Q: Why should I wash my equipment?
A: Here are just a few reasons to wash your equipment.
· Properly cleaned sports equipment reduces the health risk for the athlete associated with filthy equipment.
· Clean equipment will reduce the possibility of infection from filthy equipment.
· Cleaning can extend the useful life of the equipment - thereby reducing costs to leagues, associations and the participants.
· Clean equipment is a benefit to teams during travel season when the smell of the equipment makes storage difficult.
· Increased value of equipment. Equipment that has been washed and disinfected regularly will sell quicker than equipment contaminated with bacteria and fungus.
Q: How long does it take to get my equipment back?
A: Gear will be ready the very next day.
Q: Will my equipment be dry when I get it back?
A: Yes, your equipment will be dry and ready for use when you pick it up . If you have requested rush service, at most, it will still retain 10% of the moisture used during the rinse stage, as the heat required to dry the gear completely could damage the plastic components used in the equipment.
Q: How soon will the smell come back after it’s been cleaned?
A: How quickly the smell returns will depend on the individual, how frequently the equipment is used and how effectively it’s dried after each use. Under normal usage (2-4 times per week) and proper care, equipment can remain fresh for 2 to 3 months.
Q: My equipment is old and has never been cleaned. Will the machine damage my equipment?
A: Absolutely not. Our professional washing system features patented technology and extensively tested cleaning agents designed specifically for sports equipment. Your equipment is placed in an individual compartment of our wash system, remains stationary throughout the entire process, and never comes into contact with other pieces of equipment.
All equipment is carefully inspected and any defects will be noted during this inspection. Equipment that is too old or already damaged will not be cleaned unless the customer acknowledges the existing damage and consents to have the equipment cleaned regardless of existing condition.
Q: If you can clean hockey equipment, can you clean other things too?
A: Yes! We specialize in cleaning and disinfecting hockey equipment. However, our washer-dryer system, the Esporta Washer, is also designed to clean football, lacrosse, baseball, and roller hockey equipment and more. Please visit our What We Clean page to view the menu of items that we clean. If you do not see something on our list please call us. Essentially, we can wash any item too bulky or dirty for conventional cleaning systems.
Q: Is there much wear and tear on the equipment?
A: No, the equipment is held in place with custom mesh bags during the wash cycles and your equipment is pulled through the cleaning solutions. The detergents and sanitizers are designed to be completely safe for leathers, plastics and pads.
Q: Is the process environmentally safe?
A: Yes, it is not harmful to the environment, the equipment or the operator. The process is recommended by the Center for Disease Control to kill bacteria and disinfect sports equipment.
Q: What is included in a “full set” of gear?
A: A full set of player gear includes: helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, pants, girdle/shell, shin guards, jock, skates and equipment bag. A full set of goalie gear includes: blocker, catcher, pants, body armor, mask, skates and equipment bag.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Check our Pricing page for applicable costs.
Q: Are there other cleaning methods?
A: Some have tried hand washing and washing machines. These methods must be performed frequently and machine washing has damaged many items due to the intensive agitation. Another drawback is excessive drying times. Only our method gives the deep cleaning and sanitizing and protects your equipment. And you should always take proper care of your gear after each use, for example, by letting it air dry as much as possible.
Q: I’ve heard that ozone treatments can kill bacteria and remove odor. How does this compare?
A: Ozone generating machines and rooms can remove some surface level odor and kill some bacteria living near the surface. However, the ozone gas is unable to penetrate deep within the gear and the smell will come right back. Ozone also breaks down plastic and foam used in modern gear and has no cleaning effect whatsoever. Further, ozone is a hazardous gas and negatively impacts the environment (and doesn’t assist in rebuilding the ozone layer).
Q: I wear sweats under my gear, how is there any health risk?
A: Although your skin my not be directly contacting your unwashed and most likely germ-infected gear, the bacteria and other germs travel along the moisture in the gear and your undergarments. This makes it easy for bacteria living and multiplying in your gear to reach your skin and gain access to your system through any cuts or abrasions. Further you need to handle the gear to take it on and off, providing another opportunity for exposure. Presumably you wash your undergarments on a regular basis, so it only makes common sense to wash your gear.
Q: Why didn’t somebody come up with this sooner?
A: The need to clean gear has existed since athletic and professional men and women started wearing protective gear. Needless to say the combination of activity and thick gear involves much sweat production. However, until the emergence of virulent strains of staph most people just accepted that their gear stunk thinking it was harmless. Now the risk is well documented and becoming epidemic. Another challenge was the difficulty in cleaning gear safely and thoroughly. The patented process used by Clean Gear of Connecticut was the result of several years of intensive R&D and product development.
Q: Why has washing sports equipment become such a big deal?
A: Modern protective sports equipment with its space age, open cell, foam padding has produced the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Of an even greater concern, the overuse of antibiotics has created a resistance to infection treatments and has allowed new strains of bacteria to evolve. They are deadly, difficult to treat and within hours can leave a victim with permanent skin and bone damage. Some infections have even resulted in player deaths.
Q: Who else besides Clean Gear of Connecticut and Esporta thinks washing equipment is important?
A: The Center for Disease Control (CDC), USA Hockey, NFL, and the NCAA for starters. In 2003, they all issued warnings to athletes and sports teams to begin the routine cleaning of sports equipment due to a dramatic increase in serious infections. Hockey Canada issued instructions two years ago to regularly clean equipment.
Q: If this is such a serious health risk, why haven't I heard about it before now?
A: Do you remember when hockey players didn’t wear helmets? Today, a player is not allowed on the ice without one. Why? Because research proved that the risk of head injuries could be reduced with the use of helmets, and they were made mandatory. Seat belt use is another example of how research eventually impacts society. Esporta discovered 8 years ago, through independent lab tests, that dangerous bacteria were present in equipment. Change requires research, and research takes time.
Q: Won't washing my equipment in water ruin it?
A: Think about it… ice hockey is harsh and demanding on equipment. It takes a pounding: gloves, skates & padding are wet for prolonged periods of time. Our gentle process uses mild, but effective detergents to deeply clean the cloth and foam padding, then rinses away the bacteria, grime and sweat. Your equipment is held in place. There is no tumbling, twisting or banging around in our Esporta machine! Your equipment comes back fresh, disinfected and ready to wear.
Q: What else can the Esporta Wash System clean?
A: If it can fit in our machine we can probably clean it! Just ask.
