatch is an excellent starting point for a sporty person.

Apple has just revised its cleaning instructions for the Apple Watch. It now states that 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes and Clorox Disinfecting Wipes are safe to use on all of its gadgets. Do not soak them in any cleaning solution; using bleach is strictly forbidden. We also need to add a sports equipment odor eliminator to eliminate the odor of your smartwatch. 

Why Do I Need to Disinfect My Sports Equipment?

Your youngster may not notice the odor and, if given the option, would wear the sports equipment anyhow, but it stinks up the room. Although they may be immune, there are various reasons you should clean and disinfect their materials, one of which may impact their immune system.

The most common cause of that unpleasant odor is a condition called bromhidrosis. Bromhidrosis, abbreviated as B.O. (Body odor), occurs when the body’s natural bacteria feed on sweat and other bodily fluids, resulting in disagreeable scents. For example, when perspiration accumulates on sporting equipment, it emits foul smells that worsen with each subsequent sweating.

Cleaning Sports Uniforms and Clothing

Unless your child is wrestling in ancient Greece, they will most likely wear a uniform to games and practices. To fully clean and sterilize sports clothing, follow the advice of The New York Times:

·         Using more detergent does not result in cleaner clothing. Using too much detergent and laundry boosters such as fabric softeners might produce a buildup that absorbs even more odor.

·         To reduce smells and wash away buildup, use a cup of white vinegar with a half-dose of laundry detergent. Or you can use a sports equipment odor eliminator to eliminate the smell.

·         Wash sportswear inside out in cold water using sports detergent. Add a quarter of vinegar or baking soda for smelly loads.

Washing Pads and Equipment

The most straightforward approach to keeping sterile, odorless equipment is to spray and dry it after each use. However, everything item needs a thorough cleaning regularly.

·         Spray Force of Nature, Clear Gear, or a similar product on the EPA’s Antiseptics for the Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) list on your equipment.

·         Allow the equipment to air dry.

·         According to the detergent recommendations, you can launder pads and bags in the washing machine. On top-load washers, use mild settings because the mixer might nick or harm the device. Set the washing machine to big load, pre-wash, and heavy dirt.

·         Wash football shoulder in a pillowcase with the open end fastened.

·         Dry sports equipment should not be machine washed since it might cause warping and malfunction. Instead, hang dry or arrange on a rack and circulate airflow with a fan.

·         Wipe off and spray helmets regularly, paying particular attention to chin guards. To thoroughly clean, fill a bathtub with hot water and baby shampoo, and scour nooks and crannies with a sponge or toothbrush.

·         Spray and dry air skates, cleats, and shoes immediately after usage. Remove the insoles and machine clean them; you should replace them regularly.

Sterilizing Equipment

Some sports need participants to touch and share the same equipment. If this is the matter, it is essential to have a plan to sanitize the equipment and the players who use it.

·         Encourage players to wash their hands thoroughly before and after practice and put a bottle of hand sanitizer in the dugout, bench, or locker room.

·         Use the EPA’s Disinfectants for the Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) list sprays and wipes, or prepare your own CDC-recommended cleaning solution: 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water.

·         You should minimize the use of shared materials and equipment  or, if feasible, cleaned between uses by each user.”

·         Encourage each player to utilize their own batting helmets, balls, bats, water bottles, towels, etc., to reduce the need for shared equipment.

·         To minimize confusion, clearly mark all equipment.

·         Designate a parent volunteer to clean shared things during games and practices on a regular basis.

How To Clean Impossible-To-Wash Equipment

If you have equipment that you cannot wash, such as goalie pads, blockers, and gloves, it might still benefit from some TLC. Clean them down with a microfiber cloth dampened with warm water and dry completely with another towel.   For this, we find that the heavy-duty kitchen magic eraser works well. You can coat with a water-proofing chemical for extended wear, pads, gloves, and blocks.

Get Your Children Involved

We strongly advise having your child assist you with these duties and eventually take over the procedure as soon as they are capable. It not only lessens your time washing, but it also teaches kids how to care for their own wearables. When you read everything, maintaining sports equipment may seem like much labor, but the regular cleaning recommendations should only take a few minutes to complete after each usage. It’s simply a matter of habit.

We hope that this article is a great help for you as you clean your sports wearables and pieces of equipment and eliminate odor from them.