This guide discusses in detail on how to clean your boxing gloves and equipment. While the focus is on the steps and techniques to clean boxing gloves, other boxing equipment is also taken care of like this.
Each individual treats gloves differently. Whether you are a boxer, kickboxer or Muay Thai fighter every person has their way of using and upkeep of gloves. The amount of treatment given to gloves pre, during and post boxing totally determines how long they will last regardless of durability guaranteed. There is a proper way of using boxing gloves that you must follow. The team at 8xSports will take you through the when, why, where, and how of cleaning boxing gloves.
Why should you clean boxing gloves?
The main reason to clean boxing gloves is to keep away the odor from sweat and longevity. If you invest in a good pair of gloves plus clean them timely after every use, they are going to last for a great while.
Cleaning your gloves is crucial to prevent infections from bacteria and fungi, also the frustration of changing gloves every other month. Not only your money gets wasted but also saying goodbye to the fit of glove you got used to off
How often boxing gloves are to be cleaned?
Without showing any laziness after every session make it a habit of cleaning your boxing gloves. Another thing is to never ever leave your boxing gloves inside the training bag, air them out after each game.
It is a nice idea to have a breathable mesh-type training bag but still keeping the sweaty boxing gloves in the air is crucial and a definite way to extend the life of gloves.
In case after a long workout your hand gloves are excessively sweaty, dry them by inserting a towel or a thin cloth inside and then air them out to ensure that extra sweat is absorbes by the towel. The inner lining can also be dry up by putting them in front of a stand-up fan.
Another technique is dabbing baby powder into the gloves for the same results mentioned above. Don’t forget to shake out the powder after a few minutes of application.
Once you try any one of the methods told, place them in a cool dry area preferably away from the sun. Find a nice spot with good air circulation and cool temperature.
If the sun is out, light sun rays are not harmful but large doses of scorching heat can damage the boxing gloves completely particularly if they are soaking wet to begin with! don’t forget to just put them in the sun, keep an eye and change the angle against a wall for thoroughly drying.
How do you clean and sanitize smelly gloves and boxing equipment?
It’s natural just like old shoes and an old pair of boxing gloves start to produce odor with time. It’s the result of not cleaning the boxing pairs in the first place regularly after each session. Here it is relevant to say prevention is more important than cure. to prevent bad smells from starting the advice is to use boxing hand wraps whenever you train. This is the same strategy as wearing socks inside shoes likewise to keep the wraps clean. Wearing gloves without hand wraps is a disaster recipe, they help to absorb the moisture between your hands and boxing gloves.
If you are facing the issue of odor standing in gloves, a light natural disinfectant spray after each session will work to remove bacteria and improve the smell issue. Try to avoid deodorizers with strong and harsh chemicals as they can be potentially damaging to gloves and are harsh for your skin too.
Should you wash your boxing gloves and equipment?
A big No!
A heavy wash with water pouring inside is the death of gloves. A light cleaning method from the above-mentioned ways is acceptable. You should never wash boxing gloves or other boxing equipment as water and other cleaning agents will soak into the foam and hand capsule space till the point of complete damage. These actions give them an old look instantly and speed up their wear and tear upon use. It’s best to keep them away from washing machines to ensure their longevity.
How often do I have to alternate between sets of boxing gloves?
It is advised by the 8xsports team to own 2 pairs of boxing gloves if you train 1 to 2 times a week. It’s better for the hygiene and longevity of gloves. If you keep on wearing the same pair of gloves for every session you will not give them enough time to dry in between sessions, causing them to deteriorate quickly.
Again, if you are a player of different boxing games, who punches on heavy bags, does pad training, and sparring too, another pair should be present in your bag.
Boxing glove health check:
It is so important to do a maintenance check of your boxing equipment every few weeks, there is no harm in being proactive about routinely caring for your gloves rather than at risk of hand injury from boxing equipment in bad shape.
How are your gloves overall condition?
Is there any specific area that is deteriorating? Is it padding or loose stitching threads, maybe broken or torn out from anywhere? You can’t play football with a flat ball so it’s best to not hit the bag with broken gloves.
Do your boxing gloves cause discomfort or pain while training?
In any combat sport risk of injury is inevitable but wearing protective gear minimizes the chances of pain and injury. Our hands have small bones, ligaments and tendons that cannot endure continuous beating or even one hit barely. Leather Boxing gloves are designed with adequate padding to cater to this need and give support in the right areas for complete protection of hand.
If you have selected the right pair of gloves, they must feel comfortable throughout the training session. Even if you feel small consistent pain in your hand, knuckles, wrists or forearms immediately seek help from your trainer or discuss it with team members. They can advise you from their experience to find the best pair of gloves to suit your needs or head over to our website for reading the guide on choosing the right gloves for you.
Does your training gear smell?
If your gloves are putting a skunk to shame, it’s time to get rid of them. There is nothing more embarrassing than being told by a team mate that you smell and forcing them to go on playing is wrong.
