Winter is just around the corner, so there are tons of winter activities you can enjoy. When you go out in the snow, winter gloves are a must and definitely a staple. No one wants to freeze their hands off, of course, as that will only take away all the fun.
If you’re not one shy away from using and sporting a pair of winter gloves every time you head out, then you might have encountered the dilemma of how to wash them or if you’re doing it right.
Don’t worry – you’re not alone in this thought! I personally always worry if I’m washing my clothes right or if I’m causing damage to them.
If you want to know more about how to clean, wash, and dry your winter gloves according to the materials used, I’ve got you covered right here!
Should You Wash Your Winter Gloves?
Winter gloves are a very common winter apparel. You can see everyone sporting a pair to keep their hands warm and cozy through the cold season.
You use your hands on everything – from handling various objects to touching other people to touching your own face from time to time. So if you’re wearing winter gloves, you do the same with your glove-wearing hands.
When people think of cleaning and washing winter apparel, most find themself thinking of coats, windbreakers, and socks. Rarely do people’s minds immediately go to washing and cleaning their winter gloves.
The thing is, when you wear gloves and handle a ton of objects, you’re harboring germs and bacteria as well. This opens the doors to viruses from a simple cold to flu and to some more harmful bacteria lurking around the corner.
On top of this, hands most likely sweat inside gloves, even if the weather is freezing. This is especially true if you do intense work while wearing winter gloves. This can lead to sweat, oil, and odor in the insides of the gloves.
It might not be most people’s first thought but it’s very important to regularly wash and clean your winter gloves. Doing so not only keeps the odor and bacteria away but also extends the gloves’ life.
How to Wash Winter Gloves
It’s not only important to know that you should be washing your winter gloves. It’s also essential to know how to properly clean, wash, and dry each pair you own.
To make sure you’re doing it right to get rid of all the dirt and bacteria, we will be detailing how you can do it according to the type and materials used for your winter and snow gloves.
How to wash cotton gloves
Cotton gloves provide adequate heat during winter. Luckily for cotton winter gloves lovers, they’re the easiest glove type and material to clean.
Cotton winter gloves can easily be tossed in your washing machine, together with other pieces of clothing. Just make sure you wash them with cold water in a gentle cycle.
If there are any stains on your gloves, you can use a spot cleaner to remove the stain. You can also try oxygen bleach or hydrogen peroxide to clean and remove any stains. Never use bleach on your gloves as this will ruin the color!
After the washing cycle, don’t run them through the dryer. Doing so will likely shrink them and no one wants that! To dry cotton winter gloves, simply air dry them.
How to wash wool gloves
Wool is a much more delicate fabric than cotton. With wool winter gloves, you don’t want to toss them in the washer. Instead, you would need to hand wash them.
Fill your sink or a basin with lukewarm water. Add some amount of either hand soap or mild detergent. Put the gloves in and let it soak for a good few minutes. About five minutes should be enough.
Because wool is a very delicate fabric, you don’t want to twist or wring the water out. This will ruin the shape and overall structure.
To dry them, use your hands to press out the water. For any excess water, you can lay them flat on a towel, roll it up, and press the excess water out of the gloves.
To dry the gloves, simply lay them flat to naturally dry by air.
How to wash leather ski gloves
Leather (and faux leather) gloves need special care and extra steps to effectively clean them. The first thing to remember is you never submerge leather gloves in water, nor do you wash them in your washing machine. This also applies for gloves with only the fingers or palms incorporating leather parts.
The first step to cleaning leather winter gloves is to take a clean, damp cloth, and with it, wipe and clean away any dirt or grimes on the surface of the gloves.
Next, take a little bit of oil-based or leather-friendly mild soap to gently rub and clean the gloves’ surface. After working it in, wipe all the soap clean with a clean cloth. Let them naturally air dry.
Once both are dry, polish with a microfiber cloth. You can also apply a leather conditioner or wax to prevent any leather cracking.
For the insides of the gloves, sprinkle some cornstarch for absorbing oil and sweat; and some baking soda to absorb the smell and odor inside. You can also spray alcohol or hydrogen peroxide in the insides of the gloves to properly disinfect them.
How to wash waterproof gloves
To wash waterproof ski gloves, first determine if the liner inside is removable or not.
If it has removable liners, remove and wash them first. To clean the liners, follow the same guidelines for wool winter gloves. For liners, however, you can rinse and squeeze them safely. Lay them flat to air dry naturally.
Now for the outer waterproof part, spray a generous amount of either alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the surface. Let this sit for a good few minutes or for about five minutes to absorb. After that time, wipe any excess liquid off the surface.
If your gloves don’t have removable inner linings, sprinkle a good amount of cornstarch and baking soda to absorb the oil and smell from usage.
How to wash suede gloves
Suede gloves are a little more tricky to wash on your own. It would be best for the quality and life of the suede gloves to have them professionally washed and cleaned at the dry cleaner’s.
If, however, you’re determined to wash and clean them right at home, try some of these cleaning tricks:
With a suede eraser, remove any stains on the gloves’ surface. You can also use vinegar to remove stubborn stains. Do this by dampening a cloth with vinegar and applying on the stain marks.
With both ways, lay the gloves flat and let it air dry.
To further protect them, you might also want to spray a protective suede spray before slipping on a pair.
Conclusion
As winter comes knocking on people’s doors, many are bringing out their winter clothes and apparel to face the cold head on. A staple in many people’s winter wardrobe are winter and snow gloves.
Because you use your glove-wearing hands to handle various objects, other people, and even your nose and face, it’s normal for winter gloves to harbor dirt and even bacteria.
And with an ever-growing concern over health and fighting viruses, it’s a must to clean and wash your regularly-used winter gloves.
To clean your winter gloves effectively, it’s important to know their material and the differences in cleaning different gloves.
What we presented above are ways to wash cotton, wool, leather and faux leather, waterproof, and suede winter gloves.
We hope our guide has been more than helpful for you this winter season. We wish you a happy and cozy winter!
