I own a Shock Doctor Bag w/the blower attachment and religiously run heat/dry my gear in this bag after most sessions.

Yesterday I found out I have a staph infection in my upper leg. Needless to say, I'm going to be paying more attention to the possibilities of bacteria and mold in gear and bags. I tossed my shin guards already.

This issue has been covered a few times on the board already, but it can never be discussed enough. USA hockey talks about the need to clean equipment as often as possible, and so do most hockey related forum sites. The health dangers from not cleaning equipment can be severe. Hopefully Matt doesn't develop anything else and the staph infection doesn't get worse.

If you are taking a week or more off of hockey it is a great idea to get your gear cleaned. Find a business the does it (search this forum for companies) and spend the money. It will cost less than your doctor co-payment and prescription and is well worth the cost when your gear smells good.

Good luck and get beter soon Matt.

not that this is any substitute for disinfecting gear, but just out of curiosity...Does wearing a performance base layer reduce your risk of getting these types of infections, as long as you wash that base layer after every game? I know when i've got my Under Armour pants and compression long sleeve shirt on, i feel pretty invulnerable to bacteria from my gear. my shins have inserts that can be removed, i just throw them in the wash and that seems to work okay, is that enough or does the entire thing need cleaned?

Wow! I just assumed that the Shock Dr. bag/blower system would greatly reduce the risk of bacterial growth in hockey gear! My daughter's soccer team had some issues with staph infections about the age when they got to be teenagers and took over the care of their equipment- i.e. parents no longer took responsibility for making sure their gear was clean, so some of them would leave their sweaty shinpads in their bags until next game or practice- some of this gear actually got moldy, and real stinky, ewwwwww! a couple of them ended up with staph infections on their legs. They all learned quickly from that to remove their equipment from their bags, wash whatever they could (by hand or machine) and let it thoroughly dry in the sun if possible. That solved the problem.

I try to wear something between my skin and my hockey gear- long sleeve shirts, long socks, removable knee pads in shin guards, longer shorts/jill, a bandanna or skull cap, etc. I put all the washable gear in a separate plastic bag as I take it off and as soon as I get home throw it in the front loader washer. I wash everything that was next to my skin before I wear it again, so I have doubles on most of these items (except at tournaments when I run out of extras- then I try to hang it out to dry as much as possible before the next game). I always haul my gear out of my bag and let it dry, especially great in summer when I can leave it to bake in the sun. I wash it all maybe 2-3 times per year in a front loading washer using either sport wash if I have it or just regular laundry detergent (I separate it into 2 loads, and remove as much of the removable padding and plates as possible), and then thoroughly dry it out in the sun. Washing it this way may cause a bit more wear and tear than taking it to a professional cleaner but it is way more convenient for me and at least it doesn't succumb to bad smells, bacterial buildup or rot! Some types of gear are easier to wash than others, just depends on the materials.

Other thing I do is try to always have something between my skin and the change room benches and floors, those are full of nasties. Same with any gym equipment. I lay down a towel, wear shower sandals, etc. If you have a cut or open sore keep it clean and protect it with tape and gauze, bandage, etc. I have seen bandaids laying on the ice so make sure the bandaid is secured well enough to protect your wound but also to keep it from falling off and giving someone a header when they skate over it! Some people may be more susceptible to staph than others, especially if it is a new strain against which they have not yet developed immunity. Good luck Matt with your recovery! KJ