Washing, drying and storing kit – no more smelly bag

The smell from a hockey bag is a subject nobody writes guides about, yet everyone knows it first-hand. The matter is simpler than it seems, because the main cause is usually the same: moisture left in a closed bag, while most home remedies fight the effect rather than the cause. Below is what genuinely works for technical clothing, protective gear, gloves, shoes and the bag itself, and what is better not done if the kit is to last the season.

Where the smell comes from

Sweat itself is practically odourless. The smell appears later, when bacteria grow in the damp material, and a warm, closed bag is ideal for them. Hence a simple conclusion: alongside regular washing, what matters is how quickly the kit dries after training. Drying does not replace cleaning, but without it even freshly washed things quickly go back to square one. Things taken out of the bag and spread out an hour after getting home smell different from the same things taken out the following evening.

Three minutes after getting home

• Open the bag and take everything out, including the protective gear and glove you do not intend to wash.
• Do not leave wet things in a carrier bag, not even for one night. It is the fastest route to a smell that is later hard to get rid of.
• Spread the kit out somewhere with airflow, but not on a radiator and not in the sun behind glass.
• Stand the bag open, preferably upside down, so that it dries inside.

Technical clothing

Shirts and hoodies made of synthetic fibres are washed at a low temperature, turned inside out. The most important rule, however, is a different one: no fabric softener. Softener coats the fibres with a layer that limits moisture wicking, taking away the very thing technical clothing is bought for, and at the same time traps sweat residue in the fabric. Instead, ordinary powder or liquid detergent in a smaller dose works better.

The tumble dryer and the radiator are the two most common ways to destroy elastic panels and prints. Technical clothing dries quickly on its own, hung up loosely. The label at the seam always beats the guide, so if the manufacturer states a different temperature, stick to the label. What to wear for training at this time of the season, we described in the post what to wear for autumn training.

Protective gear, glove and face mask

These things do not go in the washing machine unless the manufacturer expressly allows it. Shell, foam and Velcro react to high temperature and spinning differently from fabric. The proven method is by hand and takes a few minutes: lukewarm water, a little ordinary soap or mild detergent, unless the manufacturer advises otherwise, wiping the surface and rinsing thoroughly. Then the most important stage, which is drying at room temperature, spread out, with air reaching the inside.

A glove is dried flat, not rolled into a ball, otherwise moisture stays in the fingers. After washing a penalty corner face mask, it is worth taking a look at it while you are at it: is the padding inside coming away and do the fastenings hold. With a mouthguard, what matters above all is regular rinsing after every use and storage in a case with holes, not loose in the bag.

Shoes

After training, take out the insoles and loosen the laces so the shoe can dry inside. If the shoes are wet, filling them with ordinary paper, changed after a few hours, helps. What not to do: do not stand them by a radiator or under a blower, because high temperature softens the adhesives and deforms the sole. After an indoor session it is worth wiping the sole with a damp cloth, because dried-on dust from the court reduces grip the next time you go on.

Bag

Once every few weeks it is worth doing to the bag what you do to the kit: empty it completely, shake out the bottom, wipe the inside with a damp cloth and a little cleaning agent and leave it open to dry. While you are at it, check the zips and the seams at the straps, because those fail first. How to arrange the kit so everything dries faster and does not rub against each other, we show in the post on packing your bag for training and tournaments.

Cheat sheet

The break between the two versions of the game

If you are just closing the outdoor part of the season and the kit is going into the cupboard for a few months, give it one evening. Everything washed and completely dry, protective gear not rolled up, clothing folded, the bag empty and open. The stick has its own storage rules, which we write about in the post how to care for your stick. That way, in March you do not start the season by hunting for spare Velcro and airing the bag on the balcony.

It also happens that after a season a shirt is simply worn out: stretched, with a faded print, and washing according to the label no longer restores its old shape. The smell alone does not decide on replacement; worn-out material does. You will find a new set for training in the category Clothing.