{"id":253,"date":"2023-09-12T20:13:52","date_gmt":"2023-09-12T20:13:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/verylifee.com\/home\/?p=253"},"modified":"2025-10-11T20:04:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T20:04:27","slug":"how-to-clean-sports-equipment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/verylifee.com\/home\/how-to-clean-sports-equipment\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Clean Sports Equipment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Sports equipment can easily become a hotspot for germs and smells. Here are some tips to help you regularly clean and sanitize your child&#8217;s gear this season.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2771 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/verylifee.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home-how-to-clean-sports-equipment-how-to-clean-sports-equipment.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/verylifee.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home-how-to-clean-sports-equipment-how-to-clean-sports-equipment.jpg 640w, https:\/\/verylifee.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home-how-to-clean-sports-equipment-how-to-clean-sports-equipment-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/verylifee.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home-how-to-clean-sports-equipment-how-to-clean-sports-equipment-420x280.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Washing Sports Clothes and Uniforms<\/h2>\n<p>If your child isn&#8217;t wrestling in ancient Greece, they&#8217;re probably wearing a uniform to their games and practices. Here are some tips to thoroughly clean and sanitize their sports clothes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Using more detergent doesn&#8217;t make clothes cleaner. In fact, too much detergent or fabric softener can cause buildup that traps more odor.<\/li>\n<li>Add a cup of white vinegar and half the usual amount of laundry detergent to your wash to remove odors and clear away buildup.<\/li>\n<li>Wash sports clothes inside out in cold water using a detergent made for sports apparel. For very smelly loads, add a quarter to half a cup of vinegar or baking soda.<\/li>\n<li>Hang elastic garments like football and baseball pants to air dry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Washing Pads and Gear<\/h3>\n<p>The best way to keep gear sterile and odor-free is to spray and dry it regularly after use. However, it&#8217;s also important to give everything a thorough deep clean occasionally.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spray gear with products like Force of Nature, Clear Gear, or another disinfectant listed by the EPA.<\/li>\n<li>Let the gear air dry.<\/li>\n<li>Pads and bags can be machine washed using the detergent guidelines mentioned earlier. For top load washers, select gentle settings to avoid damaging the equipment. Set the washer for a large load with a pre-wash and heavy soil setting.<\/li>\n<li>Pads and bags can be machine washed using the detergent guidelines mentioned earlier. For top load washers, select gentle settings to avoid damaging the equipment. Set the washer for a large load with a pre-wash and heavy soil setting.<\/li>\n<li>Wash football shoulder pads by placing them in a pillowcase and tying the open end shut.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid machine drying sports equipment to prevent warping and damage. Instead, hang them to dry or place them on a rack and use a fan to circulate air and speed up the drying process.<\/li>\n<li>Helmets: Regularly wipe down and spray, especially focusing on the chin guards. For a deep clean, fill a bathtub with warm water and baby shampoo. Use a sponge or toothbrush to thoroughly scrub the nooks and crannies.<\/li>\n<li>Skates, cleats, and shoes: Spray and air dry right after use. Remove the insoles to machine wash them, and replace them periodically as needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Sterilizing Equipment<\/h3>\n<p>In sports where athletes share equipment, it&#8217;s crucial to have a plan for regularly sterilizing both the equipment and the players who use it.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Encourage players to wash their hands thoroughly before and after practice, and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in the dugout, on the bench, or in the locker room. This is especially important before eating any handheld food.<\/li>\n<li>Use sprays and wipes from the EPA\u2019s list of approved disinfectants, or create your own cleaning solution by mixing 5 tablespoons (\u2153 cup) of bleach per gallon of water.<\/li>\n<li>Minimize the sharing of personal items like water bottles and towels by encouraging each athlete to bring their own.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure all gear is clearly labeled to prevent mix-ups.<\/li>\n<li>Assign a parent volunteer to disinfect shared items during games and practices as needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sports equipment can easily become a hotspot for germs and smells. Here are some tips to help you regularly clean and sanitize your child&#8217;s gear this season. Washing Sports Clothes and Uniforms If your child isn&#8217;t wrestling in ancient Greece, they&#8217;re probably wearing a uniform to their games and practices. Here are some tips to&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2773,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-life-cleaning"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Clean Sports Equipment - Home &amp; Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Stinky football pads? Funky cleats? If your kid\u2019s sports gear smells like something crawled in and died (we\u2019ve all been there), it\u2019s time for a deep clean. I put together this easy guide on how to clean, sanitize, and deodorize kids\u2019 sports clothes and equipment, including pads, helmets, uniforms, and even cleats. 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