girly thing to do

**Aries** · 4th November 2006, 04:03 PM

i cut up fregrant soaps and put the pieces in satchets. then i place a packet in the gi and hakama for each major fold. this way it doesn't smell to gym bagish, and my sempai also told me i wouldnt be washing my hakama as much as well, so i though i'd do this as a percaustion.
right now i'm using irish springs, so i don't smell like too much of a girlly girl.

thought i'd share

**Pan-Chan** · 4th November 2006, 06:39 PM

That's a very interesting idea, actually, to me.

My keiko-gi hardly ever smells because I wash it weekly, and I've only had to wash my hakama once; before a shinsa, to get rid of the salt marks from sweating.

I think I may look into this idea a bit. Thanks for sharing, to you and your sempai.

**TheChessQueen** · 5th November 2006, 02:11 AM

Frebreeze and I have a long affair going on since I started kendo. After practice all of my clothing gets sprayed and so does my bogu. I also wash my gi after almost every practice (I own a few so I can get away with it without missing practice). I have noticed that some of the kendoka stink. And there is nothing worse than seeing a really good looking boy in kendo class and then spar with him only to find out you might lose due to the revolting smell that is trying to make you place your lunch on the floor. Plus the frebreeze doesn't leave a girly smell. So now I just smell like I wash my cloths.

Kinda like the soap thing though... Maybe before a tournament I should spray on some seriously strong and girly perfume just to see the effects it would have on an opponent... but that might hurt my bogu...

**neko** · 5th November 2006, 03:01 AM

this may be sick, but i like the smell of bogu. like when you're on a kendo road trip in the summer, and you have multiple sets of bogu in the hatchback, and you stop for lunch (at subway), and you come back out to the car.....mmmmm. i love that smell! LOL!! i think it is because it is nostalgic or something.

BO on the other hand is NOT what i am talking about here.

**TheChessQueen** · 5th November 2006, 06:23 AM

I will admitt that there is something about old bogu that is comforting... However, sometimes it is the wrong smell. Besides usually it is the gi that smells bad not the bogu. Apparently some people think you aren't supposed to wash your gi... or at least that's how it smells.
One quick story: A boy in our dojo who had been practicing for over a year smelled really really bad. When finally confronted he told us that he thought it was against tradition to wash his uniform... Over a year of unwashed gi... *shiver*

**rottunpunk** · 5th November 2006, 07:30 AM

my iai hakama have never been washed and give off a very interesting smel when ironed
i wear those white junior style keikogi that get washed regularly though
though we iai folk dont sweat as much as you bamboo bashers

tim (chidokan) has a posh do with little good luck envelope things hanging on the inside that look like car air freshners

**Aries** · 5th November 2006, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by TheChessQueen

I will admitt that there is something about old bogu that is comforting... However, sometimes it is the wrong smell. Besides usually it is the gi that smells bad not the bogu. Apparently some people think you aren't supposed to wash your gi... or at least that's how it smells.
One quick story: A boy in our dojo who had been practicing for over a year smelled really really bad. When finally confronted he told us that he thought it was against tradition to wash his uniform... Over a year of unwashed gi... *shiver*

thats gross.

i was told not to wash the hakama often but keep the gi clean... but eeew.

sensei siad to jsut wash the stuff in vinegar so thats why i did the soap pockets so that if i had any vinegar that didnt rinse out it would even out the smell.

**Kirinhale** · 5th November 2006, 04:05 PM

Ah, i ended up smelling of vinegar for 2 weeks

**Newbie** · 5th November 2006, 04:32 PM

The only time I've washed my hakama was when I got it dry cleaned before my first grading (jodo). I'll be doing it again before I go to the nationals - the creases come back so nice and crisp!!

And I agree, the smell of bogu is one thing, sweaty dogi is quite another!

**razorblade2099** · 6th November 2006, 04:55 AM

Originally Posted by TheChessQueen

I will admitt that there is something about old bogu that is comforting... However, sometimes it is the wrong smell. Besides usually it is the gi that smells bad not the bogu. Apparently some people think you aren't supposed to wash your gi... or at least that's how it smells.
One quick story: A boy in our dojo who had been practicing for over a year smelled really really bad. When finally confronted he told us that he thought it was against tradition to wash his uniform... Over a year of unwashed gi... *shiver*

He mistook that for the belt, and that's in karate, tkd ect. Even then you're still allowed to wash it, just not very often. The belt is symbolic of your progress in the martial art. The more time and effort you put in it the more dirt and grime and sweat goes to the belt. That's why you don't wash the belt that often.

When I did a road trip through the US, I'd put a bag of potpourri in my travelers backpack. It kept all my clothes smelling nice even if I hadn't had the chance to do the laundry in 2 weeks. My brother also did that on his backpacking trip through Europe.

**Airin** · 6th November 2006, 05:26 AM

I wash my hakama and gi after every training, i.e. twice per week. I was told I shouldn't, but I don't really care. I like my dresses clean and kendo dresses aren't different for me.
My first hakama broke very soon because the plastic corners tore the fabric in the washing-machine. Then I sewed a new hakama and I hid inside a zip that makes me to take out the plastic piece. So I can even dry the hakama in the clothes-drier in winter and iron without worry. It seems to work good till now.

**Dervish** · 6th November 2006, 05:29 AM

Originally Posted by Airin

I wash my hakama and gi after every training, i.e. twice per week. I was told I shouldn't

Why shouldn't you?

Sorry to tangent, and I don't even have a uniform yet, but I'm wondering why people say not to wash hakama and gi?

**Aries** · 6th November 2006, 05:55 AM

i thought we were not supposed to ironthe hakama, makes it shiny and stuff.

**Ignatz** · 6th November 2006, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by Dervish

Why shouldn't you?

Sorry to tangent, and I don't even have a uniform yet, but I'm wondering why people say not to wash hakama and gi?

Please wash your dogi regularly. People that don't are pigs. The times that you don't you should hang it up to air out. I wash mine in the washing machine and have three that I rotate. You will only need one to start.
Hakama should be taken out of your bogu bag and hung up to air out. It is not necessary to wash it that often because it doesn't get all of the sweat plus it is a pain to wash and takes a long time to dry. Cotton hakama are usually hand washed but some people put them in a bag and into the machine.