Cleaning and caring for boxing gloves
Let them dry open after every session, treat the inside with spray or a dryer, wipe the outside with a cloth; never wash them or put them on a radiator.
You keep boxing gloves clean by letting them dry open after every session, treating the inside with a glove dryer or antibacterial spray and wiping the outside with a damp cloth. Never put them in the washing machine and never on a radiator. With five minutes of attention per session they'll last for years without smelling.
Straight after training: drying
The most important care step costs nothing: take the gloves out of your bag after training, undo the velcro and stand them opening-up in an airy spot. Sweat left inside the glove is the cause of virtually all odour problems and of the inner lining coming loose.
Don't put them on a radiator or in full sun. Leather dries too fast and goes brittle, and synthetic can warp. A spot by an open window or under a fan is ideal. In a hurry? Stuff a rolled-up newspaper or a glove dryer into the glove. It draws the moisture out of the lining and is dry again after a few hours.
The inside: preventing and curing odour
Odour is caused by bacteria growing in damp lining. Prevention works better than cure:
- Always wear hand wraps; they absorb most of the sweat and can go in the wash.
- After every session, use an antibacterial spray for gloves, or a dryer with cedar wood or activated charcoal.
- Let the gloves dry completely between sessions.
Do they already smell? Spray generously with glove spray and let them dry overnight with a dryer inside. A tried-and-tested home remedy is leaving a sock filled with baking soda in the glove. If that no longer helps, the lining is probably so full of bacteria that replacing the gloves is the only option. In our shop you'll find sprays and dryers made for exactly this.
The outside: leather and synthetic
Wipe the outside with a damp cloth after training to remove sweat and skin oils. For synthetic, that's all it needs. Don't use alcohol, hand sanitiser or harsh cleaners: they attack the top layer and cause cracks.
Leather asks a little more. Once a month, or more often if you sweat a lot, rub the leather lightly with a leather balm or conditioner. That keeps it supple and stops the flex points at the thumb and fist from drying out. Work in a small amount with a soft cloth and let it soak in. Not too much; the leather shouldn't get greasy, or the glove will slip when blocking.
What you should never do
The washing machine is the fastest way to ruin a glove. The padding clumps, the leather shrinks and the velcro gets damaged. Submerging them in a tub of water is also a bad idea: the padding soaks up the water and never fully dries again.
Also best avoided: leaving the gloves in your bag until the next session, putting them on a radiator, drying them with a hairdryer or putting them in the freezer to kill the smell. That freezer trick kills the bacteria temporarily, but they come back as soon as the glove is warm and damp again, and the moisture from the freezer does the leather no good.
Check the velcro, thumb and seams
While cleaning, take a quick look at the wear points too. Over time the velcro fills with fluff and hair; pick it out with a small brush or tweezers and it will keep sticking. Check the seam at the thumb and the edge of the fist: that's where a glove tears first. A small crack in the top layer can be left alone; as soon as padding starts coming out, the glove is no longer suitable for sparring.
Keep an eye on the inner lining as well. Once it comes loose or shows holes, the glove chafes your knuckles. With a leather glove from a good brand that takes years; with a synthetic entry-level model it happens sooner.
Hand wraps and other gear
Hand wraps simply go in the washing machine at 30 or 40 degrees, in a laundry bag so they don't tangle. Line-dry them, not in the tumble dryer. Roll them straight back up afterwards and they're ready for next time.
Shin guards, headgear and groin guards get the same treatment as gloves: wipe with a damp cloth, let them dry open and spray now and then. Rinse mouthguards under cold water after every session and store them in their case. That keeps your whole kit fresh. A few minutes after every session is the difference between a bag you're happy to open and a bag everyone in the changing room can smell.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| After every session | Let dry open, spray or dryer inside, wipe the outside |
| Weekly | Clear the fluff off the velcro, wash hand wraps |
| Monthly | Lightly condition leather with leather balm |
| When they smell | Spray plus dryer, leave overnight |
| Never | Washing machine, radiator, hairdryer, alcohol, freezer |
Ordering from anywhere in the EU
PadsByBilly ships from the Netherlands to every EU country: Belgium €7.95, Germany €9.95, other EU countries €14.95, free from €75. No customs or import fees inside the EU; prices include VAT. Delivery usually takes 2–5 working days and you have a 14-day right of withdrawal.
Running a gym or fight school and need glove care for the whole team? From €500 order value we make a custom quote with a bigger discount.
Frequently asked questions
Can boxing gloves go in the washing machine?
No. The padding clumps and the material gets damaged. Only hand wraps can go in the machine.
How do I get the smell out of my boxing gloves?
Glove spray plus a dryer or a sock with baking soda, left overnight. If that doesn't help, the lining is too far gone.
How often should I condition leather?
About once a month, a thin layer of leather balm. If you sweat a lot, a bit more often. Not too much, or the leather gets slippery.
Can I use hand sanitiser?
Better not. Alcohol dries out leather and attacks the top layer of synthetic. Use a spray that's made for gloves.
How long should gloves dry?
Usually overnight. With a glove dryer or newspaper inside it goes faster. If you train two days in a row, a second pair comes in handy.
