- Fragrances are classified as allergens, hormone disruptors, asthma triggers, neurotoxins and carcinogens.
- Manufacturers are not required to list their fragrance ingredients on product labels. Often only one word, “fragrance”, is used on the label and can hide a cocktail of more than 100 toxic ingredients.
- “Natural” fragrances aren’t necessarily any safer than synthetic ones.
- Most all fragranced products contain phthalates, which aren’t listed on ingredient labels either. They have been banned for use in the European Union, but the United States still permits their use despite the fact that research has shown that these chemicals cause hormonal disruption as well as developmental and reproductive toxicity.
Why yoga clothing stinks
Sweat, the natural oils your body produces and dead skin all contribute to the body odor that won’t seem to budge from your yoga clothes. Most yoga clothing is made out of Spandex and Lycra because these materials stretch and help repel sweat. Repelling sweat is great, but it means that these fabrics also repel the water that you want to clean your clothes when they are in the washing machine.5 things you have to change to really stop that stink:
- Wash after one wearing and as soon after as possible. We know it’s temping but don’t let them sit because that’s exactly how odors can fester.
- Use LESS detergent – Your instinct is probably to put in extra detergent, but stop yourself! It’s making the smell worse. Your washer is set to handle a standard level of detergent, so any more than that causes a residue that can’t get rinsed out. And you guessed it – that residue leads to odor.
- Put AWAY the fabric softener – You may think the nice fresh fragrance will help, but it’s making the problem worse. Why? Fabric softeners leave a coating on the fibers used in yoga clothing that prevents them from getting completely clean – so yes, they actually lock in the smell.
- Use low dryer heat – High heat might dry your clothes faster, but it also cooks in any lingering smells. Another reason to use low heat is that often the fabrics used in yoga clothing are plastic-based, which means they don’t hold up well in high heat.
- Before you throw them in the hamper or wash, spray down washable clothes with a chemical free deodorizer like Force of Nature. It will stop the stench that your detergent can’t handle. It stops the most tenacious odors at the source without harmful chemicals.