Tired of terrible odours coming from your gym bag? This can be especially annoying when you workout in the morning and tote your bag with you for the rest of the day. Luckily, there are things you can do to reduce odours in your workout bag.

1. Remove permanent odours in clothing

If your workout clothing is harbouring permanent odours, these odours are likely penetrating your bag even before you wear the clothes to exercise. Take some steps to remove the odours permanently. Soak your workout clothing in vinegar and scrub the sweaty areas thoroughly. Smell the clothing when done washing and repeat as needed to get rid of lingering odours.

2. Invest in quick-drying natural materials

If you cannot get the odours out, it may be time to invest in new workout clothing. Look for quick-drying fabrics so you don't have to put wet clothing into your bag — wet items are more likely to attract mould or produce a mildew type odour. However, choose your gym clothes carefully. Research shows that polyester workout clothing encourages the growth of more bacteria than cotton clothing. Instead, opt for quick-drying natural fabrics such as absorbent bamboo fabric.

3. Remember to wash the bag

Whether you buy new clothes or wear the same old duds, remember to wash your workout bag on a regular basis. If possible, you may want to wash it every time you clean your workout clothes. Alternatively, protect your workout bag from odours by placing your workout clothes in a plastic bag before putting them in your bag.

4. Invest in or make bag deodorisers

If you want to eliminate or mask the odours produced by your workout bag, make your own deodoriser. Some people rave about the effects of a plastic bag full of coffee grounds, while others make homemade deodorisers out of laundry sheets stuffed into a sock. Alternatively, invest in a deodoriser made especially for workout bags and gear. For example, buy chemical-free shoe deodorisers made of bamboo charcoal that absorb odours.

5. Consider a bacteria transplant

If absolutely nothing works and you cannot stand the odours coming out of your bag, it may be time to take drastic steps. First, throw away your existing bag and buy a new one. If that fails to work, look into an armpit bacteria transplant. This innovative and still rare procedure helps excessive sweaters by taking some of their armpit bacteria and replacing it with less stinky varieties.