I am one of those people who sweats profusely when exercising. Although not smelling while sweating due to exercise, I did notice a musty smell, in the beginning of my menopause, when I got a hot flash. Fortunately, that has passed — not the hot flashes, the musty smell.

When you exercise and sweat, or perspire, it is part of our body’s cooling mechanism. Water on your skin’s surface evaporates and helps cool you down. Sweat itself does not actually smell; the odor is caused by bacteria on your skin that releases unpleasant-smelling natural chemicals that can stain or leave an odor on your favorite workout clothes, even after you wash them. Thanks to puberty, sweat glands become more active than before you were a teenager. Everyone’s body chemistry is different and can be affected by the foods you eat, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. When you have concerns, please check with your doctor. There are things they can do, or test, for certain conditions.

The best way to keep clean is to bathe or shower everyday using a mild soap or body wash; warm water will wash away bacteria that can contribute to the smells. If you sweat a lot, you might find that shirts, T-shirts, socks and underwear made from cotton will help absorb sweat more effectively. Cotton loves to absorb the water, then holds it close to your body where the slow evaporation cools you. That is one of the reasons lots of people wear synthetic clothes, made for rigorous workouts. With synthetic fibers, the water stays on its surface, and your body heat pushes the sheath of water down the fiber and out to where the air can “whisk” it away. Now, what is coming out of your pores?

Eccrine glands occur over most of your body and open right to the skin surface. No color or smell there. But, in times of stress, hormones or medication, your sweat areas can release a second, milky type of sweat, from the apocrine glands which are located in the armpits and groin area. This fluid is odorless until it mixes with the bacteria on your skin. This sweat can stick to your clothes and oxidizes there, turning yellow and smelling rancid. So, how do we get rid of it? Showering will remove bacteria from your skin. After your bath or shower, apply an antiperspirant or deodorant. And put on clean clothes/workout clothes.

I am one of the lucky ones. As much as I sweat, I do not have a problem with smelly, stained clothes after I wash them. I only have tried the vinegar option of these remedies. However, they all sound harmless enough that I believe it will be definitely worth a try:

• Rub degreaser dish detergent on the spots. Wash normally.

•  With an old toothbrush, brush shampoo for oily hair on stains and smelly spots. Then wash normally.

•  Add a “squirt” of toothpaste to your load of laundry.

•  A cup of borax and baking soda are great odor removers, but are relatively ineffective as stain removers.

•  Add one cup of white vinegar to your load.

•  Sprinkle or rub white vinegar on the spots. Wash now or later.

•  Make a baking soda paste. Apply to stains/ smelly spots; let set for 20 minutes. Then wash.

One thing I have learned is that I need to hang my sweaty clothes to dry until I wash them (or wash immediately). Leaving them sit in your hamper/bag will absolutely create an unpleasant smell and stains!

 I hope one of these will work for you. The clothes you can’t get the smell out anymore, would be best when they are retired, or made into cleaning rags.

Good luck!

Ester H. Marsh is director of healthy living of the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA.