We have a love-hate relationship with sweat. On one hand, we welcome the progress it's tied to and push ourselves yearning for perspiring glory. On the other, we loathe the wet, stinky gear we're left with at the end of training.
Sweat creates body odor when it reacts to bacteria on our persons — and while we've developed good resolves for treating the source, there's not a lot of support for our fitness essentials. Sure, there's steps you can take to wash away the funk... but wouldn't it be nice to simply treat our smelly clothes and accessories as easily as we treat our pits?
Enter Swiff Spray, the first odor-protection deodorant for clothes, fabrics and other fitness gear. Boasting a unique blend of antibacterial silver and organic plant antioxidant, this odorless deodorizer aims to tackle the stink before it takes over your gear — and your nostrils.
We've tried every remedy in the book when it comes to beating performance-based stench, so we decided to give the odor-protection spray a shot at freshening up our active stable. From gym bags to running shoes, softball trainers and more, we tested Swiff across a spectrum of varying scent intensities and fabrics. Here's how it fared.
Swiff Spray: The Details
Swiff comes packaged in a convenient (if odd-looking) 30-mL bottle with two spray cartridges: one containing 15 mL of Swiff's silver solution, the other containing 15 mL of gallnut extract. To apply the deodorizer, spray each nozzle on a clean garment 10 times for a long-lasting formulation that, according to the brand, can last between 5–50 washes.
Swiff is kid-safe, pet-safe, hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. The spray is also free from synthetic chemicals, PFAs, aluminum and nanoparticles, meaning it won't irritate your skin or be a burden to those with allergies.
Refreshing comfort, convenient packaging
Despite the small 30 mL bottle, we were easily able to treat a plethora of sweat-drenched gear. Just one bottle was able to cover the following:
- Gym bag
- Gym shoes
- Knee sleeves
- Lifting straps
- Softball turf trainers
- Softball cleats
- Multiple running tops
- And more
While you definitely get a lot out of the bottle, you don't have to worry about being left without your Swiff on-the-go. No bigger than a pack of gum, Swiff can be easily thrown in a bag or pocket for a quick touch-up when out and about, too.
The result: scent suppressed, but not an absolute cure-all
Once our gear dried, we went about our normal training routine to test the staying power of Swiff's odor defense claims. After a few weeks of running, lifting and playing with our refreshed equipment, we haven't noticed any apparent funk. Specifically with our treated apparel, it appears the spray has lasted through multiple washes as well.
However, Swiff wasn't the answer to all our stink-free prayers. Going into testing, we knew one pick in particular would put up a potent fight: the softball cleats. On the first treatment, signs were promising, but after battling through over 45 innings of play — and a toasty, oddly-sunny Pittsburgh weekend — the funk had reappeared.
So, while putting in a valiant effort, it appears we'll have to save the Swiff for smaller tasks and leave the stronger smells for other tactics.
Swiff Spray: Final Thoughts
At less than $30, Swiff is a respectable defense against dank training gear. Easy to apply and long-lasting, we're definitely keeping this odor solution at the ready for many workouts ahead. While it's not the best for the toughest smells, you should have no problem combatting the daily plumes of pungent body odor.
