I have some padded bike shorts I’d like to wear on a bike ride, but I’m getting pretty in my head about poop particles getting into the shorts and not washing out in the wash.
I don’t have any good advice, but I’m sorry people are being weird to you :(
Thanks :/
Whether you are putting on bike shorts, board shorts, or no shorts at all, always fully clean yourself after you poop and live worry free.
When you put it that way, it seems simple.
But let’s say i haven’t pooped in a while. There could be all kinds of poop particles that have leaked out.
So i guess i should poop first, then clean, then put on the bike shorts.
If your butthole is leaking when you don’t want it to you should seek out a doctor.
Pretty sure this is normal. It’s not like i can see the leak. It’s more of a mental thing, and a smell when sweat is added.
I’d look into augmenting your fiber, that helped a lot for me. Also, I wet paper first then dry now. I have a lot of hair so dry only wasn’t really taking care of everything and then when I would sweat, it would feel gross. I guess a bidet would work as well.
How did the fiber help?
Makes the stool firmer, less messy and come more regularly if I understand well.
I seem to have that already, so i think my fiber is fine. But thank you for the suggestion!
Bro, wash your ass.
Soap and water, or spray Febreeze?
Why do you think i don’t?
Cause you post shit like this online.
I don’t get it.
??? You basically asked how to keep your ass clean. Wash it.
Not sure how you got that from my question.
This is the sophisticated discussion and intercourse between intellectuals I come to Lemmy for.
Thank you for appreciating it. I’m getting a surprising amount of hate for a comm called “No stupid questions”
Maybe Google sarcasm.
Nothing is sarcastic on the internet without an extra indicator, via Poe’s law. If you don’t know what that is, I’ve helpfully provided a link here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law
;-)
so I came thinking part of your questions aws if people shower before using a bidet?
Hmm, i had never considered that question. I suppose using a bidet is basically a habit every time you use a toilet with one, but i can’t imagine any advantage from using a bidet by itself before getting in the shower. If anything it might be too much cleaning, re: skin flora balance.
My question was more like, let’s say you wake up in the morning and want to go on a bike ride, but you’re all sweaty from the night, and haven’t pooped yet or used the bidet. Do you have to wash first before getting in the bike shorts? The consensus seems to be that since the bike shorts are going to get “gross” and washed at the end of the workout, it is unnecessary to shower beforehand.
But to me it seems worth it to try to go to the bathroom and use the bidet before the bike shorts as an extra precaution.
Other people have mentioned eating more fiber to try and reduce liquid stool which can escape the butthole more easily. This also makes sense to me. I wonder if it wouldn’t also be a good idea to reduce gas-generating foods to avoid farting in the bike shorts.
I’ve definitely learned a lot in this thread :)
Wash your ass crack well and often. If it’s smelling, you aren’t cleaning it often enough. If it’s leaking, see a doctor.
Don’t know why you’d think a clothes washer wouldn’t do the job it’s intended to do. If your clothes are coming out of the wash dirty, that’s a different problem.
Have you ever tried washing exercise clothes? The smell persists.
Farting is normal, and i assume that with the gas escaping, little poop aerosols come out too. Not something any doctor can help with. It’s just part of being human.
My exercise clothes come out the wash as fresh as a daisy, and they have been through a lot and get washed at 30C.
Maybe that is a difference – i usually wash them as cold as possible to try to make them last longer. I could try washing them on a warmer setting.
It also makes a big difference if you wash them right away vs if you wait a day or two
Thank you for actual advice. It seems like at much of this thread is missing the point of No stupid questions.
Your rectum has an internal and external sphincter. When the internal sphincter encounters pressure there’s a whole neural pathway that decides whether to let the external sphincter relax based on if it’s gas or solid.
If you can smell a fart, you are smelling poop aerosols.
Not necessarily, gasses smell too.
I hadn’t considered this! So when you poop in the toilet, the bad smell is partially from gases, not entirely from airborne poop particles?
I’m also really sketched out about how belly button lint is from underwear, but i guess that’s off the topic.
Definitely partly from the gaseous byproducts of digestion, yes.
Also poop aerosols, but not exclusively.
That makes a lot of sense. I searched and found a good article on the subject: https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/48224/20240117/why-poop-smell-bad-science-behind-unpleasant-odor-stool.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skatole?wprov=sfla1 (this is a volatile, airborne chemical)
This is from the Wikipedia article on human feces. Did not link it because content advisory: pictures of human feces. According to this, it is mostly volatile organic compounds, and I’m not seeing anything about smell aerosols.
Odor
Feces possesses physiological odor, which can vary according to diet and health status. For example, meat protein is rich in the amino acid methionine, which is a precursor of the sulfur-containing odorous compounds listed below.[12][13][14][15][16] The odor of human feces is suggested to be made up from the following odorant volatiles:[13]
- Methyl sulfides
- methylmercaptan/methanethiol (MM)
- dimethyl sulfide (DMS)
- dimethyl disulfide (DMDS)
- dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS)
- Benzopyrrole volatiles
- Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)
(H2S) is the most common volatile sulfur compound in feces.[13] The odor of feces may be increased when various pathologies are present, including:[17]
- Celiac disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis[18]
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Cystic fibrosis
- Intestinal infection, e.g. Clostridium difficile infection.[19]
- Malabsorption
- Short bowel syndrome
Attempts to reduce the odor of feces (and flatus) are largely based on animal research carried out with industrial applications, such as reduced environmental impact of pig farming. See also: Flatulence#Management, odor. Many dietary modifications/supplements have been researched, including:
- Activated charcoal[20] (In this study it was found that activated charcoal at a dose of 0.52g four times a day did not appreciably influence the liberation of fecal gases.)
- Bismuth subsalicylate[21]
- Chloryphyllyn
- Herbs such as rosemary
- Yucca schidigera[22]
- Zinc acetate[22]
Ok, this is really weird. According to the flatus page, it implies that some people have complete voluntary control of their gas releases…?? It doesn’t come as a surprise to them??
Incontinence of flatus
“Gas incontinence” could be defined as loss of voluntary control over the passage of flatus. It is a recognised subtype of faecal incontinence, and is usually related to minor disruptions of the continence mechanisms. Some consider gas incontinence to be the first, sometimes only, symptom of faecal incontinence.[14]
- Methyl sulfides
The odor is from sulphide gases.
Sulfide gas smells different, more like rotten eggs.
Farts smell like poop.
Do you have the same quandries about your normal underwear? Why wouldn’t you be able to wash dirty ass outta your bike shorts?
You are worry about the poop particles and not the filthy stuff the tires pick up from the road and spray all over you?
Poop is water solable, so washing your bike shorts will wash out the poop.
When I bike ride, I just put in my bike shorts and go. I’m about to get really disgusting anyway from the sweat and road gunk flinging up. I’m going to stink and regardless, my bike shorts will probably be shoved in my crack for an hour or more.
I’ll go further into disgusting and also say that since I only have two pairs of bike shorts, that if I’m training daily, I will hang dry them and put them back on the next day and get a couple wears between washes. I’m gonna shower when I’m done anyway, I don’t have sensitive skin that gets irritated by dirty shorts, and my exposure to others is not existent when riding.
I’m sure I’m not alone, but I’m probably in the minority.
Do you rinse between wears? I don’t think i could put the shorts back on if they’ve got ass worn into them without at least rinsing.
On something like a long bike tour, this is not an option. As it is, good shorts are too expensive and too delicate to be washing every single time you wear them. Start with a clean crack and taint, let the shorts dry between wearing. No problems.
As it is, good shorts are too expensive and too delicate to be washing every single time you wear them.
Honestly, you can get some massive value in the bibs department on AliExpress for not a huge amount of money. $30-$60 will set you up with remarkably good stuff
Thanks for the tip! Some of my bibs are starting to show their age.
The expensive part is what I’m struggling with. It is crazy to me that there is no sacrificial layer between the body and the expensive part. But i guess you can only do so much and throw them out when they get too stinky even after washing.
Never skimp on interfaces. Anything that goes between your skin and something else, anywhere energy is changing medium, this is where money is well-spent. Tires, handlebar tape, speakers/headphones, bicycle saddle, hand tools, work gloves, climbing shoes, keyboard, mouse, monitors, seat cushions, you get the idea… finding what works well for you regardless of cost reaps serious benefits. More money does not necessarily mean better performance for you, but time invested in the trial and error process does mean better results.
In the case of bicycling shorts: these are the sacrificial layer. Your skin is pretty valuable, but at least it can heal. Your comfort on a bike ride is invaluable.
Regarding the stink factor, you mentioned elsewhere in this thread about getting the stink out of technical fabrics. And some people talked stupid shit in response. Anyone who claims “I just wash my stuff and it don’t stink no more.” Uh, yeah, their noses don’t work so well. Getting the tenacious stink out of polyester is a special set of skills. Polyester has a unique affinity for molecules that contribute to stink. Cotton-poly blend exhibits a similar tenacious stink. Very briefly: the polar nature of polyester makes it good for wicking sweat, but also makes it good for hanging onto stinky molecules; standard washing and laundry detergents won’t cut it. You need to overcome that molecular-level affinity; vinegar in your first rinse cycle is strong enough. Washing soda (sodium carbonate, not to be confused with sodium bicarbonate AKA baking soda) is a strong alkaline that can strip a bunch of shit out of all your fabrics; it’s also pretty harsh. The other alternative is to use sunlight, e.g. line drying, to denature the stinky molecules. But the UV light is hard on fabrics.
Thank you for sharing your advice, and really taking the time to put it understandable terms. I am still trying to get better at washing polyester fabrics. I have not been putting white vinegar in the rinse water; i can try that. I have been using a technical fabrics detergent that’s mostly Sodium Carbonate (very basic) and enzymes. It recommends either a normal wash, or a soak procedure for tenacious smells. I once let it soak too long, and i think the chemicals ate into the fabrics too aggressively and wore them out. I suppose that all laundry is finding the balance between preserving the clothes vs. getting them clean. I mostly have space for line-drying indoors, not out in the sun, but I could try line drying in high UV sunlight from time to time.
Some technical fabrics say wash cold, some say wash warm. I typically do cold for everything to try and prolong the life of the fabric. What water temperature are you using?
I regularly skimp on tires, headphones, speakers, rode a broken saddle for years and years, handlebar grips wearing out and getting gummy bits everywhere, computer monitor, keyboard, mouse and chair all completely wrong, work gloves disintegrating, etc. I dont have that much money to invest into hobbies, so I try to make things last.
But i really feel you on climbing shoes. I climbed in a $20 bargain bin pair that didnt fit for way too long, and it really hurt my feet. Eventually i invested in the moccasin style that was my exact size, and while they are not aggressive or high performing, they are more comfortable.
Recently I had to buy some new (to me) used tires because mine were so dryrotted they kept getting flats. While I was at tge community bike place, i bought a used pair of bibs to try (I’ve never ridden in bibs), and a used pair of bike shorts that are similar to mine. They didn’t have a smell, and I was pretty amazed. I’m a little bit apprehensive about wearing second hand underwear, but the price was right, unfortunately. In hindsight, this is surely what started me on this train of thought.
Thank you.
Happy to help!
I suppose that all laundry is finding the balance between preserving the clothes vs. getting them clean.
Right?! Start adding in energy and water consumption concerns, and the variables quickly spiral out of control. I started using a manual washer (imagine a giant salad spinner) for some of my gear. Manually washed bibs and jerseys have now lasted about 12 years. It’s a pain and takes a bunch of time, but saves a bunch of electricity, a genuine concern on a sailboat with only solar to recharge. So that’s a heavily qualified bonus. :D
I always wash my technical gear in cold water, delicate cycle. Line dry. Actually, I wash everything except my rags in cold water. I’ve had the same shirts and pants for 25 years. My clothes should be coming back in style any day now. :D
I’m glad that cold water works for you – I’ll keep trying different variations with it.
The manual salad spinner washer sounds really cool
If it’s bad enough, I may drag them through the shower with me and then hang dry after, but I’d say probably not most of the time. I haven’t biked in a minute since I’m training for a half marathon, but I did a triathlon last year and was biking most days.
Wash your arse properly after taking a sh1t. Maybe invest in a toilet shower
Already have two, they’re not expensive.
I imagine what you normally do to prevent poop particles should be fine. Also I believe most people wear underwear under bike shorts? I cycle almost daily but just wear regular clothes or gym clothes so not entirely sure with padded bike shorts.
Also, having grown up all my life with bidets and “bum guns”, it never hurts to clean down there with some water and soap anyway.
They don’t wear underwear while cycling in bike shorts.
That’s a great way to rub one’s balls off. (Or severely raw. Or whatever they’re packing for junk.) eliminating friction is the whole point of the things.
For laundering, normal cycle with cold/not-hot water should be more than sufficient. (Hot water wears out the elastic.)
Now I’m kinda weirded out that all the people I see in bike shorts are going commando under there…
Edit: Well there you go. Suppose its no different than skin tight swim shorts.
The point is honestly just fashion unless you are a pro. I ride 200 miles a week in boxers and slacks. Weekend warriors who can’t touch a bike without $400 of spandex are cringe.
I couldn’t care less about fashion. As ive gotten older, I’ve been less and less able to finish a bike ride without pain in my low back, where I’m pedalling standing as much as possible to avoid sitting. I’ve heard that bike shorts help with pain.
I’m glad you can ride 200 miles. I can’t even ride drop bars any more :(
If you’re getting serious about biking, then you wear a “chamois” underneath your outer bike shorts. For example, I wear fox mountain bike shorts and the chamois that came with them are designed to wear under the shorts instead of underwear. They are padded where you make contact with the seat.
You will just wash them when done riding for the day since you were grinding your dirty balloon knot on the chamois all day.
Definitely good to use a bidet in general though, OP. Start out clean and it helps a lot.
I’ve been a fan of bidets for years and have two at my house. Was considering getting a portable handheld one for when I’m at work too, but haven’t taken the plunge.
I sponge-bathe or use a French showerhead, washing all of the bits that are going to be in the shorts. I’m not so worried about fecal matter, even though I don’t want to skid-mark an expensive pair of shorts. But I am concerned with the skin flora balance.
Can you say more about the skin flora balance? I’ve met some hippy types that use soap sparingly for this reason, but not sure that’s what you mean.
I’ve met some hippy types that use soap sparingly for this reason
TL;DR: This is exactly what I’m talking about.
I am one of those dirtbag hippie types.
Some background: My skin is so oily, I could singlehandedly solve the Suez Canal blockade. I struggled my whole life with blackheads and boils, especially crotch boils from cycling and blackheads just about everywhere else. No exaggeration, when I was commuting 52 miles every day, I always had at least two crotch boils going, despite showering before and after my ride at both ends of my commute. I also always had at least one boil on my head, face, or back.
About 20 years ago, I met a dermatological researcher at a party, and he was talking about his latest clinical work. He mentioned a bunch of testing with disrupting vs maintaining skin flora and microbiota. Stuff like S. aureus and Prevotella being held in check by [other micro-organisms, can’t remember the names], but that the skin also produces antimicrobial substances (catechins? or is that the stuff in green tea?). The pH of skin also tends acidic, but soap is alkaline. His tentative hypothesis at the time was that most people shower too much and too vigorously, and that creates a whole host of downstream issues. He mentioned that based on his early findings, he stopped showering every day, instead opting to sponge-bathe with showers being a rarer occurrence. And then only to rinse off sweat from a serious workout.
With nothing to lose, I gave it a try. Sponge-bathe the foldy bits every day, and before and after rides. No more chlorhexidine soap, no more Bag Balm on my crotch before rides, only Dr Bronner’s soap. I only take quick, cold showers to rinse off from heavy sweating. Every couple days, I’ll exfoliate the long bits with just a damp cloth. My skin cleared up almost in the same week, the blackheads all went away, and no more visible puddles of skin oil. I haven’t had a crotch boil since, despite plenty of crotch abrasion and more than a few skin tears from crashing my mountain bike. I also haven’t had skin infection since changing up my wash routine.
Extra bonus points: lower water and electricity bills. Or when I lived on my sailboat, less power required for water generator and hot water heater.
Could you explain what bag balm is?
Bag Balm is petrolatum, lanolin, and hydroxyquinoline sulfate, an antiseptic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bag_Balm It’s great for an anti-chafe and on skin wounds, especially abrasions. I mostly use pure lanolin (usually marketed as an ointment for nursing mothers) on wounds now, but also keep a small tin of Bag Balm in my bike kit for all kinds of things.
Thank you!