OH MY GAWWWWDDDD!!!!!

I knew what it was as soon as I entered the car. It was over-powering. My eyes slowly began to water.

Could there be anything worse?

You know exactly what I’m talking about. Yes, my dearest youngest daughter left her nasty, funky cleats and shin guards in the backseat of my car overnight…again!

If your kid participates in any athletic activity, I’m sure you’ve grown to know the stench well. I don’t think there is anything quite like it except for maybe goal-keeper gloves but thankfully, my kids aren’t keepers so I don’t have to deal with that very often.

However, I’m sure you’ve been in the car and suddenly a rancid odor will make its way into your nostrils and you just know. You find yourself screeching to the clueless lot in the backseat, “Who took off their gear?” Knowing how the stench permeates your vehicle in mere seconds, you can just imagine what I encountered the following morning.

The good news is, there are some simple solutions to help eliminate the dead carcass smell.

1. A solution consisting of 3-parts water, 1-part baking soda – Simply mix in a spray bottle and spray on gear. Similarly, you can use a 3:1 mixture of water and vinegar. Or, if you don’t want to make your own solution, you can purchase a deodorizing spray, such as Febreeze or another specialty sports spray.

2. Dryer sheets – Place dryer sheets inside cleats and gear bags to keep them smelling fresh.

3. Tea bags – Insert tea bags inside smelly cleats. I haven’t tried this one but a friend insists that it works.

4. Freezer – Place gear in a Ziploc bag and put in the freezer overnight. Personally, I don’t know if I’d want that stuff in my freezer but if it works, LMK.

5. Air Dry – Leave your gear outside on a nice day and let Mother Nature do the job for you. The sun will help kill off the odor-causing bacteria.

6. Soccer Sneaker Balls (or any other deodorizing ball)– These are really great mini soccer balls that you place inside cleats, bags, or both. They smell great and last for a while.

Hopefully one or more of these solutions will work for you. If you’ve tried one or have any other tips to fight the on-going battle with funky smelling gear, please comment below.