HEX founder, Drew Westervelt, was playing professional sports when he noticed that his apparel and tech gear would still stink, even after they had been washed. He discovered that odor meant bacteria was alive and well in his laundry. After researching traditional laundry detergents, he couldn’t find a solution (traditional laundry detergents haven’t evolved in 50 years, and most simply mask odors rather than eliminate the bacteria that cause recurring smells). Furthermore, bacteria plus the scratches and scrapes of sports could mean infection – even illness. Drew searched for a solution and partnered with scientists in the cleaning industry. And that’s where HEX Performance was born. Instead of relying on old methods to clean new fabrics, HEX started from scratch to develop the best clean inspired by today’s active wear. The result is an evolved science that works on all fabrics, delivers a better cleaning experience, proactively protects fabrics against future stink and stains, and offers a host of extra benefits. It could be the biggest breakthrough in laundry cleaning in decades.
If you are like me, your running/workout clothes often get tossed due to the stink before they have actually worn out. I have laundry detergent meant specifically for tech clothes, but I tend to use it sparingly due to the expense. Therefore, I jumped at the opportunity to try out HEX Performance laundry detergents. I was excited to see that they have a Free + Clear line, as my sensitive skin causes me to avoid scented detergents. I received the Free + Clear Advanced Laundry Detergent, Advanced Single Dose Detergent, In-Rinse Fabric Booster, and On Demand+ Spray and Go to try.
The first thing I noticed about HEX products was the packaging. As you can see from the photo, it is not your typical bottle of laundry detergent. The space-saving packaging is easy to store and easily dispenses detergent. On first use, I also noticed a difference in the detergent itself. It wasn’t thick and gooey like many detergents. It almost has the consistency of water. And, there are no dyes, so it is clear.
I used both the detergent and the fabric booster for my tech gear. After the first wash, I noticed that my clothing felt different from the moment I pulled it out of the washer. It almost felt softer – if wet clothing can feel soft. Overall, most of my clothing smelled pretty fresh. However, I had a couple of well-used items that were on the verge of being trashed due to the smell. After the first wash the stink had decreased, but it wasn’t completely gone. After a couple of washes, the items were really close to getting back to smelling fresh again. With another couple of items, I decided to let them soak in the detergent for a few hours before washing them. That made an amazing difference.
Overall, I am noticing that the more I wash with HEX Performance Laundry Detergent, the fresher my workout clothes are. In fact, after using HEX for the last month, I haven’t noticed any nasty smelling clothes lately. And, for someone who wears workout clothes both for work and for working out, it is important that my clothing is fresh 
for every wear.
Another great thing about HEX Laundry Detergent is that you don’t have to go to a specialty store to purchase it. I saw it on the shelf at Target the other day at a reasonable price. You can also purchase it on Amazon or at the HEX website. The liquid detergent is 35 oz and the single dose contains 24 packs. Both are just $9.99.
The On Demand+ Spray and Go is not detergent, but a spray for those items you can’t (or don’t want to) wash, like shoes, helmets, exercise mats, etc. I decided to try it in my shoes, because we all know how stinky those can get after awhile. As soon as I sprayed it, the odor was neutralized! I couldn’t smell the spray, I just didn’t smell the stink anymore. Amazing! It does need a little time to dry after spraying, so make sure you don’t spray something that you want to use right away. With my wide variety of running and workout shoes, I will definitely be keeping this spray handy at all times!
Thank you to Hex for providing us with test products. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
