Knee Pads are essential items for every player in basketball or volleyball. They are vital for those that love skateboards. Knee pads can give an awful smell since they experience heavy pounding. Their continuous use results to unpleasant smell which calls for a thorough wash. Below is some essential information you need to know before you clean your knee pad.
Get Rid of the Odor
This is the first step. Once you have used your knee pads, it’s advisable to get rid of the odor by air-drying them. Additionally, you can use the recommended spray used to kill the microbes. The microbes are known to cause the bad smell. The spray neutralizes the bad odor effectively.
If you still want to be craftier, get charcoal and a zip-lock bag. Lock the knee pads together with the charcoal. The charcoal substitutes the role played by anti-microbe-spray.
Washing the Knee Pads
The frequency of cleaning the knee pads depends on the number of times you wear them. You can be washing them once a week. Depending on the extreme of the odor, soak them for about 20-30 minutes. Use any detergent for this except the bleaches.
Wash the pads gently to avoid messing up with the material used to make the knee pad. Hot water is not advisable because it causes excessive elasticity or loosening of the material. Adjust your wash machine to a low cycle. Knee pads are very sensitive and should be washed separately. To guarantee a quality wash without messing with the material of the knee pad, use a mesh bag.
You can also hand wash the knee pads if wash machine becomes a big hassle to you. Make sure to follow the same procedure, soak the knee pads for thirty minutes and wash gently but thoroughly. This is very effective since you can take good care as you hand wash. You are also able to see the areas that need extra effort to remove the dirt.
Before Using the Knee Pads
Make sure you do not keep them in the bag together with the other clothes. Give them space to breathe. Allow them to air dry for a while. Using a plastic bag to carry them prevents the microbes from spreading. This reduces the frequency of washing the knee pads since there is no odor. Hang them by the window where the air is warm and moving. These practices significantly reduce the frequency and necessity of washing the knee pads. Lastly, dab the sweat from the pads immediately after using them to avoid sweat absorption. This will save you time when cleaning the knee pads.
After Washing the knee pads
After getting them out of the washing machine, follow these steps to dry the pads. Never use a dryer to dry the knee pads. This is very important to always bear in mind. The tumbling and the extra heat of the dryer ruin the knee pads. This is one piece of information you should never forget. Air-drying the knee pads is the best way. Hanging them in the sun also kills microbes that cause bad odor. Once you observe these simple rules, you will never find washing the knee pads a hassle anymore.