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Scent Free - Laundry Process: What do you do?

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Scent Free - Laundry Process: What do you do?

Old 09-23-2009, 11:45 AM
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Default Scent Free - Laundry Process: What do you do?

Just wondering some of your techniques on washing clothes, keeping them scent free, and handling of gear/clothes.

I try to keep my clothes and gear as scent free as possible with Scent free detergent (Dead Down Wind), then in the dryer with scent free dryer sheets (Dead Down Wind), and then I throw my scentlok in the dryer seperate to activate the carbon before each hunt without dryer sheets. I usually keep my stuff hung up out side (other than scentlok stuff) and then before each hunt I take everything down and store it in a tupperware bin from wal-mart.

Before I leave and handle my clothes and gear at home, I take a scent free shower, dry off with scent free towel, then put on my scent free travel clothes.

When I arrive at my parking spot, I change into my scent free camo, spray down with scent killer (boots to hat), then spray my bow, and my climber if I have one.

Are there other things I should look out for? Or am I being too worried about being scent free and wasting some of my time?

If anyone has any good techniques, it would be nice to hear them.

Cheers,
Brad
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Old 09-23-2009, 11:49 AM
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Sounds like you are doing a nice job. The only difference with your process and mine is the storage, (and the brand of scent killer/deterg) I store my stuff inside sealed bags.
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Old 09-23-2009, 11:55 AM
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I see some of these scent free bags they sell at Gander and other stores. Whats the difference between them and garbage bags?

Also, I wonder how much your truck (or other vehicle) contaminates your goal being scent free. I hang some of those Browning air fresheners in Pine or Apple. Don't know how much they help?
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Old 09-23-2009, 12:09 PM
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I wash everything with scentkiller soap then spray out the dryer with scentkiller i also hit the vent that collects allt he crap then throw everything in for a dry and wash my hand between washier and drier with scent free soap. Then i spray out the bin with scentkiller and in it goes. Normaly it all sits on my back porch till the hunt. If it sits for more then a week i rewash just to make sure. Normaly i go with a spray down of my body and then my underwear then i spray my clothes till there good and covered.I go through alot of scent killer spray maybe 1/2 to a gallon a month. depends on how much i hunt. I got the small one in the kit i bought yesterday a extra quart and small one and if i can next week i will order a gallon
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Old 09-23-2009, 12:11 PM
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also i like your using a scent free towel. I caught that mistake last year. i was drying off and noticed the towel smelled real good some laveder mountain rain soap and softener then i thought ohhh crap the deer wont like that. That was a extra 1/2 hour to show and get scent free again.
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Old 09-23-2009, 12:51 PM
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Sounds like you have it nailed. Very close to what I do as well. One thing that is nice about my house is that the people that owned it before us has a greenhouse on the back of the garage. Its sealed from the elements, but with 4 windows that open up, so now, that's my camo room. I put up shelving and closet rods to hang eveything up, and all my camo stays out there year round, and the windows never get closed. Its great to have it all in one spot, and scent free at the same time. Plus, the room is plenty big for my climbers, layout blinds, decoys, all that other stuff we hunters accumulate.
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Old 09-23-2009, 12:57 PM
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Im pretty much along Brads lines. I use sport wash and some baking soda in the wash and a scent free dryer sheet and some baking soda in the dryer. Before I do the wash, I do either an empty cycle with baking soda or I wash my travel clothes first. I put baking soda in the bottom of my rubbermaid and put my clothing in tinks scent sacks then in the container. I also only use All free and clear detergent all year long.
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Old 09-23-2009, 01:09 PM
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I wash in baking soda, cold water, hang to dry.
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Old 09-23-2009, 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by hardcorehunter
I wash in baking soda, cold water, hang to dry.
Bingo.
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Old 09-23-2009, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by sportsman22
I see some of these scent free bags they sell at Gander and other stores. Whats the difference between them and garbage bags?

Also, I wonder how much your truck (or other vehicle) contaminates your goal being scent free. I hang some of those Browning air fresheners in Pine or Apple. Don't know how much they help?
I do alot of the things you do except putting my scentlok carbon gear in the dryer before every hunt. Carbon gear has a limited life unlike regular cammies. The more you wash or dry them the less life they have. I try to buy new scentlok gear every 2 years and sell my other stuff on ebay. The carbon loses effectiveness over time and by overwashing and drying. To be honest unless your dryer is capable of attaining heat like the ones used by the manufacturer you cannot truly Re-activate the carbon. An average home use dryer just does not get hot enough.

As far as a scentlok bag compared to a garbage bag- open the garbage bag and smell it. It smells like the chemicals used in the plastic. This will undo all your efforts at scent elimination.
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