An important but often overlooked part of being a boxer is knowing how to clean boxing gloves. After a vigorous workout, your gloves absorb sweat and skin cells which will eventually grow bacteria, mold and fungus and will start to smell. This can cause skin rash and chafing which is extremely painful and can put you on the sidelines for weeks. Instead of throwing your gloves away and wasting your money, consider cleaning them.
Cleaning your boxing gloves is not hard and is well worth the effort. When cleaned regularly, you will extend the life of your gloves. They can be cleaned using common items found around your home. Below we will tell you how to clean boxing gloves step-by-step and will provide you with information on how to maintain your gloves so they last for many rounds in the ring.
Types of Boxing Gloves
There are three basic types of boxing gloves – sparring gloves, bag gloves and fighting gloves.
Sparring Gloves – Sparring gloves are heavily padded gloves that allow you to practice without hurting your opponent. They generally come in 16 oz or 18 oz. The heavier weight will make your fighting gloves feel as light as air.
Bag Gloves – Bag gloves are a lighter weight glove that has a lot of padding so you don’t hurt yourself when you hit the bags. They are used to practice technique and form before you get into sparring. These types of gloves have a thick wrist wrap to keep your wrists in the correct form which will prevent injuries.
Fighting Gloves – As the name suggests, boxers wear fighting gloves when they fight. They are lighter weight than sparring gloves and don’t have as much padding. You want to hurt the opponent so you don’t want a lot of padding. They often have lace up wrist support for a better fit.
Boxing Glove Components
Before you start cleaning, there are some important terms that you should be familiar with. These are the different parts of a boxing glove.
Cuffs – The cuffs fit around your wrist and will prevent the gloves from falling off your hands. They also provide protection so you don’t injure your wrists. Cuffs will either be lace up or velcro.
Shell – The shell is the outside of the glove. This is a hard material that is designed to cover the padding and help provide your hands and knuckles even more protection from injury.
Padding – The padding is the inner guts of the glove. The more padding your glove has, the better protection it will provide your hands.
Thumb – It is pretty obvious what the thumb is on a boxing glove. It is the small notch in the glove where your thumb rests. Some gloves have padded thumbs and others don’t provide any protection at all.
Palm – The palm is the area where your palm rests while the glove is on your hand. Some gloves have open palms and some gloves have closed palms.
Common Boxing Glove Materials
Most boxing gloves come with a shell made from either leather, faux leather, nylon or vinyl. Most padding is made from either PVC foam or latex. Cuffs are manufactured from velcro or cotton laces. Palms are sometimes made from mesh. In rare cases, you will find elastic in the thumb.
How to Clean Boxing Gloves
Cleaning Tools Needed
- Mesh Bag
- Small Cotton Towel
- White Vinegar or Apple-Cider Vinegar
- Water
- Baking Soda
- Dryer Sheets
- Lint-free Cloth
- Cedar Chips
- Pair of Old Socks
- (optional) Essential Oils
- (optional) Newspaper
- (optional) Hair Dryer
For leather gloves:
- Leather Conditioner
How to Wash Boxing Gloves
How to Clean Leather Boxing Gloves
Step 1: Air Out The Gloves
As soon as you get home from the gym, take the gloves out of your bag and let them air out. If you leave them in your gym bag, they won’t get any air flow and will remain damp, sweaty and moist. This is the perfect recipe for mold and bacteria to grow. Airing them out as soon as possible will prevent this from happening. A mesh gym bag can help with this.
Step 2: Dry Out The Gloves
Dry the inside of the gloves by using a dry towel. Wrap the towel around your hand and stick it inside the glove. Make sure you soak up all the excess moisture. Repeat with the other glove.
Step 3: Clean the Inside of the Gloves
Add a half-vinegar and half-water solution to a spray bottle and spray the solution inside your gloves. You can add a few drops of tea tea tree oil if you want to disinfect the gloves. After a few minutes, you can use a dry towel to wipe out any excess moisture.
Step 4: Clean the Outside of the Gloves
Use the vinegar solution to lightly spritz the outside of the gloves and then wipe them clean with a dry towel.
Step 5: Condition the Leather
Leather needs to be conditioned regularly to prevent it from drying out and cracking. Apply a small amount of leather conditioner or lemon oil to the glove using a lint-free cloth. Work the conditioner into the leather using a circular motion and then wipe the excess conditioner off using a clean cloth.
Step 6: Storing the Gloves
When storing your boxing gloves, you want to make sure that the inside remains dry. Make sure the wrist straps are loosened to allow air flow inside the gloves. You can also stuff newspaper into the gloves to absorb any excess moisture. Store your gloves out of the sun and in a cool dry place.
How to Clean Hand Wraps
The best way to clean boxing hand wraps is to rinse them in warm water after each use and then hang them up to dry.
FAQ
How often should I clean my boxing gloves
You don’t need to clean them every time you use them but you should always dry them out after each use and make sure you store them in a well-ventilated area. It is a good idea to wash them every week or every other week depending on how often you use them.
How should I store my boxing gloves?
Boxing gloves should be stored in a cool, dry place that is away from sunlight. Always make sure they are being stored in a ventilated area. Hanging them up in a mesh bag or setting them on an open shelf are both good ways to store them.
My boxing gloves smell bad. How do I get rid of the stink?
If your boxing gloves smell bad, there are a lot of things to do to get rid of the stink. After you clean your gloves and make sure they are dry, you can try the following things to freshen up your gloves:
- Add a pinch of baking soda to each glove to soak up bad smells. Let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming out the baking soda.
Place a dryer sheet inside each glove when you aren’t using them. - Fill a pair of old socks with cedar chips and place them inside each glove while you store them. The cedar will absorb moisture and will make your gloves smell amazing.
- Add about 10 drops of your favorite essential oil to a cup of water and spritz the inside of your glove. They are antibacterial and antimicrobial so they will clean your gloves as well as provide a pleasant scent.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to clean boxing gloves step-by-step, you can easily extend the life of your gloves as well as improve your boxing game. Having fresh smelling, clean gloves will give you one less thing to worry about so you can focus on your training.