Hockey Smell Doesn’t Stand A Chance With Purex

Stinky socks.  Dirty volleyball jerseys.  Long-forgotten work-out gear left to go sour in the bottom of a gym bag.  Each has their own unmistakable aroma, their own unforgettable scent.  But none compare to the funk, the reek, the stank that is super-loved, well-worn, played-hard-in hockey equipment.

My family is chock-full of hockey fans, hockey lovers, and athletes.  From my youngest nephew who chases bubbles and pucks with equal passion around the rink, to my Father-In-Law and Hubby who have graduated from regular competitive leagues to Friday night pick-up games at the local rink – no matter the age or stage of the player of the sport, the story remains the same.  After a few hours chasing the puck around the ice with his buddies, my Hubby throws his well-loved equipment into his favourite hockey bag, slings it over his shoulder and then throws that warm, damp bag of gear into the cold trunk of his car.  This bag makes one more move, to my front hall, and this is where it stays, untouched for a full week…until it’s time for the next game of hockey.  Then that poor hockey equipment is pulled out again and again, until at some point the people of our house start to rebel.  My girls start plugging their noses and grumbling in disgust at “the smell” wafting from the big black bag.  I start (not so quietly) nagging that it’s time to DO SOMETHING with that atrocity of a sports bag in the front hall.  The only one in the family that seems pleased with the hockey season smell is Watson the Great Dane.  He loves himself a good rink-stink.  Something about that smell, this little ritual has to change.

Playing hockey.  Good.

Tradition.  Great.

Hockey equipment with a smell so strong you are pretty sure it can soon get up and walk on its own? Bad.

I love my Hubby, I just don’t love the way his hockey equipment smells.  I didn’t grow up playing hockey so truly had no idea what to do to fix the “Oh-my-word-what-is-that-odour-and-where-is-it-coming-from?” problem.  So, I did a little research!  It turns out, you can wash hockey equipment. The trick?  Knowing what products to use and how to do it.  Here are my best tips and tricks for washing hockey equipment.

1. You can wash all hockey equipment with the exception of the helmets and skates.  This includes the gloves, chest protector, elbow pads, shin-guards, jock, pants, socks, neck-guard, under-armor and the hockey bag.  Don’t forget the bag.
2. Hockey equipment for a little player may all fit in one load, but when washing the equipment for an adult you may need to divide things up into a couple of different loads.  I have a top loader, so had to do three.  Do not overload your washing machine.
3. Pick the right product.  Not just any laundry detergent is going to get rid of the special smell that comes along with well played in hockey gear. Newly launched Purex Odour Release laundry detergent is now my go-to to nix that hockey aroma.
4. When you put your equipment in the wash, ensure all velcro straps are fastened and secured to thier partner.
5. Hang all equipment to air-dry.

I was sent some Purex OdourRelease laundry detergent and I can tell you I put it to the ultimate test. Purex versus my Husband’s well-loved hockey equipment.  To take it one step further, not only did Hubby’s gear have that “just played in” smell, but recently we had ourselves a good old fashioned flood.  Our sub-pump quit working and our basement filled with ice-cold sludgy ick.  This, of course, was the only day my fabulous Husband had dropped that bag over the rail into the basement.  Could Purex Odour Release really eliminate both the stink of hockey and a flood?

Here’s what I learned – Purex Odour Release is the first branded value laundry detergent in Canada that boasts fragrance encapsulation with odour-elimination technology, which is ideal for hockey-obsessed Canadians because it helps fight tough odours. It features fragrance encapsulation technology that provides up to 30 days of freshness. It works hard to tackle tough odours with bursts of fragrance that release during wear to provide freshness for up to 30 days. So there was hope!  I followed the Gear Washing Tips as outlined by Purex and hoped for the best.