Something that every practitioner or boxing fan must know in order to properly maintain the hygiene of our equipment, it is necessary to know how to properly clean the gloves of the bandages.
Proper cleaning of gloves prevents the growth of fungi and bacteria that, in addition to causing bad odors, can be harmful to the health of those practicing boxing, mixed martial arts, kickbocing or any other combat discipline.
On the other hand, the constant cleaning of our gloves and our bandages allows us to keep them in good condition, prolonging their useful life and allowing their use under acceptable hygienic conditions.Here we leave a simple guide with simple steps on how to clean them without spoiling.
How to clean wraps
1 Close the velcro before washing the bandages. To prevent wear and tear, close the velcro at the end of each bandage. It is easy for each piece to stick to the other. This will also keep it protected during washing. If you leave the velcro open, it may wear out and not stay in place.
2 Place the bandages inside a laundry net. Use a nylon bag to wash them. After placing them in the bag, close it so that they do not come out during washing. The bag will prevent them from getting tangled and tied around other clothes.
3 Wash the bandages with other clothes if they are of a neutral color. Do this if the bandages are neutral in color. You can just toss the laundry bag with the rest. This way, the dye from the gloves won’t come off or stain the rest.
4 Wash bandages by themselves if they are bright in color. If they are red or royal blue, it is best to wash them by themselves. Put only the laundry bag in the washing machine and adjust the settings for a small load. Pigment from bandages can come off and stain white or light-colored clothing.
5 Wash the bandages on a cycle set for delicate in cold water. To avoid damaging the bandages, wash your clothes on a cycle set for delicate with cold water. In this way, they will be kept in good condition.
6 Dry the bandages. Avoid putting them in the dryer. If you dry them this way, they will tangle and you won’t be able to use them well. The warm temperature of the dryer can easily damage the bandages. Ideally, hang them in an airy place for 1-3 hours.
How to clean gloves
1 Get the gloves out of your gym bag as quickly as you can. When you put on your boxing gloves, the bacteria on your hands will get into your gloves. Those bacteria create bad odors associated with dirty gym clothes. Because there is no air flow inside a sports bag, it is a good place for bacteria to grow. If you carry your gloves in your bag, take them out as soon as you get home. The more you expose them to the air, the better, so it is preferable to transport them out of your bag.
2 Clean them. Immediately after removing the gloves from your bag, rub them with a cloth or towel to absorb excess moisture. Wrap the towel around your hand and tuck it into the glove. Move your hand to wipe away the sweat. Repeat with the other glove.
3 Clean the inside of the gloves. After cleaning any moisture you can from the inside of the gloves, sanitize and disinfect with a solution made up of equal parts vinegar and water. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray the inside of the gloves several times.
4 Clean the outside of your gloves. Spray enough vinegar and water solution on the outside of the gloves to cover them with a thin layer. Then rub them with a clean towel to remove any dirt, sweat, and any other cleaning solutions you applied to them.
5 Condition the gloves. Many boxing gloves are made of leather, and this means you need to condition them to keep them in optimal condition. Leather is the skin of a living being and, like human skin, it can dry out. There are many leather conditioners available on the market, or you can also use lemon essential oil if you want.
* Information extracted from the wikihow.com