Can You Put Boxing Gloves In The Washing Machine? (Find Out Now!)
Zboxing remains a popular sport with many people actively engaged in boxing training and competition. Even training often involved sparring with an opponent. Frequent contact with sweat and other fluids can leave your boxing gloves dirty. Many boxers wonder if their boxing gloves can go in the washer for a quick and easy cleaning?
In general, you should never put your boxing gloves in the washing machine. Immersing boxing gloves can saturate the foam and damage the covering material. The agitation action of the clothes washer can damage the cover and add wear and tear to the boxing gloves overall. The harsh detergents used in washers can damage your boxing gloves as well.
There are much better ways to maintain your boxing gloves than the clothes washer. The process may take a few more minutes than a quick run through the clothes washer. However, by properly maintaining your boxing gloves, you will get more use from them. There are some dos and don’ts you should understand as you take care of your boxing gloves.
The Best Advice for Maintaining and Cleaning Your Boxing Gloves
As you might expect, the manufacturer provides the best advice for maintaining and cleaning your boxing gloves. Follow the recommendations and instructions that came with your boxing gloves to keep them in top shape. However, if you don’t have the instructions supplied by the manufacturer, you can follow these dos and don’ts when cleaning your boxing gloves.
Don’t Put Off Cleaning Your Boxing Gloves
Keeping your boxing gloves in good shape requires immediate attention after training or sparring. Your hands will naturally sweat inside your boxing gloves. This can leave them damp with moisture and body oils.
As you spar, the outside of your gloves can pick up sweat and oils from your sparring partner as well. Both the inside and outside of your gloves need to be cleaned immediately after your session.
Failing to promptly tend to your gloves can lead to odors and, in some cases, even mod or mildew growing on or in your boxing gloves. You should at least wipe your boxing gloves down, inside and out, after each workout or sparring session.
Use a Commercial Product to Clean and Sanitize your Boxing Gloves
There are many commercially available products designed to clean the inside and outside of your boxing gloves. Many of these products contain mild cleaning agents and products that prevent the formation of odors or the growth of mold and mildew.
These are great choices for your gym bag. Many come in spray or aerosol bottles that are easy to use. You should carry a couple of towels dedicated to cleaning your boxing gloves. Some of the products warn you to spray the towel and wipe the boxing gloves thoroughly. This method keeps your boxing gloves dry and prevents the coverings and padding from absorbing too much cleaning materials.
A Little Vinegar Goes a Long Way
Some boxers swear by a spray bottle with a little water and vinegar mixed together. The vinegar helps cut any dirt on the gloves and helps eliminate odors and kill mold or mildew. A weak solution of water and vinegar won’t harm your boxing gloves.
As with the commercial products, don’t spray the water and vinegar mixture directly on or in your gloves. Instead, spray the mixture onto a towel and wipe your boxing gloves thoroughly inside and out. This vinegar and water mixture can be used on the inside and outside of your boxing gloves.
Avoid Wetting your Boxing Gloves as you Clean Them
The one thing you don’t want to do is saturate your boxing gloves with a cleaning agent. The whole idea is to remove the moisture and clean away the dirt and oils that can accumulate. You certainly don’t want to worsen the situation by adding more moisture to your boxing gloves than necessary.
Immediately after wiping your boxing gloves with a cleaning agent, use a dry soft towel to wipe away any residual moisture that remains in or on your boxing gloves. Don’t scrub your gloves. Pat the moisture away with the towel. Scrubbing can damage the surface of the covering and the interior lining of your boxing gloves.
Let Your Boxing Gloves Breath When Not In Use
Your boxing gloves need some air circulation when they aren’t in use. This is especially true immediately after you clean them. Any residual moisture must be allowed to evaporate from your boxing gloves.
Never put your boxing gloves into a tightly closed gym bag for storage. The best method for storing your boding gloves is to hang them in an area protected from direct sunlight. The cuffs should be opened to allow air to circulate inside the gloves. Protecting your boxing gloves from direct sunlight will help keep them soft and supple over time.
Pay Attention to the Materials Used in Your Boxing Gloves
The traditional material for boxing glove covers is leather. However, new manmade materials are now used extensively to manufacture boxing gloves. Different cleaning agents are made for these new materials, and the cleaning process can differ.
In general, leather boxing gloves require cleaning agents made especially for leather. Using other cleaners risks damaging the leather and leaving your boxing gloves stiff and brittle. In some cases, a high-quality leather treatment may be needed to return the necessary oils to the leather. Follow the manufacturer’s directions and recommendations if at all possible.
Synthetic boxing gloves materials should be cleaned using products recommended by the manufacturer. Synthetic covering materials usually aren’t as absorbent as leather and don’t require treatment to remain soft and supple. A mild cleaning product and a good wipe down afterward is generally the best method.
Your Boxing Gloves Are Meant to Take Abuse, but Not From a Washing Machine
Your boxing gloves are designed to take a pounding but not from the agitator in your washing machine. Being submerged and soaked with water can leave your boxing gloves a soggy wet mess that can take weeks to dry. In addition, your gloves may never fit the same, and the foam padding may be ruined.
Following our recommendations and the directions from the manufacturer of your boxing gloves is the best means of keeping your boxing gloves clean and odor-free. You will appreciate the effort, as will your gym mates and sparring partners.
Dennis is a retired firefighter with an extensive background in construction, home improvement, and remodeling. He worked in the trades part-time while serving as an active firefighter. On his retirement, he started a remodeling and home repair business, which he ran for several years.
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