Hockey fans and players can describe with great enthusiasm the feelings they get when they hear the whoosh of skates on the ice, see the flashing red light of a goal scored, or the feel of a clean hit against the boards. What they won’t be as enthusiastic about, however, is the way hockey can smell from time to time. Over the course of a grueling hockey season, even the youngest players put a lot of blood, sweat and tears not only into their game, but also into their gear. Although that can be a formula for a winning season, it’s not so good for keeping hockey gear smelling its freshest. Even the sweet smell of success on the ice can be tainted by the stench of overripe equipment.

Pungent equipment is unpleasant enough by itself, but keeping players’ gear clean and properly maintained is important for other reasons. For example, keeping your gear clean helps prevent the spread of serious infections that can cause health problems. Smelly equipment can be a warning sign of something much worse, so keeping everything clean does more than help you smell better.

Hockey gear is high-performance equipment, and treating it like a common sweatshirt or pair of boxer shorts won’t be enough to prevent the stink of a long season from settling into it. Equipment managers for the pros have their tricks for keeping players’ gear free from hockey stench, but hockey parents don’t need professional experience to keep their teams’ hockey gear smelling like Game 1 even after Game 7. The following guide provides you with some tips for keeping your hockey gear clean and smelling better. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll help ensure that the smell of your team’s gear won’t be one of the most memorable experiences of the game for the wrong reasons.