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The Best Ways to Clean & Deodorize Jock Straps

October 6, 2019

Want to stay fit? Consider playing a sport. Not only is it fun, but it comes with many health benefits. For one thing, it can improve your strength and endurance. Not only that, but it can reduce your risk of diabetes, stroke, as well as heart disease. As far as what sport to play, it doesn’t matter much—the key is just to get out there and be active!

If anything, you want to make sure that you’re wearing the appropriate gear. Take contact sports (e.g. lacrosse, rugby), for instance—due to the nature of the game, it’s highly recommended that you wear protective equipment such as safety pads and guards. After all, nothing is as important as your safety.

Believe it or not, but the type of undergarment that you wear is important too. After all, it will be in direct contact with your skin. The last thing that you want is to wear something uncomfortable, that will increase the risk of injury. For women, this generally means wearing a sports bra. How do they work? They provide the breast tissue with support, which helps to prevent sagging. At the same time, they’ll keep you comfortable during your workout.

jockstraps for sports

What’s the male equivalent? Jockstraps. A type of undergarment, their purpose is to protect the groin area during certain sports such as cycling. Design-wise, the waistband comes with a support pouch for the genitals. In some cases, there may also be an abdominal guard—that is, a hard, plastic cup that protects the area from physical impact.

Finding the Right Jock Strap

Jockstraps are available at most sporting goods stores. For instance, you can find them in the athletics section at Walmart, Target, or Kohl’s. While you can buy them online, it’s much better to get them from a physical store—that way, you can get a feel for what they’re really like. Remember, they’ll be cradling your genitals. Given that, it only makes sense that you’d want something comfortable. Remember, you don’t have to feel shy about it—many people wear jockstraps for athletic purposes! 

As far as the actual garment goes, you want to pay attention to the fabric. After all, they’re not all the same. For instance, cotton jockstraps are a good idea if you want something breathable. There are also ones that are made from synthetic materials such as spandex or rayon. Generally speaking, these are better for physical activities as they provide better ventilation. Not only that, but the fabric itself is moisture-wicking. Ultimately, what this means is that they’re capable of pulling sweat to the outer layer, which keeps your skin dry.

buying jockstraps

Another thing that you want to consider is size. After all, you can’t expect it to offer proper support if it doesn’t fit properly! As a general rule, the cup on the jockstrap should hold the genitals snugly yet comfortable. Don’t forget to consider the material as well—some are made from metal whereas others are made from plastic. At the end of the day, you want to pick a style that’s best suited for your needs. Similarly, the leg straps should be tight; you don’t want them to twist around when you’re moving.

Note: While protective, the cup can cause chafing; heat can also build up. For this reason, it’s best to reserve it for intensive activities (e.g. baseball, hockey, football).

Tips for Keeping Your Jock Strap Clean

It’s important to clean your jock strap after every workout. Think about it—you wouldn’t want to re-wear a sweaty garment, would you? That’s just bad hygiene. For one thing, bacteria and other microorganisms can grow on the fabric, which can lead to skin infections. Take jock itch, for instance—it’s more common than you think. A type of fungal infection, it causes a red, itchy rash to develop on your genitals. 

Don’t want to deal with that? Then be sure to keep your jockstraps clean. If anything, you can just treat them like underwear. Never leave them in the laundry hamper for days at a time—that will only cause them to develop odors.

How to Wash A Jock Strap

Like most garments, there’s more than one way to wash jockstraps. We’ll be outlining the different methods below—why not follow along?

Putting Your Jock Strap in the Washing Machine

Most, if not all jockstraps are machine washable. This shouldn’t be too surprising—after all, they’re just a special type of undergarment. To be on the safe side, though, you always want to check the care label before tossing the garment in.

jockstraps with cup

The first thing that you want to do is to remove the protective cup. As it is, the plastic or metal material will not fare well in the washer. What you want to do instead, is to wash it separately. Simply fill a small container or sink with warm water and add a bit of ACTIVE detergent. Mix with your hand until the solution becomes sudsy. From there, place the cup in. Use a sponge or washcloth to scrub the material. When you’re finished, rinse it under the faucet. Let it air dry.

As far as the actual strap goes, you want to treat it like a delicate item. In other words, place it in a mesh lingerie bag—that will prevent the elastic material from stretching during the wash cycle. Securely close the bag and put it in the machine. For those who are curious—yes, you can wash them with other garments (ideally with other workout gear). Just keep in mind the colors. You never want to mix dark colors with light colors as that will cause the dyes to bleed.

The next step is to set the settings. As a general rule, you always want to use a gentle or delicate setting (anything else can cause damage to the fabric). Never use hot water as it can cause the waistband and straps to wear out prematurely. Cold water is perfectly fine! Do not add any fabric softener as those kinds of products can affect the material’s moisture-wicking abilities.

Press the start button. Wait for the washing machine to finish before opening the door and removing the bags. Take your jockstraps out and place them on a drying rack; you can also use clothesline—just be careful not to hang them by the straps as they can stretch. Once again, you do not want to apply any heat to the garments aka do not put them in the dryer. That will cause them to become brittle!

Washing Your Jock Strap by Hand 

Want to extend the life of your jockstraps? If so, consider washing them by hand. Without the agitation of the machine, they’ll last a lot longer. Don’t worry, the hand washing process is not difficult at all. If anything, you can just wash it like any other garment.

Start with a tub of warm water—you can either use the sink or a basin. Add enough ACTIVE detergent so that you get a sudsy solution (you’ll have to agitate the liquid with your hand). Once you’ve done that, get your jockstraps. Remove the cup and place the two things separately in the sink. Let everything soak for at least 20 minutes; that should give the detergent enough time to get rid of any sweat, bacteria, or dirt.

From there, you want to clean the items with your hand. Start with the straps—gently massage the material with your fingers. Pay extra attention to the crotch area as that’s where sweat tends to build up. When you’re finished, rinse it under the sink. Continue to apply water until it becomes clear. Afterwards, place it on a clean towel. Do not wring the straps like a cloth—that will wear out the elastic quicker than you can imagine! Instead, let it air dry (you can blot it with the towel to get rid of some of the dampness first).

hanging jockstrap

As far as the cup goes, you want to do the same thing. Use a sponge or dishcloth to clean the material. Once you’re done with that, rinse it clean with water—make sure that there is no detergent left on it. The last thing that you want to do is to let it air dry.

Removing Stains From Jock Straps

Got something on your jockstraps? Don’t worry, you can easily remove stains with a little bit of detergent. The first thing that you want to do is to dissolve some ACTIVE detergent in warm water—you should get a sudsy solution. Locate the stain on your straps. Using a soft-bristled brush (an old toothbrush works well) or cloth, gently rub the problem area. The goal is to saturate the stain with the detergent mixture—don’t hesitate to apply it from both the inside and outside.

Once it’s saturated, let it sit for at least 30 minutes (longer if you feel that it’s necessary). From there, rinse it clean under the faucet. Afterwards, check the problem area—is the stain still visible? If it is, repeat the above steps. Once the spot is gone, you can lander the jockstraps are normal aka you can put them in the washing machine or wash them in the sink.

Pro-tip: It might be a good idea to remove the cup first before spot-treating your jockstraps.

The Best Laundry Detergent for Jock Straps

Not sure if the detergent you have at home is appropriate for jockstraps? Why wonder when you can just get something specifically designed for those types of garments? Take ACTIVE detergent, for instance. Unlike other products, it is meant for washing synthetic materials—that’s right, the same materials that most straps are made from.

active give

What makes ACTIVE detergent unique? The formula contains plant-based enzymes that physically dissolves the sweat. Not only that, but it breaks down oils and bacteria as well. How does it manage to do this? The ingredients dive deep into the fibers—something that most traditional detergents is not capable of doing. Did I also mention that the product is all-natural? Yup, it does not contain any chemicals whatsoever. Put it simply, it’s gentle on your skin. You won’t have to worry about it causing any sort of rash or irritation. What’s more, is that it does not contain any artificial fragrances either.

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Sophia Grant

Sophia Grant

Sophia Grant brings her extensive knowledge of laundry and clothing care to the masses with her intensive cleaning guides. Her thorough understanding of fabrics, detergents, and washing techniques helps readers master the art of maintaining their wardrobe. Sophia's advice ensures that anyone can achieve professional-level results at home, keeping their garments looking pristine and lasting longer.

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