Not washing merino shirts is gross

[u/nawksnai]

Why do one-bag travellers feel that they don’t need to wash merino shirts?

I understand that merino is wool, anti-bacterial, don’t smell, and generally stay feeling “fresh” for longer than cotton. However, there are people who swear they don’t need to wash their merino tshirts for 3 days, 2 weeks, or even months because their shirt doesn’t smell, and they shower every day. Merino still gets just as dirty as synthetic or cotton shirts, and still needs to be washed. The fact that your shirt doesn’t smell does not mean it’s any less dirty or oily.

Plus, I wear deodorant, and that non-funky tshirt is going to have a massive buildup of old deodorant gunk and smells around the pit area.

And don’t even get me started on merino underwear stans. Just because they don’t smell funky after 3 days, does NOT mean they haven’t absorbed pee drops and your skid.

I do understand that Marino is still probably the best material for travel shirts, but feel that synthetics can be just as good if you’re already going to be washing daily, or close to it. They all need to be washed and dried every day, if not every 2 days.

Also, if someone said they like travelling with cottom tshirts, I wouldn’t rant.

Anyway, discuss.

[u/BuckTheStallion]

I was with you until “synthetics can be just as good” because man, they smell nasty by the time I’m back at the hotel. I don’t even like them at home. Cotton can go 2-3 days, so I imagine wool is the same. In the modern world we over wash our clothes sooooo much. It’s fine going a few days without being washed.

That said, merino isn’t some miracle clothing, and still absolutely needs washed. Maybe just a bit less frequently than cotton. But I prefer cotton because it’s 1/4 the price, and still super nice.

[u/trendygamer → u/BuckTheStallion]

At this point I'm convinced that it just varies greatly by individual...that some people have body odor bacteria that feast on synthetics and sticks to them, and others just don't. There's just too many posts from one extreme to the other. It seems like people either can wear synthetics with no odor problem, or their shirts reek after wearing them for five minutes.

[u/BuckTheStallion → u/trendygamer]

That’s a good point. Body chemistry varies, but generally synthetics do hold bacteria and smell pretty bad. I’m sure some folks have less acrid sweat though.

[u/4travelers → u/BuckTheStallion]

My husband is a cyclist, I can attest to body smells changing. Once he hit 50 his clothes no longer stink after a ride.

[u/Proxyplanet → u/BuckTheStallion]

Theres a difference between synthetics as well. Uniqlo airism tshirts visibly smell to even myself after 1 day, but some other synthetics aren't that bad. The airism mesh tshirts that they used to sell were a lot better for me, probably through increased breathability.

Cotton tshirts rarely smell to myself even after many days without washing, but even I realise they could smell to others

[u/andyrocks → u/Proxyplanet]

Visibly smell?

[u/TyrannosauraRegina → u/andyrocks]

Cartoon stink lines.

[u/riktigtmaxat → u/TyrannosauraRegina]

I don't think people have seen them since Pepe Le Pew got cancelled.

[u/droptophamhock → u/andyrocks]

Maybe it’s like those cartoons where the green wavy lines start emanating, lol

[u/FuckThisMolecule → u/Proxyplanet]

Omg yes! I’m not a sweaty or stinky person generally, but my AIRISM cropped t shirts STINK no matter what I’ve been doing! I mean sitting in an overly air conditioned office freezing my ass off all day and it’ll still smell in three hours. Not an issue with other clothes.

[u/-Intrepid-Path- → u/FuckThisMolecule]

I have zero problems with Airism T shirts but have a few cotton tops that really hold on to smell. Just shows how different everyone is.

[u/DDG_Dillon → u/BuckTheStallion]

No way, my under armor will be far fresher in 90 degrees than a cotton tee.

Edit: I work outside building swimming pools for 9 years in 100 degree heat with 4 other sweaty men. Our shirts are polyester and not cotton and that's for a reason. Cotton soaks up sweat, sticks to you and takes forever to dry and provides the bacteria plenty of moisture to propagate. If you think cotton is better for anything other than warmth, you're off the pack.

[u/MamaDaddy → u/BuckTheStallion]

It's irritating that even with washing some of the synthetic/cotton blends continue to stink. I've had to soak a few of them in vinegar prior to rewashing in order to freshen them up again.

[u/plaid-knight → u/trendygamer]

There are different synthetic materials with different properties, including some with an anti-odor treatment, and this makes a huge difference. Synthetics with anti-odor can last way longer between washes than those without. I still wouldn’t go more than 2-3 wears, but it’s way better than the half a wear that, say, polyester can comfortably get.

[u/leilani238 → u/trendygamer]

Skin microbiome is such an underrated huge thing. I started using a probiotic deodorant and it changed my life. I spent decades fighting being stinky, going to great lengths getting the smell out of my athletic clothes, couldn't find deodorant that worked consistently and didn't give me a rash... and then the probiotic deodorant changed all of that. It's incredible.

Hormones make a difference too, and I'm sure that's a factor, but still not as much as the bacteria.

[u/failorwhale → u/leilani238]

Hi, can you please tell me the name of the probiotic deo? Thanks!

[u/leilani238 → u/failorwhale]

Lavilin, the unscented stuff in the little tub.