How Do You Clean Boxing Gloves (How & When To Clean)
Picture this: you’ve had a stressful day and you want nothing more than to go and blow off some steam at your boxing gym. You’re fired up, energized and ready to give it your all shadow boxing with your favorite sparring partner… until you take out your boxing gloves, that is!
One of the biggest frustrations that both fitness fanatics and boxing enthusiasts find themselves having to face is dirty, smelly boxing gloves! Even though it’s totally normal for boxing gloves to begin to harbor unwanted smells after some time, that doesn’t mean that you need to throw in the towel and grin and bear it.
Instead, there are a variety of ways that you can keep your boxing gloves as clean as can be, while also keeping nasty odors at bay, too! This is where we come in to lend you a helping hand.
Below, we’re going to be talking you through how to correctly clean your boxing gloves, as well as how often you should clean them, too. Read on!
Why Do Boxing Gloves Smell?
Like we’ve already mentioned above, it’s totally normal for boxing gloves to begin to harbor unwanted smells after prolonged use – so don’t worry if you find that your boxing gloves are beginning to smell less than rosy!
As we’re sure you might be already able to guess, the main reason that boxing gloves begin to smell after a certain period of time is simply due to the bacteria and sweat from your hands. If they’re left unattended inside the gloves, they can begin to produce nasty odors that can make wearing them less than pleasant.
Even though there are no set rules for when and when not you should clean your boxing gloves, as a general rule of thumb we recommend that you make sure to give them a deep clean at least once or twice a month, and also ensure to take some basic preventative measures after the end of each use.
However, knowing how to properly maintain and keep your boxing gloves clean can be a little tricky (especially if you’ve never done it before) but the good news is that there are plenty of ways you can help to keep unwanted smells at bay – and we’re going to be talking you through them below.
How To Clean Boxing Gloves: Preventative Measures
No matter whether you love taking boxing classes to stay fit with friends or you’re an amateur boxer looking to turn pro, there’s simply no denying that boxing gloves are an investment buy – so it’s important to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to maintain them.
That’s why, alongside regularly cleaning your boxing gloves, you should also ensure that you are carrying out these preventative measures after every usage. Check them out below:
Wear Hand Wraps
One of the best ways that you can help to keep your boxing gloves clean and odor-free is by remembering to wear your hand wraps.
Besides giving your hands all of the protection and support you need to maximize each punch and unlock your potential, hand wraps will also act as a barrier between the majority of your hands and your gloves, which will reduce the number of bacteria and sweat that comes into contact with the interior of your boxing gloves.
Air Out Your Gloves After Every Session
At the end of each training session, instead of chucking your boxing gloves back into their bag and keeping them there until you’re ready to use them again, we instead suggest that you give them time to “air” out and dry.
By leaving them in a well-ventilated area (or even outdoors if the sun is shining) the air will be able to wick away some of the sweat/bacteria harbored inside your boxing gloves, and this will help to prevent nasty smells from forming.
Disinfect and Deodorize
Alongside the above, we also recommend that you consider investing in a disinfectant and deodorizer that you can use after each session. Besides helping to stop odor-carrying bacteria in its tracks, these two boxing essentials will also ensure that your boxing gloves stay as hygienic as possible, too.
How To Clean Boxing Gloves: Cleaning Methods
Besides making sure to wipe down and air out your boxing gloves after each session, we also recommend that you take the time to give them a thorough cleaning at least once or twice a month – depending on how often you use them.
Soak In Saltwater
One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to keep your boxing gloves in tip-top condition is to give them a salt water bath. Saltwater is very good at lifting away unwanted bacteria, sweat, and other debris from boxing gloves, and will help to restore your gloves back to their original glory.
Insert A Deodorizer Overnight
So, even though we’ve already mentioned this option above as a precautionary measure, it also doubles up as a pretty awesome cleaning method, too.
Glove deodorizers are specifically designed to be slotted inside your boxing gloves, where they will be able to not only absorb unwanted, stinky odors but leave a refreshing new scent in its place. You can get them in a variety of scents, but this one is a favorite of ours. It smells like fresh linen and lasts for 6 months.
Use Apple Cider Vinegar
On a budget? That’s no problem. If you want to keep your boxing gloves smelling clean and fresh without spending too much money, then apple cider vinegar is a great household item that doubles up as a boxing glove cleaner and deodorizer.
If you’re interested in using it to clean your boxing gloves, all you will need to do is take a few teaspoons, massage it into the inside of your boxing gloves thoroughly and then allow them to dry overnight. However, not all gloves are designed to withstand apple cider vinegar, so make sure to check prior to use.
This love then later flourished into an obsession with all things combat sports. From Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to full MMA, I have truly tried it all. And now, with this blog, I wish to bring my knowledge to others. I hope my articles will help others to learn more about these often misunderstood sports, and the skills needed to be successful.
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