Do I HAVE to wash the gi immediately after a class?

[DownHeGoes]

I know Gi higiene is serious stuff. I already do muay thai and was considering taking bjj a couple times a week. The thing is: my apartment doesn't have the space to hang clothes, which means I never bought a washing machine. What I do with my clothes is to send them to a lady who washes it in her house and brings it back to me later in the week. The thing is, is it necessary to wash the gi IMMEDIATELY after the class, or could it wait untill the following day or even two days later? Will leaving the sweat in during that time damage the tissue or something? There is the alternative of washing it with my hands every time, but I believe that takes a ton of time and the gi would still be soaked and I would have no good place to hang it without making a mess. Thanks in advance.

 

[davou]

nope, you can leave it. But definately wash it before you wear it agian!

If it starts to stink, you can kill the bacteria that cause the stink with UV light (either use the sun, or use a UGVI deoderizer)

 

[Dogstarman]

Just wash the gi before the first class. Also if you can, hang it or lay it out to dry. Don't ball it up or it will get mildew.

 

[Balto]

A great piece of wisdom I got from my first instructor (a blue belt at the time) pertained to the washing of gis.

He said don't be the guy that babies his gi -- washing on cold, hang drying, etc. Yeah, it will last a bit longer if you do that. But not that much longer. And you will waste a ton of time on it.

Buy cheap gis, buy them a little bigger so they can shrink to fit, wash on hot, dry on hot. They'll still last about two years each minimum. That's plenty.

If you do it that way, you could leave the thing in your bag for a week. It will still come out of the dryer smelling mountain fresh. The heat will kill the bacteria that stink it up.

If you insist on babying your gi by cold washing and hanging it up in your dorm or something, then yeah it can develop a pretty nasty stench over a few days. You can use the sun to help deodorize it then, but you're out of luck on a cloudy day.

I would strongly recommend just washing hot and drying hot. I've been doing this twelve years now, and my gis last at least two years a piece.

 

[Bigboot]

Leave it in the trunk of your car balled up and only wash on sundays.

everyone you train with will thank you.

 

[Dogstarman]

Leave it in the trunk of your car balled up and only wash on sundays.

everyone you train with will thank you.

Damn. I hate dudes who do this.

 

[2008]

To the TS if you can't wash your gi right away or within one day or two after using it, at the very least spread the jacket and pants out flat on the floor or hang it to dry out the sweat quickly. This will help reduce the smell/funk build up. If you keep it balled up with sweat it will take forever to dry and create a foul stench in your gi.

 

[AEMD]

you wash the gii everytime after class. dont be one of those idiots with stinky giis. i hate rolling with them.

 

[ChumsGum]

Atsko Sport Wash is my secret. It's inexpensive at $21 for a 64oz bottle from amazon and does an amazing job at getting rid of mildew and funk from athletic wear. Yes, it even works on gear that has been balled up in your car trunk for days.

I wouldn't say I baby my gis but I do not machine dry as that prematurely wears out the fabric and more importantly, the foam material in the collar. A flimsy limp collar is an easier to grip collar. I hang dry indoors and have a rotation of gis but yeah I understand people who have to machine dry due to time/space constraints.

 

[Kenny from MD]

I have a small washer and dryer because I live in a condo so I usually wash my gear right after I get home from class, just so I don't generate a massive pile of laundry, but even if you dont, and even if your stuff is really funky (like when it is a couple of years old and has been through Brazil and back) you can usually just soak it for an hour in hot water and oxyclean, then run a normal cycle and it will come out fresh, unless you are some kind of ogre.

But to answer your question... bacteria is not going to cement itself into dirty laundry and evolve into hot water and soap defying mutant bacteria just because you left your gi on the laundry room floor for a day or two.

 

[IndyCovaHart]

Just hang it out the car window on the way home and put the pedal to the metal.

 

[Rod1]

A great piece of wisdom I got from my first instructor (a blue belt at the time) pertained to the washing of gis.

He said don't be the guy that babies his gi -- washing on cold, hang drying, etc. Yeah, it will last a bit longer if you do that. But not that much longer. And you will waste a ton of time on it.

Buy cheap gis, buy them a little bigger so they can shrink to fit, wash on hot, dry on hot. They'll still last about two years each minimum. That's plenty.

If you do it that way, you could leave the thing in your bag for a week. It will still come out of the dryer smelling mountain fresh. The heat will kill the bacteria that stink it up.

If you insist on babying your gi by cold washing and hanging it up in your dorm or something, then yeah it can develop a pretty nasty stench over a few days. You can use the sun to help deodorize it then, but you're out of luck on a cloudy day.

I would strongly recommend just washing hot and drying hot. I've been doing this twelve years now, and my gis last at least two years a piece.

This is a good advice, not to mention that cheaper gis are easier to clean, some single weaves can even be thrown into regular laundry.

 

[Rod1]

You dont have to wash it right away but you really ought to dry them up, so hang it in a chair ,open a window an put a fan next to it so it dries, then throw to the dirty laundry.

 

[TheMood]

I want to echo everyone saying let the gi dry out. I put my gis on the back of my computer chair and over the shower door after class. I train about four times a week and do one laundry once a week where I wash all my gis. They are fine this way. Keeping the thing balled up full of sweat is a bad idea.

 

[007]

YES...I use Tide Sport

 

[RJ Green]

YES...I use Tide Sport

AMEN TIDE SPORT.

Pods are the shit too, I got a heap of them at Costco for cheaper than one of the tanks of liquid detergent and they're legit as fuck bruh. They're way less messy than the powder or liquid and if small children eat them they die so it's a win-win.

 

[kjg1672]

In my experience you don't have to wash gi immediately, but you probably should with your rash guard. Once your rash guard stinks it's tough to salvage. And don't forget to wash your belt.

 

[anaconda]

A great piece of wisdom I got from my first instructor (a blue belt at the time) pertained to the washing of gis.

He said don't be the guy that babies his gi -- washing on cold, hang drying, etc. Yeah, it will last a bit longer if you do that. But not that much longer. And you will waste a ton of time on it.

Buy cheap gis, buy them a little bigger so they can shrink to fit, wash on hot, dry on hot. They'll still last about two years each minimum. That's plenty.

If you do it that way, you could leave the thing in your bag for a week. It will still come out of the dryer smelling mountain fresh. The heat will kill the bacteria that stink it up.

If you insist on babying your gi by cold washing and hanging it up in your dorm or something, then yeah it can develop a pretty nasty stench over a few days. You can use the sun to help deodorize it then, but you're out of luck on a cloudy day.

I would strongly recommend just washing hot and drying hot. I've been doing this twelve years now, and my gis last at least two years a piece.

Agreed. Unless you have a go which is super tight, just wash and dry everything with heat. Your gi wing magically fall apart.
I get it, the new shoyoroll dropped and you just have to have it! Well guess what - buy a cheaper gi if you can't afford to just wash and dry with hot. Much more sanitary to do so.

Plus OXY clean helps

 

[Deleted member 53472]

I. And don't forget to wash your belt.

Blasphemy.

 

[loyalyolayal]

You're washing all the techniques that you've learned. Don't. Tradition.

You'll notice people would be in awe of your discipline they won't even have the courage to ask you to roll.