Can boxing gloves be washed in the washing machine?

Boxing is a popular sport. The classes are enjoyed by both children and adults. If there are no questions about washing sports uniforms, then cleaning the equipment turns into a real challenge. Boxing gloves are of particular concern.

After an intense workout, they get pretty dirty and begin to emit an unpleasant odor. Let's figure out whether it is possible to wash boxing gloves in a washing machine, how to properly care for this piece of equipment so as not to spoil the thing once and for all.

Will gloves survive the procedure?

It is quite risky to get boxing gloves wet. There are many arguments for dry cleaning products. Here are the reasons why prolonged contact with water is contraindicated for them:

• gloves made of genuine leather can harden after improper washing or drying, and gloves made of leatherette can crack;
• getting wet can lead to clumping of the low-quality filler. This way the piece of equipment will lose its shock-absorbing properties and will be unsuitable for sports;
• Boxing mittens take several days to dry due to their dense padding. This is fraught with the proliferation and spread of bacteria in the material, and the appearance of mold in the filler. Harmful microorganisms are dangerous to health and will be a source of unpleasant odors.

If the gloves are too dirty and you can’t do without a wet wash, you need to clean the equipment very carefully. It is important to follow these guidelines:

• Boxing gloves should be soaked in cool water, not hotter than 30°C;
  
• When washing gloves, you should try to prevent them from getting wet from the inside;
• stains on the outside can be cleaned with a soft sponge, but for the “insides” of the glove it is better to use a soft brush;
• Blood and other complex contaminants from the skin can be washed off with cotton wool soaked in peroxide.

After each session, be sure to wash your boxing bandages, then the gloves will get less dirty.

Thus, prolonged contact with water is contraindicated for equipment. Experts recommend avoiding automatic washing of boxing gloves and cleaning them exclusively by hand. After training, it is better to ventilate the equipment well, this will help get rid of the unpleasant odor.

We use the machine at our own risk

You should only wash boxing gloves in an automatic machine as a last resort, when neither airing nor wet manual cleaning helps. Be sure to put each glove in a special bag for washing; you can also use regular pillowcases. This will help protect your inventory from damage.

It is important to run the most gentle machine wash program with a water temperature of 20-30°C.

Be sure to turn off the spin function. Boxing gloves should not be squeezed or twisted to remove excess moisture. The water should drain on its own, naturally. To speed up the process, you can knock the leggings against each other.

Traditional care

Athletes who have been boxing for a long time are advised not to wet wash their gloves at all. After getting wet, there is a high risk of deformation of the product, damage to the outer coating, and damage to the internal padding. Usually, after such a procedure, the equipment becomes unsuitable for training, and it is necessary to get rid of it.

When cleaning your equipment is vital, you can try soaking your boxing mitts in cold, soapy water. The main thing is not to overexpose the item in the solution. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the leatherette will crack.

Another method of wet cleaning is to soak the gaiters in cool water with the addition of regular salt. This method will eliminate unpleasant odors and cope with complex stains. A significant drawback of this washing option is that natural leather may dry out and the surface of the gloves will wrinkle.

To refresh boxing gloves and remove stains on the outside, it is better to use a damp cloth or wipes. After wiping, it is recommended to treat the equipment with colorless shoe polish.

If the gloves smell bad

The problem of unpleasant odor from equipment is familiar to every athlete. Boxers understand the damage frequent washing can cause to gloves, so they try to get rid of the stench using traditional methods.

1. Freezing boxing gloves is one of the most popular methods. You should put the gloves in a bag and put them in the freezer for 6-8 hours. Bacteria die under the influence of low temperatures, the unpleasant odor goes away. You should not use this method too often - the cold disrupts the structure of natural leather. After freezing, the equipment is hung for a couple of days on the balcony or in a well-ventilated room to dry.
2. You can put a cotton pad soaked in apple cider vinegar in your leggings. After two hours, you should take out the cotton wool and hang the gloves on the balcony for ventilation. The vinegar “amber” will disappear in about 2 days, and not a trace will remain of the smell of sweat.
3. Another option is to treat the equipment with a special aerosol.Antibacterial spray can be purchased at any sports store. The product is easy to apply both on the outer surface and inside the gloves, thanks to the convenient spray nozzle. To completely neutralize the unpleasant “aroma”, you will need to perform the treatment several times.

A less popular but also effective method is to place the gloves in a sterilizer used for processing baby bottles. Some athletes use a microwave oven for these purposes, setting the microwave heating temperature to a minimum.

What to wash with?

When washing boxing gloves, do not use dry powders. The granules will definitely get stuck in the padding and pores of the leather, and it will be very difficult to rinse the product thoroughly.

Therefore, for cleaning it is better to use liquid gels for delicate fabrics. It is allowed to use sulfate-free hair shampoos or baby liquid soap.

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