Have you seen the noseblind Febreze commercial on TV?  One shows a teen in his bedroom and then transitions to how the mom views and smells the same room. In mom’s view the room is covered in dirty gym socks.  The idea is smart.  Nose-blind is a real thing.  How to wash smelly workout gloves, gym gear, sweaty clothes and shoes is something you should probably know.   We all produce a unique “smell” and noseblind is a real thing.

Noseblind Definition

Anosmia is the scientific definition for “noseblind.” It refers to a loss of the sense of smell or the inability to perceive odor.  Some of use can become “noseblind” to a specific odor, such as the Febreze commercial suggests.  This is call “specific anosmia.” We all have receptors in our brains that detect and identify scents and this is called the olfactory system.  It is one of the most powerful senses we have.  However when it comes to your gym stuff you may not be able to smell what others do.  I will explain why below.

How To Wash Smelly Workout Gloves

There is a valid reason why other people may smell things that we don’t.  Our brains are actually wired to stop sending signals after a few minutes.  This doesn’t mean that we no longer are ABLE to smell these things ever.  It just means that our brain becomes used to scents that we are familiar with.  This phenomenon is called olfactory adaptation. Because our sense of smell evolved to help us find food, a mate, and spot danger, we are also programmed to ignore those that are most familiar to us.

Washable gym gloves are obviously an option for those of us who tend to get super sweaty hands from the gym.  However these too can start having their own scent as well.  Bacteria can permeate nearly every fabric that we use.  Those that are put directly against the skin to absorb moisture are even more prone to latching on to those bad microbes.

The best way to wash smelly workout gloves is to use a mild detergent (like Dove dishwashing liquid) and rinse with warm water.  Allow your gloves to air dry for best results.  Spraying them with cologne or body spray will only make matters worse.

The main reason we use leather on our gym grips and gloves is because it doesn’t trap odors.  The sweat-proof neoprene backing and 4 finger loops keeps it from acting like a sponge.

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