How to clean everything

[WillyGrips13]

So, I have a break between seasons and I'd like to tackle some gear cleaning. I have read some of the other threads about gear cleaning, although most are older and specific to one piece of gear. I've also tried in the past soaking my gear in the tub with laundry detergent or Oxiclean, multiple soakings. I've even used a small brush and an old toothbrush. The issue I'm having is areas of the gear that touch my skin have a brown stain on it . Knee pads, gloves, lower arms of the C/A and inside of the mask. Despite all of the aforementioned cleaning, I haven't been able to get rid of the brown staining. Granted, the gear is old, but I'd like to get rid of that staining. What would you recommend? Any simple household cleaners or chemicals that I may already have would be nice to use if you have ideas. Thanks.

[bildeer]

Do you have a pool?

What I did with some of my larger stuff (C/A, pants) in years past was to put them in a laundry bag to protect them and stick them in a large commercial grade washing machine.

[coopaloop1234]

1 hour ago, bildeer said:

Do you have a pool?

GSBB says hi.

This is also a good argument not to get light coloured C/A's. Can't know something is disgustingly filthy if you can't see it right?

[holdUP]

9 hours ago, WillyGrips13 said:

Man I haven't listened to Propagandhi in forever. Forgot all about them. Thanks for reminding me - Jesus saves! Gretzky scores!

[BadAngle41]

3 hours ago, coopaloop1234 said:

GSBB says hi.

This is also a good argument not to get light coloured C/A's. Can't know something is disgustingly filthy if you can't see it right?

It's not filthy or unclean... it's called Patina... you 580 hating Warrior lover. (Please pardon the hard words.) Joking aside I don't mind the discoloration (staining) at all... but I don't like my gear to smell too bad or be straight up unhealthy to put on... so I do apply Microban regularly. Never actually been one to actually clean gear too much... more of a air it out well and disinfect guy.

[coopaloop1234]

2 minutes ago, BadAngle41 said:

It's not filthy or unclean... it's called Patina... you 580 hating Warrior lover. (Please pardon the hard words.) Joking aside I don't mind the discoloration (staining) at all... but I don't like my gear to smell too bad or be straight up unhealthy to put on... so I do apply Microban regularly. Never actually been one to actually clean gear too much... more of a air it out well and disinfect guy.

The vitriol!

How's the Passau been treatin' ya?

[BadAngle41]

2 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

The vitriol!

How's the Passau been treatin' ya?

Even heavy clappers are like a Sherman over a Civic. Foams haven't broken down and it feels as protective as the day I received it. Only thing I'd change is slightly smaller wings at the shoulder cap for a bit more mobility. (I did have to look up what vitriol meant... apt utilization on your part.)

[coopaloop1234]

2 minutes ago, BadAngle41 said:

 (I did have to look up what vitriol meant... apt utilization on your part.)

I'm more than just a pretty face.

[MTH]

That CA needs a "JOFA by Bourdon" tag on it.

[SaveByRichter35]

4 hours ago, BadAngle41 said:

It's not filthy or unclean... it's called Patina... you 580 hating Warrior lover. (Please pardon the hard words.) Joking aside I don't mind the discoloration (staining) at all... but I don't like my gear to smell too bad or be straight up unhealthy to put on... so I do apply Microban regularly. Never actually been one to actually clean gear too much... more of a air it out well and disinfect guy.

Duuuude the fucking neck guard.  I forgot you had that thing lol.

[MangoRhinehart]

Get your gear ozoned or buy an ozone generator and fumigate it.

[Chenner29]

8 hours ago, coopaloop1234 said:

I'm more than just a pretty face.

You also share the same hairline as your emoji

[WillyGrips13]

Answers so far are a pool, a large, commercial grade washing machine, spraying with Microban, using an ozone generator by way of a service or purchasing a machine myself. 
Any other ideas?
The main focus of the thread was to deal with the brown staining on the spots of the gear that touch my skin. None of these surfaces are white (or were white), btw. 

[TDS-MN]

I don't know about getting any staining off gear, but I will attest to the effectiveness of an ozone machine for removing the smell.  There is a local hockey/sport shop that has a machine, and when I first acquired my set, all used gear, I knew I was not going to be able to wear as it was.  Threw everything in the machine for a bit, might have been an hour or 2 I can't remember now, but the smell was gone, old glove & blocker smelled like leather again.  I am about due to take the C/A back, I've been playing more frequently and that has begun to smell a bit once again.

[creasecollector]

I'd also like to know how to deal with the stain spots. I have some on the backhand of my glove from sweat/red post-rub, etc). 

[BadAngle41]

13 hours ago, WillyGrips13 said:

Answers so far are a pool, a large, commercial grade washing machine, spraying with Microban, using an ozone generator by way of a service or purchasing a machine myself. 
Any other ideas?
The main focus of the thread was to deal with the brown staining on the spots of the gear that touch my skin. None of these surfaces are white (or were white), btw. 

As I noted before I'm not one to worry too much about the staining... but could you post a couple pics of the stubborn stains you're talking about? Options to rid stains also depend on the material they're on... airmesh vs. nylon etc.

[WillyGrips13]

7 hours ago, BadAngle41 said:

As I noted before I'm not one to worry too much about the staining... but could you post a couple pics of the stubborn stains you're talking about? Options to rid stains also depend on the material they're on... airmesh vs. nylon etc.

I’ve already started soaking the kneepads, throat guard and cup. First in plain water, then in OxiClean. So it’s a little hard to see the brown. I have scrubbed them with the brush pictured, which has helped some. Pictured are two angles of the kneepads. 

[MTH]

This thread is dirty.

[SaveByRichter35]

After you finish cleaning everything I would suggest, if you don't already, wearing long legs and long sleeved undergarments.  Aside from my mask/face, the only piece of skin that actually touches my gear is my hands in my gloves.  And to add to keeping the insides of my gloves clean the last thing I do before putting on my c/a and gloves is wash my hands.  The less "shit" that gets into your gear the less stinky/slimy/dirty/whatever it will be.  

[MTH]

You have shit in your gear?

[WillyGrips13]

The scrubbing worked pretty well along with an OxiClean bath, regular water soaking and sun drying. 
 

[johncho]

I'm pretty sensitive to smell, and the only thing that I've found that worked so far on hockey gear is using a Lysol Additive (https://www.amazon.ca/Lysol-Laundry-Additive-Eliminates-Bacteria/dp/B0773X8ZR4). I've tried quite a few things, but Lysol and/or OxiClean were the only things that got stains out, and Lysol was the only thing that got rid of the smell completely (whereas ones cleaned with OxiClean the smell eventually returned).

I've cleaned my C/A by soaking it in a bathtub with a few capfuls of it, and I've washed a few other gears in the washing machine by adding the additive in the pre-wash. 

I've contemplated using Dettol at one point, but the Lysol did the trick for the most part.

[ArdeFIN]

Winegar soakin, then some normal detergent soakin and wash. Rubbing and brushing speeds up the operation.

Flush especially thicker gear like chest&arms really well to get all the stains out from the padding too. Those foams soak in a lot of stuff and won't let go easily.

I don't know but am thinking that suns UV radiation wouldn't do any good for plastics used in hockey gear? For drying I prefer heated air circulation. Circulation meaning that the wet air goes out and new fresh air is heated to dry the gear. Should do the same if the outside temperature is above 30 degrees celsius  and some wind included.

None of the above have really good effect on brown staining.

Baking soda might do some cleaning too, but I haven't experienced that.

[creasecollector]

On 8/26/2021 at 5:52 PM, SaveByRichter35 said:

After you finish cleaning everything I would suggest, if you don't already, wearing long legs and long sleeved undergarments.  Aside from my mask/face, the only piece of skin that actually touches my gear is my hands in my gloves.  And to add to keeping the insides of my gloves clean the last thing I do before putting on my c/a and gloves is wash my hands.  The less "shit" that gets into your gear the less stinky/slimy/dirty/whatever it will be.  

Good advice. I do pretty much the same. 

[SaveByRichter35]

3 hours ago, ArdeFIN said:

Winegar soakin, then some normal detergent soakin and wash. Rubbing and brushing speeds up the operation.

Flush especially thicker gear like chest&arms really well to get all the stains out from the padding too. Those foams soak in a lot of stuff and won't let go easily.

I don't know but am thinking that suns UV radiation wouldn't do any good for plastics used in hockey gear? For drying I prefer heated air circulation. Circulation meaning that the wet air goes out and new fresh air is heated to dry the gear. Should do the same if the outside temperature is above 30 degrees celsius  and some wind included.

None of the above have really good effect on brown staining.

Baking soda might do some cleaning too, but I haven't experienced that.

I do the bolded after every skate.  My gear gets hung up to dry.  I have two box fans blowing on the gear and a dehumidifier.  The dehumidifier is the big difference maker.  After one of my recent skates I set up the fans but was too lazy to get the dehumidifier from the laundry room so I just let the fans blow all night.  Holy shit did the room still smell the next morning.  When I do setup the dehumidifier there is virtually no smell at all.  Once everything is dry the next morning, I spray everything down with an essential oil mixture and let it dry on its own.