My Stuff Stinks, Where is the Bleach?

I came to realize in my old age that I no longer smell like a small child, meaning I sweat and it smells bad. You know those times you forget your equipment in a car for a week in the winter and crack it open in the locker room.. yes, near death could soon follow. Now, I know what you are thinking, is he going to make this gross and disgusting, and you are right, I very well may make it about bodily odor. For now, let's stick to the context of the blog, hockey.

Google is god when it comes to knowledge. I found after a year of playing hockey consistently and letting my gear "chill" in my trunk closed for hours after playing wasn't that cool. So I went out in search of a great post, actually it was a very very great post about cleaning your gear.
Ta-da!... https://deadspin.com/your-hockey-gear-is-foul-clean-it-or-else-1464457604

I will let you read the entire post, it's throughout which is a good thing. I would add a few points in retrospect to the article..

• Disagree that Clorox Green Works Wipes, Febreze or Lysol is ok for your skin.
• Washing machine cleaning sounds like it would backfire quickly. That stitching can get caught easily on the drum wall. Stick with the bathtub or outdoor tub method.
• I have "heard" good things about cleaning services, have yet to try but my assumption is it's not liquid based so it's not as effective. Plus not sure what chemicals they use, ask if you care.

I can however say I did "deodorize" or what I would call fumigate my equipment with vinegar. While there was a hint of smell for a short time, it did smell better in the end. I did use standard white vinegar which can be purchased at almost any store. I did spray everything. And if you are in a sunny state, dry your equipment outside, the sun should speed up the process.
In any case, most equipment now is designed to dry quickly based on their materials. If you are good about airing out your equipment it can last for years without the need to do any of this. Or maybe you are a clean freak that sprays your stuff with lysol after every game. Either way you decide, you play hockey and hockey players stink.