Okay my very first post I am going to deal with an issue that doesn’t get discussed a lot and that is dealing with a person that never washes their gi before each class. That or they leave it in their bag for days before washing it. By that time the sweat has already embedded itself in the fabric and regular detergent will not get the smell out no matter how many times you wash it. I’m sure you all have run into that person who has this problem. To add insult to injury their rotten smell is left on your nice gi making it hard to remove.
First off I want to say it is not cool to wear a unclean gi to class. I don’t care if you don’t have an washer at home that’s what the laundry mat is for! This believe it or not is a common excuse in my city as many young men live in apartments downtown so they wash their clothes every 3 days or more. Not only does it make it an unpleasant roll for everyone in the class, it can also passes on skin infections such as staph or ringworm. I do not appreciate waking up the next day with a red circle on my face or body. When I am asked to teach a class my rule is you get one warning and if it happens again you are asked to leave the club.
So what should one do if you have that person who continues to come to class with a rancid gi? First off I would refuse to roll with them. Second if I am a student I would inform the professor or one of the instructors to address the issue with the problematic student. As a senior student I don’t have any issues telling the person to wash their gi.
Going back to an earlier point, most of these peoples gi’s in the past were beyond salvageable as they usually leave their sweaty gi in a bag for days allowing the bacteria to flourish in a moist environment but there is hope now. Two major detergent companies who have recently come out with a line of products to get rid of sweat smells and human oils left behind on clothes after exercise called Sunlight Deep Clean and Tide Sport. I’ve tried both products and was very impressed with both. My pick is the Tide Sport with Febreeze as it leaves your gi and rash guards smelling like candy. I find for people with sensitive skin such as eczema, Sunlight can be a bit to strong.
So there you have it folks! The next time you hit the grocery store pick up one of these detergents. It will leave your gi’s and rash guards smelling nice and fresh before class. Most of all it will make your teammates happy!
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Raz Chan is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor under 3rd degree Jean Jacques Machado black belt Todd Nathanson and Fascial Stretch Therapist. You can visit his blog at www.jiujitsuguru.com
