Washing kit when there's a water shortage

thistle_

We're not on a hosepipe ban yet, but all our reservoirs were looking like they were missing a lot of water when I've been past over the last few weeks and the water companies are asking people not to waste water.

I wash my cycling kit every day when I use it and try to combine it with other stuff, but sometimes it's the only thing in the machine (on a short wash).
I can't not wash it because after 40 miles of sweat it stinks.

Is there a less water intensive way to keep kit clean? Maybe rinse it through in the shower so it stinks less and wash it the following day when there's more washing to stick in the machine?

rick_chasey

Have more kit so you do fewer washes?

mudcovered

I just wait until I have enough cycling/sports gear for a wash load. I use an anti-bacterial detergent designed for washing sports kit. This has reduced the stinky factor of my kit enormously as it kills off the bacteria that build up over time on the kit (even through wash cycles). Before I started using that some of my kit would start to stink about 10mins after I put it on but this is no longer an issue.

Mike

CitizenLee

mudcovered wrote:

I use an anti-bacterial detergent designed for washing sports kit.

Got a link to that?

tgotb

Own several sets of cycling kit (a bit like normal clothes, really). When there's enough stuff to fill a washing machine, chuck it in.

Take a step back though: Do you know how much water your washing machine actually uses? How much water does your shower use? How much longer will you be running the shower if you rinse your kit while you're in it?

If I'm trying to save "something" (Water, Gas, Electricity) my starting point is to figure out how much of it I'm actually using for different things. That's enabled me to make sensible decisions, and avoid wasting effort on things that won't make a significant difference. For instance there's no point in replacing the halogen lights on my patio with LEDs at the moment, because they would take 20-30 years to pay for themselves, whereas the LED lights in my kitchen paid for themselves in about a year...

Edit: Just ran the numbers for my own home: A full load in my washing machine (according to manufacturers spec) uses the same amount of water as about 45 seconds in my shower (I happen to have measured the flow rate). If I want to reduce my water usage, making an effort to have quicker showers (or maybe turning the water down a bit) is probably going to be more effective. If I wanted to save lots of water, I'm sure I could de-smell myself reasonably effectively with a bowl of water and a flannel, followed by a 10-second rinse in the shower.

pastryboy

Surely over the longer term it's going to be more economical to have more, cheaper kit and do a wash once per week. Some of my commuting stuff is nearly 10 years old and still going strong.

fenix

Hand wash it ? I do this when I'm travelling light. Soap in the basin. Sorted.

thistle_

I've got 4 sets of kit, but don't like having it sitting around festering in a pile. I think it wouldn't be so bad if it has a bit of rinse in the shower and drip dry on the line first, I think it would only add about a minute to the shower which I would be having anyway.

I can check the washing machine vs shower water use - I did it a while back and found out that the "eco" wash which takes 3x as long as a short wash uses more water (but less electricity).
Some newer washing machines have a sports kit mode which sounds ideal, but apart from needing a couple of small parts my washing machine seems immortal.

tgotb

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

apart from needing a couple of small parts my washing machine seems immortal.

Yes - I haven't done the sums, but unless you live in a desert and generate all your electricity by burning tropical hardwood, it seems unlikely that replacing a perfectly functional washing machine is the eco-friendly thing to do!

pangolin

CitizenLee wrote:

mudcovered wrote:

I use an anti-bacterial detergent designed for washing sports kit.

Got a link to that?

Yes, which detergent please?

daniel_b

CitizenLee wrote:

mudcovered wrote:

I use an anti-bacterial detergent designed for washing sports kit.

Got a link to that?

Halo sports wash would be my guess - back in at Sainsbury's for £3.99 (£6 at Wiggle\CRC for some reason), well worth it.

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/halo-sports-laundry-liquid-1l-%2825-washes%29

It's what I use anyway, 2 bottles will pretty much get me through a year - £8 well spent imho.

Someone on here, maybe BTR, mentioned that their washing machine has something like a 13 minute sports wash, which would be ideal for just a couple of items at a time - will keep an eye out for that when we need to replace ours.

pastryboy

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

Some newer washing machines have a sports kit mode which sounds ideal,

Mine has that - it's just a 30 degree 90 minute wash that I'm fairly sure you could replicate on another machine.

CitizenLee

Daniel B wrote:

CitizenLee wrote:

mudcovered wrote:

I use an anti-bacterial detergent designed for washing sports kit.

Got a link to that?

Halo sports wash would be my guess - back in at Sainsbury's for £3.99 (£6 at Wiggle\CRC for some reason), well worth it.

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/halo-sports-laundry-liquid-1l-%2825-washes%29

It's what I use anyway, 2 bottles will pretty much get me through a year - £8 well spent imho.

Someone on here, maybe BTR, mentioned that their washing machine has something like a 13 minute sports wash, which would be ideal for just a couple of items at a time - will keep an eye out for that when we need to replace ours.

Thanks Daniel, I'll grab some at the weekend

wolfsbane2k

I second the Halo wash.

I've got 5 kits, change everything each day, and put it in a specific washbag near the machine at the end each day. OH's sports kit gets dumped into it too, and we do a Halo sports wash once a week to clean it all.

Yes, it can get a bit wiffy somedays, but not enough to really worry about, as it's all in a small utility cupboard with forced air ventilation.

mudcovered

pangolin wrote:

CitizenLee wrote:

mudcovered wrote:

I use an anti-bacterial detergent designed for washing sports kit.

Got a link to that?

Yes, which detergent please?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/halo-proactive-sports-wash-laundry-detergent-1-litre/ Although I buy mine at the local supermarket rather than online.

One thing I would add is that if your kit is fairly stinky it takes a few washes before the smell really goes away fully.

Mike

mw22

I use this stuff from Dettol for anti bacterial ;
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/p ... /278374966

awavey

I would say yes just buy more kit till you have enough to cope, doesnt everyone? and then you just build up a washing machine load full.

though Im against bio wash,I always use non bio, because bio damages the fibres on lycra and I think shortens the life of the kit significantly, but YMMV its going to depend on water hardness and all that spin rinse cycle as well,though I still stick at 40 degrees which is enough to kill most stuff I reckon

itboffin

erm i have 40 complete sets of cycling kit now, calling @DanB to make me not look like a total nutter

chunkytfg

mw22 wrote:

I use this stuff from Dettol for anti bacterial ;
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/p ... /278374966

The GF and I also use this but we get it from Costco as it comes in bottles twice the size. Use it in absolutely every wash including towels and bedding and still lasts ages.

daniel_b

itboffin wrote:

erm i have 40 complete sets of cycling kit now, calling @DanB to make me not look like a total nutter

You are out of luck, sorry dude

Selling stuff at the mo, might be down to less than 20!
And that will include kit dedicated to turbo/training rides, and also longer rides.
I am shocked too.

I'm aiming for quality over quantity, though appreciate you could have both.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I/we must be special, because we always have suitable clothes in our laundry basket that I can combine with my worn cycling kit to put a decent load in the washer! :shock:

peat

chunkytfg wrote:

mw22 wrote:

I use this stuff from Dettol for anti bacterial ;
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/p ... /278374966

The GF and I also use this but we get it from Costco as it comes in bottles twice the size. Use it in absolutely every wash including towels and bedding and still lasts ages.

I just use actual dettol. I add it to my normal detergent, more or less depending on the level of fester.

OP, get more kit. If you're riding everyday, you'll benefit from having multiple sets of kit.