On a typical Wednesday evening, you’re picking up the boys after hockey practice, but when they climb into the van you’re suddenly overwhelmed by that unmistakable stench.


“What’s the matter, Mom?” Rob asks, noticing your grimace.

“It’s your sports gear–it stinks!” you say.

“Well, a little stink never hurt anyone,” he laughs.

Though we all know it’s quite normal to sweat during physical activity, what you may not know is that “a little stink” can actually be harmful. Bad odours are a sure indicator that sports equipment is harbouring germs, and germs can enter the skin through cuts and abrasions or can build up and attack the skin’s natural barriers, causing serious infections.

Getting a Glow

Sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling itself off. We all have two different kinds of sweat glands. Eccrine glands make up about 75 percent of our bodies’ sweat glands and are located almost everywhere on the skin, particularly the hands, soles of the feet, and the forehead. These glands begin working for us at birth. Sweat from the eccrine glands contains mostly water, salts, and minute amounts of urea, lipids, and other waste materials.

The other type of sweat glands are apocrine glands, located mostly in the armpits and groin. These kick in during early- to mid-adolescence. Sweat from the apocrine glands contains ammonia, proteins, and lipids.

Surprisingly, sweat itself is odourless. The unmistakable smell we associate with perspiration is caused by the waste material excreted by bacteria living on your skin. The bacteria create the odour by breaking down organic compounds on the skin and then releasing a chemical called 3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid. Though it is quite normal to have a certain amount of bacteria living on your body, sometimes the population can get a little too high. This is one reason why it’s important to keep a check on sports gear.

Fungus Among Us

When your team is tearing around the playing field they’re generating a lot of energy; their sports gear gets hot and moist, a perfect environment to host bacteria. Sweating also softens the stratum corneum, the horny outer layer of the epidermis. This, in turn, can allow bacteria to breach the protective layer of the skin, allowing infections to develop. Left unchecked this buildup of bacteria can cause athlete’s foot or jock itch, both uncomfortable conditions that will need medical treatment.

The feet can be a particular problem as they are densely packed with sweat glands–more than 250,000 in each foot–so warmth and perspiration can make your feet a literal hotbed for bacteria and fungi. As they feed on the dead skin cells, bacteria produce waste matter. It is this waste material that is the particular source of foot odour; stinky feet are generally caused by bacteria that enjoy taking up residence on the sole and between the toes.

Banish Bad Odours

With sports equipment taking such a regular pounding, how can you keep it smelling fresh? Allowing equipment sufficient time to dry after each use will kill most of the bacteria, so don’t leave sports equipment in the bag after a game; let it air out thoroughly. Wash gear regularly with antibacterial detergent, and allow it to dry completely before putting it away. For larger gear that can’t be cleaned at home, use commercial services that will ensure the equipment is cleaned to a professional standard.

Avoid Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot, or tinea pedis, is a parasitic fungal infection that occurs in the epidermal layer of the feet, causing soreness, redness, and cracking of the skin. It is caused by a type of mold that begins growing on the surface of the skin but gradually moves into the living tissue of the skin, causing infection. Most often it grows between the toes but can also grow on the sides and bottom of the feet.

Athlete’s foot is more common among men than women. The infection is usually treated with antifungal creams or powders. If you prefer an alternative treatment, a cinnamon footbath may also be effective.

You can also prevent athlete’s foot by:

washing the feet daily and drying them thoroughly afterwards
wearing cotton (not synthetic material) socks and changing socks regularly
wearing shoes that fit properly
going barefoot indoors to air out feet