Hockey is a smelly sport — no matter how good you smell. You will be exercising, and wearing the same gear over-and-over. So how do you avoid that hockey smell (as much as possible) and show up to each game like you have brand new hockey equipment? These tips can be used on their own or in combination with any of the other tips here.
1. Clean your hockey gear
The first and most obvious way to get clean gear is to clean it. You can wash most of your hockey gear in the bathtub or washing machine.
Watch our video about how to wash your hockey gear in the bathtub.
Watch our video about how to wash your hockey gear in the washing machine.
However, you will not want to wash your hockey gear every time you play. This will cause it to wear down quickly, plus it’s an arduous process, and some of the pieces can take a while to dry. The rest of the tips are things you can do between washes.
2. Clean your hockey clothing
Even though you probably won’t wash your hockey gear every time you play, you should be washing your hockey clothing every time you play (or, close to it). This includes:
- Undershirts.
- Socks.
- Hockey shorts: Cup (for men) or jill (for women).
- Any other underthings you may be wearing to play.
There will be situations when this is impossible, like on a tournament weekend. My recommendations for this is to bring more than one undershirt, pair of socks, etc. and consider #3-10 on those weekends.
3. Febreze & Lysol
When you start playing hockey, you may have good intentions to wash your gear all the time. But as you realize it’s more work than you expected, Febreze and Lyson will become your best friends.
Febreze is amazing at removing that hockey smell (as much as possible) and Lysol will help kill any germs. My recommendation is always to take all your gear out of your hockey bag as soon as you get home, lay it out on a flat surface, and spray it with both Febreze and Lysol.
4. Baking soda
Baking soda also does a great job of removing odor. Follow the same tips as above but sprinkle baking soda over and into all of your gear, instead of Febreze and/or Lysol.
You should leave the baking soda on as long as possible, but it’s recommended you leave it at least 24 hours. Make sure your gear all dries before you put it back in your bag.
5. Soap
Placing a few bars of soap in your bag will help absorb that hockey smell and also keep bacteria away. Check the soap occasionally to make sure it has stayed dry — and if it gets wet at all, replace it with a new bar of soap.
The soap trick will work with any bar of soap (including scentless), but my recommendation is to choose one you think smells good: like Irish Spring.
6. Vinegar
I don’t recommend using vinegar on your hockey gear on a regular basis, because you don’t want to be known as the guy who smells like vinegar all the time. But it does a great job of killing germs, so using it occasionally will keep those odors out of your hockey gear.
To use the vinegar, mix it with an equal amount of water in a spray bottle. Spray it all over your hockey gear and allow it to dry.
7. Dryer sheets
A quick, easy tip for keeping your hockey gear smelling fresh is to place dryer sheets in your hockey bag. This works similarly to soap in that it absorbs smell and moisture. Just remember to change out the dryer sheets every few times you play.
8. Sunshine
If you are new to hockey, you may have shown up to a rink and seen the parking lot covered in hockey gear. This is because most hockey players know how powerful sunshine can be in killing germs and removing smells from your hockey gear.
If you have the time and space to lay your hockey gear outside in the sunshine, it’s one of the most powerful ways to get rid of that hockey smell and germs.
9. Undergarments
Wearing as many undergarments as possible will also help your gear from getting soaking wet every time you play. For instance, wearing a long sleeve undershirt vs. a short sleeve undershirt will save your elbow pads from a bunch of sweat.
As long as you can handle the added layer (ie heat), you will have less to worry about the more you can throw in the washer.
10. Hygiene
Maintaining good hygiene is pivotal for keeping your hockey gear clean. Let’s face it, hockey players are not the cleanest people out there. But following a few simple tips will help you keep your hockey gear clean:
- Take a shower after every time you play hockey.
- Let your gear dry completely after washing (or spraying) it.
- Spray or wash your gear after every time you play.
- Wash your undergarments after each time you play.
