22 Jun How to keep your Kimonos, Rash Guards, Shorts and Skin in Top Shape
Caring for your gear is a big part of the training experience for yourself and your training partners. We have all practiced with people with varying shapes, sizes, personality types etc. Your uniform is an extension of your personality. There is nothing like the feeling of a brand new gleaming white gi, but soon after dirt and grime starts to build up, I’d like to share some of the secrets I’ve found out over the years to care for my gear and my skin, you may find it useful.
In the following article I have broken down some personal care topics that I have discovered over my 20 years of practicing and learning, I hope it helps! The following categories are Skin care, Kimono, Rash Guards, and Shorts.
Skin Care
For washing the body, I recommend Bronner’s Magic Soaps: Bronner’s All In One Soaps, use a sponge or a net and you will get the best suds and bubbles ever. I use this soap for hands, body, and hair as it is a highly pleasant all in one plus there are several scents and versions available.
All scented or unscented versions are very good for cleaning your skin and adding to the washing machine.
Tea Tree oil- Any time a body pimple appears apply tea tree oil immediately. It will sanitize and potentially kill off any harmful infection before it becomes worse and spreads while keeping the skin relatively safe. The alternative is waiting until it’s too late, and having to use steroidal creams and harsh medication to overcome a, stronger, more established skin condition. Tea tree oil is available in any health food store or pharmacy.
Healthy Diet- Keep your diet clean and efficient to increase recuperative abilities and spend some time in the sun and fresh air to keep your immune system strong. Consider using garlic sparingly as medicine. Garlic tends to come out of every pore and permeate entire rooms, it is powerful stuff! One of the most powerful medicines on earth I tend to only eat garlic if I am fighting something serious. The Gracie Diet could help you, it’s helped me a lot.
Showers After Training- Try to shower and clean up as soon as possible. Any stuff that is on your feet after training gets trampled around your house unless you jump straight into the shower when you get home.
Pre- Training Care- A lot of people take a shower right before training but it is not 100% recommended unless you use something like Bronners. A product like Bronners replenishes your skin’s natural oil balance so your skin is not stripped before your next session. I also like to bring a travel tooth brush with me everywhere so I can clean out my mouth and do some pre-hydration water drinking before class because often times during class there is not as much time to keep up with hydration as much as keeping the mouth wet and a few gulps of water.
Kimono Care
– Laundry Detergent- Our preference at home is a coconut soap we usually buy from Costco called Ecos, it’s natural and smells great. Eco Coconut Detergent
-Lavender Sachets for drying- Try throwing a natural sack of lavender into the dryer for 15 minutes does wonders to give your gis a fresh scent before hang drying Dryer Sachets
– Wash the uniform inside out some of the time– This does a better job killing those collar and armpit stains
– Dry your gi in the Sun/ Inside out– Best in Spring, and Summer, of course
– Leave the washroom fan in your home to run the whole time your kimono is drying- Your home has to have low humidity, or the gi will take too long to dry and cause dampness and subsequent smelliness
– Bleach your white Gi’s once a month, makes it easier if you own only one colour (white) of gis so you can wash them all together. I find white is best, as it is traditional, and there is nowhere for smells and dirt to hide, it’s right there waiting to be attacked. Darker gis hide the discolouration and usually fade a lot, I find they look worse a little quicker than a good white one.
– Borax for Stains- Have a scrub brush dedicated to your gi so if you need to give it a little scrub around the knees, pre-wash care with Borax, you are ready to go!
– Kick Start the hang drying process with 10-15 Minutes in the Dryer– This works and doesn’t cause shrinking… Just remember don’t let it dry all the way… it won’t just shrink, the collar will wear out way quicker!
Rash Guards
Never put a rash guard in the Dryer– The sublimated rash guards never lose their design, but the stitching suffers. Anything with a silk screen gets old and worn looking very quickly, and the dryer will make your rash guard lose it’s elasticity.
Wash right Away– Leaving gear in a bag or a laundry basket is a sure way to allow bacteria to develop and hide, try washing them right away and if that is not available, bring them in the shower and give them a squirt of bronners soap and hand wash and wring out and leave in the washroom to dry with the fan on or outdoors (best)
Shorts
Stick Velcro together before washing and tie strings
Never put training shorts in the Dryer, they get too beat up and the material is not meant to go in the dryer, they dry very quickly on a hanger in a low- humidity room with the fan on.
Check pockets for mouth guards
Overall–
Don’t leave anything wet and stuck together or damp for too long. There are lots of secrets to staying fresh and clean, please feel free to share your best techniques, it helps make training more comfortable for everyone and even saves your gear so it lasts longer!