Great Ways to Clean Up After Contact Sports
Paintball and laser tag are hardly full on contact but if you're playing in the woods it can get messy. Paintball especially can wreak havoc on clothes. Whether you're into paintball or baseball, we cover it all this month!
If you have family members who are athletes, chances are you do a fair amount of equipment detail, uniform washing and home clean up. Whether you are cleaning up after a soccer player, football, baseball, fast pitch, hockey, or just a fun game of bubble ball there is quite a bit of mess to tackle once the game has ended. Here are some tips for keeping your home and that sports gear in top shape.
Cleaning Uniforms
The first trick in clean uniform success is to get it in the wash as soon as possible. Train your active family member to remove the uniform as soon as they walk in the door and get it in the machine. It is very rare that a sports uniform does not stink after a game or practice. The faster you get it in the wash the better chances you have of removing stains and stink.
Here are some treatments for different uniform stains:
Grass- create a scrub using ¼ cup white sugar and just enough water to make a grainy paste. Using a soft bristle brush gently rub the scrub into the stain for around one minute. Toss into the wash and watch the stains disappear.
Dirt and red clay- first remove as much debris as you can by gently scraping in the direction of the fabric weave. Next saturate with a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar and 3 tablespoons iodized salt. Let sit for 30 minutes then rinse in cold water. If the stain is not gone repeat the process or treat stain with 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon borax. If the stain still remains soak in a gallon of water and a cup of ammonia or bleach. When stain is gone stick in laundry.
Odor- this of course happens to every uniform. To quickly get rid of horrible sweaty smells pour one cup of vinegar in the bleach dispenser of the washing machine and launder as you would anything else with regular detergent. If you have a horrible case of body odor on your uniform sprinkle ½ cup of baking soda on the uniform once you have placed it in the washing machine.
NEVER PUT UNIFORMS IN THE DRYER ALWAYS LINE DRY.- The heat from the dryer can peal off uniform numbers or dull sparkles and fray trims. The tumbling action will misshape pads.
Cleats
In a laundry room, utility sink, or bathtub run a good amount of nice hot water. Add a mild detergent such as dawn dish soap and let the shoes soak for a while. Once they have had a good soak grab a soft bristle brush and give all parts a good gentle scrub then rinse clean.Find an old grubby towel and roll your cleats in it to get out all excess moisture. Dry the insides of your shoes really well. When finished take the shoes out in the sun and let Mother Nature work. The hotter and sunnier the weather the better. The sun is a natural bacteria killing machine. If the sun is not out grab some newspaper to soak up the extra moisture.
Help your athletes to form clean habits by leaving shoes outside on a covered porch or in the garage to air out after every game or practice.
Another trick to try on smelly sneakers is to stick them in a zip top bag and stick them in the freezer. The cold will kill bacteria and smells!
Bags
Get everything out of equipment bags as soon as they come home. Leaving uniforms, shoes, pads, etc. in the bag creates a nice little environment for bacteria and smells to grow. Remove all items from bags and set them out on the porch in the sun, on the cold garage floor, or next to the dehumidifier to dry out.
Mud and Grass on the Carpet
Should your beloved athlete tromp into your home with their gear still on have no fear. It is quite easy to remove these things from your carpet as long as you clean them up as soon as possible. For grass scoop up any loose blades and then mix a solution of ¼ teaspoon mild laundry detergent and a cup of cold water. Dip a clean white cloth into the solution and blot the stain from the outside in to avoid spreading. Repeat using a clean area of cloth until the grass stain is gone. For mud vacuum any chunks of dirt up. Mix a tablespoon of dawn dish washing liquid with two cups warm water and use a white cloth dipped in solution to blot away. As with any spot treatment be sure to test on an unseen area of carpet first.
Read more: TIP- Iron Out Old Stains!
Have fun but also know how to clean up. For games, events and activities for all Springfield MO paintball and laser tag, check out more posts or contact us to set up your next game. And... for even more fun ~ Visit our newest adventure in Bubble Soccer throughout Southwest Missouri!!