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How to Store Rubber Gloves? Easy Methods You Can Try at Home

Fact checked by A. Thompson

how to store rubber gloves

Most of us are aware of how beneficial and necessary rubber gloves are for our work and daily life. Everyone has at least one pair of latex, neoprene, or nitrile gloves ready for use. But, not all of us know how to store rubber gloves to keep them safe from dirt and other elements.

In truth, rubber gloves storage is important, as we want to keep them in their top-notch shape. And there are several tips to do it right. Read on.

How Can You Store Rubber Gloves?

There are disposable and reusable gloves made of rubber, which we can subject to pretty similar storage methods.

Still, for disposable pairs, if you do not plan to use them right away, do not open the package. Prolonged exposure to dust, moisture, or high temperature can ruin the pair’s functionality, no matter how long its shelf-life is.

For reusable gloves, make sure you wash them and check for signs of damage before putting them away in a clean space.

Here’re the important tips we must follow when storing our rubber pairs:

  • Some people might think of hanging their pair on the garden tool holder out in the open. But, ultraviolet light and heat from the sun are among the hazards we do not want our rubber gloves to deal with when not in use. Therefore, make sure to find a place far away from direct sunlight.
  • Fluorescent lights are also harmful to natural latex gloves, as they emit UV lights. Also, we should keep our gloves away from household equipment with built-in ozone generators, including air purifiers, vegetable washers, or laundry water treatments, etc.
  • Exposure to excessive heat is also destructive for rubber gloves. Therefore, we should keep our rubber pairs away from steam pipes, radiators, or any heat sources in the house.

In fact, the ideal temperature range to keep natural rubber latex gloves in good condition is 50 – 72° F. For nitrile pairs, we can store them in a space with a temperature not higher than 90° F.

Therefore, we can put our gloves in someplace rather dark, like under the sink, in a clean cabinet in our kitchen, bedroom, or garage.

How Do We Store Dishwashing Gloves Under the Sink?

store-dishwashing-gloves

Most kitchen gloves are made of rubber, durable enough to resist cuts, punctures, and hot water to some extent. We expect long-lasting use from these rubber gloves; therefore, putting them away neatly for easy retrieval is what we want.

Here’re some suggestions to show you how to make space under the sink to store kitchen gloves:

  • Use some clothespins: My favorite items for arranging household appliances are clothespins. They work wonders for flat and thin items, including our rubber gloves.
  • Install hooks and grommets: You can install some hooks and grommets on the door of your under-the-sink cabinet for kitchen glove storage. Then, hang your rubber gloves, brushes, cleaning cloth, and anything with a hanging hole there.
  • Use plastic bins: For gloves and other pieces that do not feature a hanging hole, some plastic bins would do nicely. Purchase them in different colors, then label them to classify kitchen items. It will take some space, but everything will be sorted out and kept neatly under your sink, with or without a cabinet.

How Long Can We Keep Rubber Gloves?

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First of all, all rubber gloves have their expiry date, but their shelf life and usage will vary, depending on several factors. If you haven’t used a pair for so long, make sure to check its quality first, even if it has not expired yet.

For your information, natural rubber gloves like latex have a shelf life of around three years. Meanwhile, nitrile gloves will last up to 5 years when kept inside their package without exposure to elements.

On the other hand, Vinyl gloves are non-biodegradable and synthetic and have a longer shelf life. These pairs can still be usable after more than 5 years in their original package and wrapping.

Reusable rubber gloves can also last several years with proper care. If exposed to harmful elements, excessive heat, and UV lights due to improper storage, these pairs can degrade much faster.

Also, if we do not wash rubber gloves carefully, built-up dirt and smell will force us to replace them sooner than expected. That would be a waste. So, other than keeping the gloves in the right place, make sure you know how to clean them thoroughly.

Conclusion

It is a breeze to keep our rubber pairs neatly and in good condition, now that we know how to store rubber gloves. These pairs are exposed to various elements as we use them for tasks. So, in order to maintain their functionality, we should avoid subjecting them to hazards as much as possible when they are not in use.

Also, other than keeping these rubber gloves away from destructive factors, we should know how to wash and dry them right. If you do not know how, check out more information on our site. Feel free to share and leave comments for us. Thank you for stopping by!

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