When you commit to playing lacrosse, you are also committing to the elements since it’s played in rain or shine. Lacrosse is traditionally a spring sport, so you’ll be dealing with unpredictable weather that brings out wet, muddy conditions. This means your nice pads from Lacrosse Fanatic may start to look dirty fairly quickly. Like hockey pads, lacrosse equipment can also emit an odor that you may not be too fond of. The good news is you can make it look and smell as good as new—if you care for it. Keep your gear fresh by learning about some of the options you have on how to clean your lacrosse equipment properly below.

Let It Air Out

After a long day at practice, don’t throw your gear in your bag, zip it up, and forget about it until the next practice or game. You want to let your gear breathe, which is why you should let it air out in your garage, patio, or somewhere else that’s dry. Not only will this help get rid of some of the odor that comes from playing, but it will also allow your gear to dry, so you can avoid putting on sweaty and stinky gloves the next day. When your gear is all dry, it’s safe to put it in the bag, throw some deodorizer pods in there, and zip it up!

Put It Through the Washer

Besides airing out your gear, the next step in how to clean your lacrosse equipment is to give it a nice wash in the machine. But before you throw dirty gear like a lacrosse goalie chest protector in the washing machine, double-check the tag from the manufacturer to see if it’s safe to do so.

If you are in the clear, turn the washing machine to the gentle setting and use some detergent to clean your equipment and make it smell fresh. Once your gear is out of the washing machine, let it air dry. Whatever you do, avoid putting it in the dryer.

PRO TIP: If your gear is all wet from playing in the rain or from washing, put some newspaper in your gloves and cleats to aid in quick drying.

Handwash

If the tag on your gear says it’s not safe for machines or you just don’t want to take the chance, you also have the option to handwash it. To do this, you can dampen a towel with cold water and scrub off any spots (this is also a great way to clean up your nicked-up helmet). There’s also spray out there specifically made for sports gear, so be on the lookout for that as well.

You can also fill up a bathtub with a little bit of warm water and detergent. After you do that, let your gear sit in the water and detergent for a few minutes, then rinse off any detergent marks that may still be on your gear and let it air dry.