Silver keeps clothes from smelling even without a wash

[one...two...tree 2,762]

SCRANTON, Pa. - Bill McNally believes he has found a silver bullet for keeping the stink out of your socks. Not to mention your underwear, workout clothes, travel outfits, and hiking and hunting gear.

McNally's company, Scranton-based Noble Biomaterials, embeds silver in clothing worn by U.S. soldiers, elite athletes and weekend warriors alike - thus capitalizing on the precious metal's increasing popularity as a way to keep clothes smelling fresh, even after multiple wears without a wash.

Noble is among a handful of companies that produce silver-coated textiles for use in the burgeoning market for high-tech performance clothing. The 10-year-old, privately held company's sales have grown an average of 50 percent per year, and doubled in the last 18 months.

Silver kills odor-causing bacteria; it also redistributes body heat, keeping the wearer warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather.

"I think it's a great concept for workout clothes and athletic gear, things you don't necessarily wash every single time," said Marlene Bourne, president of Bourne Research in Scottsdale, Ariz. Bourne studies emerging technologies - and has worn a pullover threaded with Noble's silver-coated fiber, called X-Static.

http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/...-Silver-ON.html

[mrc 0]

Steven, this is true...in fact, if you chop garlic and can't get the smell from your hands, rub a stainless steel butterknife on your hands under cold water. The stainless steel will help remove the smell from your hands. I've been doing this for years now. I went to a Bed Bath and Beyond and they actually sold a stainless steel tool specifically for this job. Seemed kind of foolish when you can use an ordinary butterknife.

[Jenn! 918]

Steven, this is true...in fact, if you chop garlic and can't get the smell from your hands, rub a stainless steel butterknife on your hands under cold water. The stainless steel will help remove the smell from your hands. I've been doing this for years now. I went to a Bed Bath and Beyond and they actually sold a stainless steel tool specifically for this job. Seemed kind of foolish when you can use an ordinary butterknife.

This is a good tip. Slightly dangerous though! I can just see my bloody hands now....

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Steven, this is true...in fact, if you chop garlic and can't get the smell from your hands, rub a stainless steel butterknife on your hands under cold water. The stainless steel will help remove the smell from your hands. I've been doing this for years now. I went to a Bed Bath and Beyond and they actually sold a stainless steel tool specifically for this job. Seemed kind of foolish when you can use an ordinary butterknife.

This is a good tip. Slightly dangerous though! I can just see my bloody hands now....

I was just thinking how much laundry detergent I'm gonna save.

[mRx 16]

McNally's company, Scranton-based Noble Biomaterials, embeds silver in clothing worn by U.S. soldiers

Thats cool, wonder if its in the current bdus? or maybe a few years off.

[mrc 0]

Steven, this is true...in fact, if you chop garlic and can't get the smell from your hands, rub a stainless steel butterknife on your hands under cold water. The stainless steel will help remove the smell from your hands. I've been doing this for years now. I went to a Bed Bath and Beyond and they actually sold a stainless steel tool specifically for this job. Seemed kind of foolish when you can use an ordinary butterknife.

This is a good tip. Slightly dangerous though! I can just see my bloody hands now....

I didn't say use a steak knife

Dear Cecil:

I've heard that rubbing one's hands on a stainless-steel item under running water removes the smell of garlic. Does this really work, and if so, how? --Roger, via AOL

Dear Roger:

I'm as bad as the people who believe in the pain-relieving powers of magnets when I say this, but here's what I found out so far: nobody knows why, but yeah, it seems to work. Based on the usual rigorous home experiments, the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board agrees that stainless steel not only gets rid of garlic smell, it also gets rid of any other kind of smell.

[Jenn! 918]

Dear Cecil:

I've heard that rubbing one's hands on a stainless-steel item under running water removes the smell of garlic. Does this really work, and if so, how? --Roger, via AOL

Dear Roger:

I'm as bad as the people who believe in the pain-relieving powers of magnets when I say this, but here's what I found out so far: nobody knows why, but yeah, it seems to work. Based on the usual rigorous home experiments, the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board agrees that stainless steel not only gets rid of garlic smell, it also gets rid of any other kind of smell.

Well, if Cecil says it, it must be so!

[mrc 0]

Don't just take Cecil's word

Stainless Steel Soap

[Caladan 19]

I've seen socks with silver in to keep away odor, but never whole uniforms. Kind of cool.

[William33 110]

Cotton socks, with a daily change over, do the job nicely.

Gold Toe brand, for example, makes a good product in black@ 90% cotton. No freaking stink going on.

Why buck tradition? Unless of course, you have "other" issues!!!

Edited November 27, 2006 by William33

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Cotton socks, with a daily change over, do the job nicely.

Gold Toe brand, for example, makes a good product in black@ 90% cotton. No freaking stink going on.

Why buck tradition? Unless of course, you have "other" issues!!!

Wardrobe challenged?

[Caladan 19]

Haha, William33, my dad wears those Gold Toe socks.

Otherwise I agree. I would love it if my dance clothes had silver in them, but for normal clothes, I just wash 'em often enough.

[Steve-n-Ana 0]

Steven, this is true...in fact, if you chop garlic and can't get the smell from your hands, rub a stainless steel butterknife on your hands under cold water. The stainless steel will help remove the smell from your hands. I've been doing this for years now. I went to a Bed Bath and Beyond and they actually sold a stainless steel tool specifically for this job. Seemed kind of foolish when you can use an ordinary butterknife.

yes you are right mrc, i've been doing it for years now... saw it on tv and tried and it really works

[William33 110]

Cotton socks, with a daily change over, do the job nicely.

Gold Toe brand, for example, makes a good product in black@ 90% cotton. No freaking stink going on.

Why buck tradition? Unless of course, you have "other" issues!!!

Wardrobe challenged?

Steven,

No, not at all. Gold toe makes at least 60 different top quality products.

I wear some of the finest clothing available, tailored from Egyptian cotton, British wool and cashmere blends and so forth. In fact, most of it was tailored for me in Bangkok. Need a reference?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Cotton socks, with a daily change over, do the job nicely.

Gold Toe brand, for example, makes a good product in black@ 90% cotton. No freaking stink going on.

Why buck tradition? Unless of course, you have "other" issues!!!

Wardrobe challenged?

Steven,

No, not at all. Gold toe makes at least 60 different top quality products.

I wear some of the finest clothing available, tailored from Egyptian cotton, British wool and cashmere blends and so forth. In fact, most of it was tailored for me in Bangkok. Need a reference?

It sounds great. I'm just feeling a bit financially pinched right now - hence the term wardrobe challenged.

As for the smells... my son and daughter spent a couple of days with their mom for the holiday and when they returned, all their clothes smell like smoke (I can't stand the smell). Now my car smells like smoke. Marlboro Lights have the most putrid, chemical, clown's-as$ smell known to man.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Steven_and_Jinky