Kill Gym Funk with Vinegar!

Vinegar and gym funk? Say what! Yup Vinegar can kill gym funk. If you've been in the kitchen, watched Doctor Oz or ever did research on losing weight you've heard the word vinegar before. Health nuts drink the red type. Red vinegar is actually used by a number of naturalist to clean their hair and flush fat. White vinegar was a staple in my childhood as my mom used it to clean chicken, wash mirrors and windows and after one trip to Canada, wash clothes.

Those of you in the laundry business know what I am talking about. My mom's cousin owned his own laundry mat in Ontario, Canada. One summer changed the course of laundry in my home. Uncle Carl, as I called him, told mom he placed white vinegar in the washing machines to help brighten and whiten the clothes.

Over the years I got away from using vinegar on all my loads but recently came back to it. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider using vinegar in your laundry, especially your gym clothes today.

1. Kills Bacteria 

Called a natural disinfectant, vinegar has enough strength to kill most household germs. It is also known to help kill mold and mildew odors. Believe it or not that left over funk in your gym clothes is built up mildew.

2. Reduces Odor

Ever get into your gym clothes and not even that long into a workout you can smell yourself? No? Me either LOL but for those who have and those of us who have and won't admit it vinegar can help with that. It kills armpit odors and again, kills mildew, which is where a lot of  that old odor arises from. 

3. Naturally softens clothes 

If you are like me and the leftover scent of those heavily perfumed fabric softeners irritate your nose and or skin, vinegar is for you! Not only does it naturally softens your clothes it leaves no residue. You can throw it in your downy ball or directly into the fabric softener dispenser on your washing machine or do a deep soak like I do. I prefer the bathtub over the kitchen sink but to each their own.   

4. Reduces Allergies

You may have heard me mention them once or twice.. those pesky allergies I have learned to live with.   Here's a brief look at just the environmental stuff: All the MOLDS, if you can think of a type I'm allergic to it. TREES.. every tree except Cedar. All types GRASS, yup all of them. WEEDS.. you guessed it all types oh and here's the kicker DOGS, CATS, HORSES, COCKROACHES, MICE.. in other words all the ANIMALS.  So let's talk about my need to reduce as my allergens from clothes to live a comfortable life and Vinegar is all of that. It doesn't come from a tree lol, and helps to remove pollen and even pet fur from your clothes. That's a win for this allergy living girl. 

5. Brighten and Whiten clothes

Vinegar is a great stain fighter and pulls dirt and grime from fabrics leaving your colors brighter and whites whiter. Not to mention if you add it directly into the washing machine, about 1/4 cup per load, it cleans the washing machine!

My Routine

So every so often especially as the weathers turn I will deep wash my training clothes. This consist of me cleaning my bath tub. Filling it with water and my gym clothes and  about a half cup of vinegar. 

I let the clothes sit for about 30 minutes. I wring the clothes out and then wash them in the washing machine. Due to my allergies I limit the number of chemicals I put into my clothes as they then sit on my skin and while my pores are open and sweating my body is taking in the things I have laid on top of it. (Have you ever thought about it like that before? You should!)

I use Purex detergent to wash my clothes. They then go through a normal cycle of drying and wearing. Ever so often I will add vinegar to our regular laundry. Especially summer time to take out the extra allergens that we may pick up while we are out and about. 

Dirty water remaining after vinegar soak. 

There are many other benefits and uses to vinegar. Take a moment and research some for yourself. If you happen to like it comment below. Do you have any holistic swaps? I'd love to hear about them. Share them below and don't forget to follow me on Instagram.