WIN DETERGENT BATTLE TESTED IN A HOUSEHOLD OF ACTIVE MEN
May 2016, Product Review by Sierra REC Magazine Staff – The dirty truth about outdoor recreation is that you will get dirty, you will sweet and your outdoor gear will eventually fade and smell. And if you are anything like me you have always hated how quickly your workout and “Non-Cotton” performance clothing held the odor of your pit stick and sweat after a few hikes or trail runs. This is why I agreed to do a product review of WIN laundry detergent in a Recreation magazine. “Pure Necessity” for my family of three sweaty boys and my poor wife who has to live with our various odors.
Now to really gross some of you out. Did you know that the Synthetics we wear are great at repelling water but in return, they are like a sponge for the oils your body produces during exercise. These Oils build up and feed bacteria which grows in our clothing. The result is the lingering smell left in our synthetic clothing even after multiple washing.
I was surprised to receive two full-size bottles for this review, expected a trial package, and to see that Win Detergent has produced a scented and fragrance/Dye free version for those with sensitive skin or noses. First Impressions of the product were positive, the 32 oz bottles of detergent are handy enough to fit just about anywhere and the bottle was easy to handle, versus the Costco size laundry detergent that requires two hands to operate. Was a little surprised that there is no ingredient list on the labels, which caused me to go onto the website before using as I have had a few allergic reactions to different kinds of detergents in the past.
The Fresh Scent smell is pleasing, smells a bit like an Ocean Mist or slight Lavender hand soap. The Labeling focuses on the problem and benefit solutions that Win Detergent provides. Listing items such as Biodegradable, color safe, Hypoallergenic, septic safe, and optimized for synthetic fabrics. Each Bottle will cover 32 regular size laundry loads.
For our test review, this is pretty simple, my youngest son is an avid track athlete and lives in his synthetic workout clothes and I love to wear either a long sleeve or short sleeve synthetic shirt when I hike in the Sierra. Plus the Laundry machine runs daily in our family so my wife was more than willing to give this product a fair shot at our workout / outdoor gear and a few other household items such as Polyester Microfiber sheets.
For review purposes, we used an entire bottle of Fragrance-Free this month ( about 16 loads for us as every load is large ) and just a couple loads with the Fresh Scent. First from a sensitive skin perspective, happy to say, no reaction to anything in these detergents. Cloth felt clean and normal after each load. The Second test, the wife’s sensitive nose test, I am blessed to be married to a great lady that can smell the slightest odor from across the house. Tough with three boys int he house. She had zero complaints about the scented “Fresh Scent” Product and felt the fragrance & Dye free was similar to here current fragrance-free detergents.
For the Third Test, cleaning out that embedded odor, well we really tried to push the products limits. The sheets really had captured plenty of oils and odor and we knew that if it could break down that problem this was going to be a winner in our household. The results were mixed, smelled better – yes, stain removed – maybe slightly. A decision to try it again soon to verify if the oil type stain is going away.
As for the Athletic gear which is washed regularly, both these detergents did a great job with as both smell and visible filth seemed to be decreased if not gone completely after one or two washings.
As for the claims by Win on their website that the gear lasts longer, that is hard to prove without really diving into the chemistry of the ingredients and a much longer trial of the product, but the reasoning seems sound. If you remove the oils and bacteria that change and weaken the fabric then it is relatively safe to say that your gear will last longer.
Overall we would say that WIN detergent does a great job of getting the smell out of workout clothing. To Learn more about the science behind what makes WIN Detergent Different check out their website at: http://www.windetergent.com/how-it-works
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Win Detergent for free from Win as coordinated by Outdoor PR in consideration for review publication.
Sierra REC Magazine is dedicated to sharing the events, news and adventure opportunities that exist in The Sierra Mountains. From Lassen Volcanic National Park to the North down through the Central Sierra and the Lake Tahoe Basin through the rugged eastern slopes of the Mono county and Yosemite National park to the southern tips near Sequoia National Park and the PCT trail. We invite you to share stories, trips and photos from your adventures in the Sierra. Please join us on Facebook, Twitter Google + and You-Tube or email us your events and photos at sierrarecinfo@gmail.com #goexplore
