Cleaning Smelly Air Vests, Riding Gloves, and Equestrian Apparel
I love the smell of horses! But there are some barn odors I’d rather not carry home. Months of sweat, dirt, and manure can accumulate on riding gear, making it stink so badly that the scent is difficult to wash out. Here are some easy tricks to clean and deodorize riding gloves, hats, helmets, boots, air vests, and apparel.
1. Easily Deodorize Helmets, Hats, and Boots
I once had a nice pair of sneakers develop a terrible odor. I let them air out for months and ran them through the washing machine, but the odor always returned. I considered throwing them away.
Then, I discovered this odor-eliminating spray developed by Lumi. I treated the shoes thoroughly and let them air dry several times over the course of a week, and before long, the smell had vanished. They’re still odor-free today as long as I spray them after heavy use and let them dry.
Now, I use my Lumi spray on frequently used equestrian items to prevent odors. It works great on helmets, hats, and boots—especially during hot weather. It’s an easy way to maintain anything you can’t wash regularly. I’m fairly picky about fragrances, so I love that Lumi makes this spray in several scents. My favorite is the citrus tea tree.
If you’d rather not invest in deodorizing spray, try sprinkling baking soda inside smelly items and letting them sit for a while. Some riders also use dry shampoo in their hats and helmets to absorb oil and fight odors.
2. Quickly Wash an Equestrian Airbag Vest at Home
Protective air vests are becoming more common in the equestrian world, but they can accumulate an impressively strong smell when exposed to sweat every day. Wash your airbag vest regularly to tackle unpleasant odors. Ride EquiSafe recommends the following steps to hand-wash an air vest:
- Fill a large, clean sink with a few inches of warm water and stir in a small amount of gentle laundry detergent, such as Woolite.
- Hold the cartridge mechanism in one hand and keep it above the water level. Using your other hand, submerge the rest of the vest and agitate the materials in the soapy water.
- Drain the sink and gently scrub the vest materials with a clean bristle brush. Apply additional detergent to spot-clean especially sweaty or soiled areas of the vest.
- Re-fill the sink with clear water and rinse the vest, but do not submerge the cartridge mechanism. Repeat this step, if needed, until the water is clear and no longer soapy.
- Open the cartridge pocket and towel dry to remove any moisture that has seeped in during the washing process.
- Hang the vest to air-dry thoroughly.
If handwashing your vest doesn’t deodorize it completely, consider trying a leave-on spray for sports equipment that neutralizes and eliminates odors. These methods should work well for most brands, but don’t forget to check the maintenance instructions for your particular air vest for additional guidance.
3. Remove Stubborn Odors from Equestrian Riding Gloves
I love my Roeckl gloves, but the synthetic material doesn’t air out very well. Last summer, my gloves developed an awful smell that the washing machine couldn’t handle. I could still detect it on my skin hours after I’d removed my gloves and scrubbed my hands thoroughly.
If you encounter this problem, don’t worry! Here’s the solution:
- Fill a small container, such as a clean 32-oz yogurt container with a 1:1 water and distilled white vinegar solution.
- Submerge your gloves and let them soak overnight.
- Rinse the gloves and toss them in the washing machine with powdered OxiClean.
- Hang to dry.
The vinegar did slightly corrode the finish on the gloves’ metal accents, but aside from that, my gloves cleaned up beautifully. This method handily eliminated the unpleasant odor, and it should work well on most materials that are safe to run through the washing machine.
If you need to deodorize leather gloves that you’d rather not submerge in liquid, try the methods in our first tip, such as baking soda and odor-eliminating spray.
4. Prevent Stale Sweat Odors on Polyester Riding Apparel
Did you know that polyester fabrics attract and store odors over time? Luckily, vinegar doesn’t just work on gloves—it’s also effective on polyester riding apparel.
If your sun shirts still smell like sweat even after laundering, consider adding a cup of distilled white vinegar to your wash cycle. Don’t worry—the vinegar odor doesn’t linger after washing.
To tackle stronger odors, pretreat sweaty areas with laundry spray or soak the clothing item in vinegar and water for 30 minutes before you wash it.
Enjoying Clean and Well-Maintained Equestrian Gear
Cleaning your riding equipment and apparel regularly will increase its lifespan and make using it much more enjoyable. Once your equestrian gear is free of strong and unpleasant human odors, you can go back to enjoying the smell of horses!
If you have other tips and tricks for fighting odors and cleaning your riding equipment, please let us know!
