Those who practice combat sports know that boxing gloves are faithful companions for every training session and match. Therefore, it is essential to take utmost care of them. An important aspect is the hygiene of the gloves. We have prepared a guide that we hope will help you with the cleaning and maintenance of your gloves.

Why is glove hygiene important?

Keeping gloves clean is important for several reasons. First of all, to prevent the formation of germs and bacteria, which on one hand can cause bad odors and on the other hand can cause irritations and fungal infections on the hands and arms. Boxing teaches respect for the opponent and for training partners, so let’s learn to respect their noses too... Lastly, it is important to consider that a well-maintained pair of gloves will last longer.

Cleaning the gloves: prevention is better than cure!

Remember the advertising slogan of that famous toothpaste that said “prevention is better than cure”? The same rule applies to your boxing gloves. There are some rules you can follow to keep them clean “without cleaning them”.

> Wash your hands before putting on the gloves. Have you just had a snack? Arrived at the gym after work? Had a weightlifting session? Avoid putting dirty or sweaty hands into the gloves. A simple wash with water and soap is enough. You can also use liquid germicidal hand sanitizers.

> Use wraps or inner gloves: these accessories prevent the hand from coming into direct contact with the glove padding and partially absorb sweat, keeping the gloves drier.

> Do not lend your gloves to others and do not use others’ gloves! It may seem like trivial advice, but often in gyms, there are baskets of gloves, especially for beginners! Consider your gloves like underwear; they are personal, and your sweat and germs are more than enough :-)

> Do not leave them to dry in the gym bag. If the gloves remain in the bag, they will not dry properly. Germs and bad odors will infest not only your gloves but also all other items in the bag. For transporting the gloves, a breathable protection bag can be an alternative to the gym bag.

> Use specific gloves for each type of training. As you know, there are different types of gloves depending on the activity. In combat, 10 oz gloves are used, while in training, especially in sparring, larger gloves (12, 14, 16 oz) can be used, and for the punching bag, it is advisable to use specific bag gloves. This will not only optimize your training (for example, a heavier glove is perfect for strengthening arm muscles), but it will also help preserve your 10 oz ring gloves.

> Choose quality gloves. Gloves made of superior quality materials, in addition to providing better protection for the hands, will help control dirt and bad odors. A piece of advice: choose leather gloves rather than synthetic materials.

How to clean boxing gloves

If, despite the precautions mentioned above, you have not managed to spare your boxing gloves from germs, bacteria, and bad odors, we offer you a series of techniques to clean them.

External cleaning of the gloves

It is very important to clean the outer surface of the gloves, especially if you have had a sparring session with your training partners in the gym. This is because sweat and sometimes blood from your partner can accumulate on the surface of the gloves.
Wipe the surface of the gloves with a damp cloth soaked in water and soap or a disinfectant product.

Internal cleaning of the gloves

After training, open the gloves as much as possible and let them dry in a warm and dry place (away from heat sources) until they are completely dry. If you want, you can use talcum powder or insert absorbent paper to facilitate drying.

Use deodorants that absorb moisture or disinfectants for gloves. We recommend SmellWell Active. SmellWell Active is the ideal solution to easily eliminate moisture and odors from gloves, shoes, equipment, and bags. Developed and tested in Sweden, these deodorants harness the power of Moso bamboo charcoal and minerals to absorb moisture, bacteria, and pollutants, leaving a long-lasting fresh fragrance. SmellWell acts directly on the cause of odors, ensuring that your equipment remains dry and odor-free.

Gloves in the washing machine

We do not recommend washing gloves in the washing machine because soaking the padding completely in water would make the drying process particularly long. Furthermore, after a few washes, the gloves could start to break.

Storing the gloves

After washing and drying your gloves, do not put them back in the gym bag, because even if they seem dry at first touch, the inner padding could still be damp. Store the gloves outside the gym bag in a dry space or in a mesh protection bag.

If your gloves are too old and damaged, below you can find some suggestions for buying a new pair.