Washing your obi/belt?

[Brandon Fisher]

I might do that with no detergant before I ever wear a new one. But my black belt Is 10 years old and it has never seen soap and water.

[BlackBeltKid]

I dont think you should wash your belt because you might not have won any more.

[jaymac]

We were told not to wash our belts, except once, we all received new black belts, and the black faded onto our white gi. I had to wash it and I felt guily for doing so even after being told by the head instructor. Now, I am becoming conscious of some belts beginning to really smell. I check mine all the time. I do not want it to smell. I will wash it then ---reluctantly

[Jussi Häkkinen]

We were told not to wash our belts, except once, we all received new black belts, and the black faded onto our white gi. I had to wash it and I felt guily for doing so even after being told by the head instructor. Now, I am becoming conscious of some belts beginning to really smell. I check mine all the time. I do not want it to smell. I will wash it then ---reluctantly

No need to be reluctant. It's just a piece of clothing. Keeping it clean and odor free is respectful.

To quote your quote: "A great martial artist is one who is humble and respectful of others."

That pretty much settles the belt washing issue.

[Holland]

I was instructed never to wash my belt and thus I do not.

Now, as for it smelling bad...come on guys, do you people bathe? I mean, geez I was promoted to sho-dan in 1992, and while I have several black belts, my primary original shureido is the one I wear most often. I have sweat in it plenty...I mean I am 6'1 and 235lbs and I sweat like a maniac at times and yet my belt never reeks.

Found this after a brief search on the internet.

Sweat by itself does not have much of an odour. Most of the smell is caused by bacteria which live on the skin and in some cases clothing. These bacteria use the sweat for growing.

Look on the internet and you will find out alot about why people smell and that smell does not come from sweat itself. (as noted above)

I guess for me the process of regularly bathing and washing my gi after workouts has kept my 14 year old belt from smelling bad. I don't know whats up on your end, but I personally have never smelled a ripe belt. Maybe its a regional thing...

One of the differences I have seen is that the "don't wash their belt" people have often just said "its the way i do it and thats that..." The "wash their belt" people have been much more adamant in their views and debunk anything said by the other group as false.

I mean, ok, I can buy that our belief is based in myth, but how do you know? It seems to me that the you would have just as hard a time proving its a myth as we would proving it isnt.

[jaymac]

You know Holland I do agree. I work nights, so I shower just before going to class. My belt nor my gi ever smells. However, I have noticed from one of our students that he eminates a very strong body odor (all of a sudden). I thought it was him. We were doing headlocks and my nose was right at his obi. Yep, that was it! All I can think is that he is putting his obi after class in his carry bag along with his uniform and leaving it there. Really, if my obi smelled that bad, I would have to wash it. It is offensive and not fun to train with him.

[Holland]

Yeah I can see that point. My obi has never reeked, but if it started to smell like butt crack, then I would probably break down. Though I would wash it by hand and not stick it in the machine.

[Aodhan]

Holland is correct, sweat by itself does not smell bad. It's the breakdown of the sweat and the introduction of the bacteria to do so that creates the odor.

I've had my current black belt for two years. I always wash it once when I first get it to make it a little softer to wear, but after that it doesn't see a machine.

I also sweat buckets. Literally. I can lose 5-6 lbs of water weight in an hour (I weigh 180 at 5'11", so it's not like I'm anywhere near fat). I wear a 100% Shureido (14 oz cotton canvas, very heavy), and I will sweat through that, and through both layers (double wrap) of my belt.

I wash my dobok after every workout, but I just leave my belt out to dry in the open air (Usually loosely folded on top of my dresser), and it has yet to smell. If it did, I would wash it out of respect for others in my class, but until/unless that happens, it won't see the inside of a machine.

I was told early on that you shouldn't wash the belt, don't remember if a reason was given or not, but I guess that early directive still influences me.

Aodhan

[getawaytkd]

doesnt washing your black belt discolor it?

[getawaytkd]

cause i never wash my belts, afraid of them fading in color lol