washing my belt

[karateka477]

hey guys at camp my white belt got a alot of grass stains on it. so i was wandering if i should wash it with the stripes still on it or not? and any advice on washing a belt is also requested

[parkerlineage]

Think of them as a memory jogger - you see them, you remember camp, you remember what you learned. It's a sign that you put in a lot of hard work.

Of course, I'm from the ultra-traditionalist school of "don't wash your belt ever ever ever". You won't lose your skill, or you knowledge, or your respect as a MArtist. I think it really just depends on whether or not you're okay with having grass stains on it. If they bug you, wash your belt.

btw, what rank are you? If you're going to be getting rid of this belt soon, why wash it? If you're a black belt, or a belt you'll have for a while, and it bugs you, again, wash it.

My humble two cents;

Parkerlineage

[karateka477]

yes the stains due bug me alot so thats why i wish to clean. iwill be graudting to the next belt soon but i want and am supposed to have a clean uniform for my promotion.

[kiba no chi]

if you realy want to wach it id wash it carefully by hand as to not damage it

[ShotokanKid]

Try using a little toothbrush to spot clean the stains.

[June1]

That's a good idea. If it's a white belt, you could even try one of those bleach pens.

[karatekid1975]

I used to be those ones to not wash their belt. But, if it's dirty or it smells, wash it. Just don't dry it. Hang it to dry or it will get stiff. If it's a white belt, treat it with dish soap, scrub it with a good scrub brush or tooth brush, then wash it in Oxy-clean. It works for me. Others might have better ideas, though.

[White Warlock]

Oh geez, just shove it in the washer with all the other whites. It's a friggin' Japanese undergarment belt! No need to treat it like a badge of honor.

Icons and symbols don't bring you closer to enlightenment, any more than they bring you closer to God. Stay grounded and treat it like the friggin' 'piece of cloth' that it is.

[aefibird]

Wash it by hand, or it will shrink. Trust me, I know.

I'm not one of those people who say to never ever wash your belt, but I can understand why some people don't. However, to me, it's just a piece of cloth that gets dirty and needs washing just like any other cloth I own.

[Sparkey]

Be careful about washing your belt with the stripes on it if the stripes are made from putting duct tape on the belt. If the water is too hot, the adhesive could get melty and rub off on things that you don't want adhesive on. My advise is to wash it by hand and not scrub the stripes end too much, just enough to get it clean. Then ring it out well, press out the extra water in a bath towel until no more water is left and it's just damp. Then put it out in the sun and let it dry the rest of the way. Also, when you get your next belt, before wearing it to a work out, wash it really well to get the extra dye out of it. That way you won't get a colored stripe around the waist of your dogi. If you're of the thinking that the belt "holds the knowledge of your training" or whatever (which I'm not...my training is in my head and body...not my belt) if you wash your belt free of extra dye before your first work out with it, you won't have to worry about losing any of your knowledge.