BJJ Gi Washing Tips

You don’t use your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi like you do normal clothing. So you shouldn’t be washing it like you would your average, everyday attire.

Your jiu-jitsu gi gets used and abused. And I’m not just talking about all the gripping and pulling and jerking that happens in your typical BJJ match. I’m talking about all the sweat and grime that it’s exposed to, both yours and that of your teammates. Even if all of your teammates are super hygienic – which, let’s face it, there’s always a few dirty teenagers on the mat, so that’s only hoping – your gi still tends to accumulate layers upon layers of stubborn bacteria. Eventually, no matter how clean you try to get it, it’ll start getting that “funk” smell after the first roll.

Ew. Yeah, I know. The bad news is that you’ll never be able to completely avoid it. Unless you just don’t wear your gi, but we both know that’s not going to happen. The good news, however, is that there are ways you can delay that process, and thereby prolong the life of your jiu-jitsu gi.

Here are a few BJJ gi washing tips to help you out: 

Wash Early, Wash Often

The worst thing you can do to your gi is let it stew in all that sweat for days on end before you throw it in the washer. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to shame you. We all do it on occasion. (The worst is when you forget it in your car and end up with a cab full of funk in the morning.)

But what happens when you do leave it too long? All that bacteria that naturally occurs on your skin, in your sweat, and all around you grows… and it grows really fast. According to science – I’m assuming you’re among those who still believe in it – bacteria doubles every four to 20 minutes. 

You can interrupt most of that bacteria growth by washing your gi as soon as possible, and after every use.

Use Sports Detergents

Laundry detergents have come a long way since your parents’ time… thank goodness! These days, there are many options to choose from; from the brand and the scent, to the strength and earth-friendliness. Recent years have seen the rise of specialty sports detergents and add-ins. These are especially made to combat that special kind of athletic funk.

Here are a few good ones:

• Tide Plus Febreze Sport Odor Defense
• Sport Suds Laundry Detergent
• Sweat X Sport Laundry Detergent
• Dirty Labs BioEnzyme 

Vinegar Soak

If there’s one cleaning produce you should absolutely have in your home, it’s vinegar. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but vinegar is useful for a great many purposes and is incredibly effective against stains, icky build-up, and even bacteria. 

The reason? It’s made of a combination of water and acetic acid and features a pH level as low as 2.2 (meaning it’s very acidic), which makes it a power agent against most everyday bacterias.

The best way to use vinegar with your gis? Give them a good soak once or twice a month in a diluted mixture of distilled white vinegar and water. A few hours is fine, but overnight is better. Then throw them in the wash to get rid of that “vinegary” smell.

Air Dry

Unless you’re actively shrinking your gi – a necessary step for most of us who don’t fit easily into the standard gi sizing – you should air dry your gi after washing. This is more to maintain the longevity of the fibers than it is to address gi funk.

Especially if you have a tendency to blast your clothes on high-heat, you’re risking damage to the cotton and polyester fibers by tumble drying. According to research - yeah, someone researched this – the tensile strength of clothing fibers can drop about 50% when tumbled dry on high heat. Over time, and with repeated drying, this adds up. If you wonder why your gi tends to rip after a while… that’s why. The fibers just can’t hold up. Polyester fibers (of which most ripstop gis are partially made) fare even worse, as they are at risk of melting in high heat. 

Air drying does tend to make your gi feel “crunchy” sometimes. If this bothers you, you can always toss it in the dryer on a no or low heat setting with a sheet of fabric softener.

Know When To Give Up

The most important tip I can give you is: know when to give up. Your gi isn’t meant to be a family heirloom. There will come a point that no matter what you do, it becomes tattered beyond repair and you can no longer get the funk out.

Toss it. I know, it’s hard. It’s your favorite gi, and you’ve had some good memories in it. If you need to, close your eyes or have an eulogy ready. You can also have your significant other, mother, roommate do it for you. “Accidentally” leave it on the floor for your dog to tear up. Whatever you need to do. Let it go. And then get yourself a brand new shiny one.

I hope these BJJ Gi Washing Tips will help keep you from being the stinky one on the mat. Train hard, but stay fresh.