Removing sweat odor

[ricktreks]

Hello folks,

I couldn't find a "care and maintenance" section, so I'll post this question here, if you, kind people, don't mind:

My new HH Hyperlite Zip has a tendency to retain sweat odors like no other hammock I've ever owned. I've done the "washing with mild detergent" thing several times before, but it only takes a couple of days for it to start smelling again. I contacted HH, and their response was "wash it with a mild detergent in warm water."

Has anyone experienced a similar problem? How do you get around that?

The only thing I've done differently with this hammock as opposed to the others is soak it in Sawyer's Permethrin as per the product's instructions. I wonder if that has anything to do with the problem.

Thanks a lot for the help,

R

[bloomgorge]

i know with a lot of my synthetic clothes baking soda has helped improve it. we also use a mild sports detergent rather than a non-sports detergent and we've got a silver care cycle on our machine for sports wear. if i don't have a load right then, i sprinkle the clothes with b.s. and toss them in a bucket with just enough water to fill it. i wouldn't think b.s. would hurt nylon.

[Bummer72]

I get sprinkled with bs pretty regularly...oh, wait, you mean something different

I understand that synthetic fabrics, especially sportswear like quick-drying clothes, tend to not release the oils that are in perspiration using normal laundry detergent. I imagine the synthetic fabrics of your hammock could be similar.

There are several detergents on the market for washing sportswear that could help. Or, try googling "stinky sports shirts".

Possible lead: http://www.discovery.com/area/skinny.../skinnyon.html

[Swamp_Stomper]

Try Febreze it really does work. I give my hammock a spraying every few trips.

[krshome]

Hey Rick, Check this stuff out http://www.mcnett.com/MiraZyme-Enzym...nator-P55.aspx I use it on my kayaking gear and turn my hockey buddies on to it as well (their gear really stinks) works amazing.

[Jsaults]

These products clean the oils from teh fabric - what the microbes are feasting upon (think about it: you are smelling microbial flatulence).

Thes are what paddlers use to clean wetsuits, neo booties and such. I will be my bottom dollar that your problem will be solved.

Jim

[Bubba]

I remember hearing about a tip for smelly sneaker and that was to freeze them. The idea being that freezing them would kill the bacteria whose metabolic byproducts cause the bad smells.

I tried it with my hockey gear and it helped but it didn't get rid of the smell. There is a lot of synthetic leather and other materials that hold on to alot of moisture though. Freezing a hammock may work. Just a thought.

[zukiguy]

My permethrin treated clothes and hammocks have a strange odor on their own. It's kind of a mild dirty mop water smell. So long as I let the hammock air out well before I hop in the sack it's OK. After a day or two on the trail my own aroma is strong enough I guess I don't notice any smell from hammock.

I use Oxy-Clean to treat my stinky gym clothes. This is the only thing I've found that gets out the BO smell from my shirts/shorts. I haven't found any ill effects in the synthetic clothing so I figure it should be fine for a hammock.

Good luck

[dragon360]

I have heard on using a mix of water and vodka (sacrilege to some) in a spray bottle as a means of ridding items of smell. I have used it on clothing and it has worked quiet well.

[Avenger]

You may be able to adapt these that are useful when washing clothes:

Add a cup of vinegar to a load at the beginning of the washing cycle.

Rinse a smelly article in equal parts vinegar and water.

I have used these on regular fabrics before with no ill effects, but have not tried it on nylon. But I don't see that it wouldn't work.

YMMV