If you’re human, you sweat when hiking. And that makes your hiking clothing smell bad. But you don’t have to throw away your stinky clothes. I’ve got a complete guide to getting the smell out of hiking clothes.
The advice in this guide covers hiking clothing like base layers (long underwear) shirts, pants, fleece jackets, underwear, sports bras, and socks. Rain jackets and down jackets need to be washed differently.
I’ve been hiking and backpacking for two decades, mostly in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia. (I even wrote a book about it.)
It isn’t that hot here, but it’s pretty humid, which means my hiking clothes are often sweaty and don’t get a chance to dry out until I get home. And all that moisture makes my clothing stink!
I also have hyperhidrosis, a medical condition that makes me sweat more than the average person. Even if I’m not working hard, my shirt, sports bra, underwear, and waistband of my pants are sweaty.
Since I hike a lot, most of my hiking clothes develop a gross funky smell over time. I pull them out of the drawer and they smell fine, but after an hour, you can smell the stink again. So I know a thing or two about getting the smell out of hiking clothes.
In this guide I’ll cover:
- Why do hiking clothes smell bad?
- How to prevent your hiking clothes from smelling bad
- How to get the smell out of hiking clothes
- Stinky hiking clothing myths
Hey there: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support. -Taryn