Different types of gloves require different washing methods. It is to ensure that the glove quality does not decrease every time we decide to get the dirt off it. The good news is that cleaning cotton gloves is pretty similar to washing nylon, wool, or polyester pairs.
Therefore, you can use this guide for taking care of the hygiene of different gloves. Without further ado, let’s see how to wash cotton gloves without damaging their materials.
Table of Contents
What You Need
As you have some spare time to thoroughly hand wash gloves, make sure to prepare these items first:
- Laundry detergent – You can choose a mild detergent to clean the gloves and avoid abrasive cleaning agents.
- Stain remover – Use this if your gloves have stubborn marks that cannot easily come off by washing with the usual laundry detergent.
- A small brush with a soft bristle
- A bucket
Steps to Hand-wash Cotton Gloves
Make sure you read the cleaning instructions attached to your gloves first. It is to see if you should avoid any certain cleaner or solution, heat, or elements that might damage the pair. Also, just wash your hands first before cleaning the gloves.
Step 1: Scan for stubborn stains and use the stain remover
Find any stains and marks on your gloves, especially ones left by oils and grease. You will want to dissolve these first before washing the whole pair.
You can use the brush to dab the stain remover on all those marks. Turn your glove inside out to not leave out any stains untreated. Rub them gently for a bit, then leave the remover there to work for 5-8 minutes.
Step 2: Hand-wash the gloves with detergent
Next, fill the bucket with cold water and pour some detergent into it to make soapy water. You can dip your pair into the bucket and use your hands to rub the gloves. Turn them inside out to clean all surfaces.
Step 3: Rinse and dry your gloves
You can rinse the soap off under running cold water. Do not squeeze the pair too hard to avoid damaging its shape.
Then, find a clean space to lay your gloves down – preferably on a flat platform, somewhere open where sunlight can reach the pair. Then, wait for it to dry and enjoy wearing clean gloves again!
Can I Machine-wash My Gloves?
The good news is there are machine washable cotton gloves. You just need to read the cleaning instructions coming with your pair to find out.
If the manufacturer allows, you can use mild detergent and cold water to clean gloves made of cotton. Make sure to use the gentle cycle and dry gloves with the tumble-dry setting with low heat or no heat at all.
How Do You Wash White Cotton Gloves?
You can use cold water, detergent, and a stain remover to wash white cotton lotion gloves, just like with colored cotton pairs.
Still, for white gloves, you might want to bleach them to maintain their pristine state. You can use the beach, but make sure to dilute it first before dipping your gloves into it. Please avoid pouring the cleaner directly onto your pair, or it will ruin the textile and stitches.
Can You Reuse Cotton Gloves?
Yes, you can. Like most gloves made of leather, nylon, or wool, cotton pairs are designed for long-term and repeated use. The important thing is, you must remember to wash them to avoid built-up dirt and unpleasant smells ruining the gloves prematurely.
Will Cotton Gloves Shrink in the Dryer?
Cotton gloves might shrink if you put them in the dryer and set it on high heat. As stated above, use the tumble-dry setting with no heat to ensure no damage to the glove form and textile.
Conclusion
The above guide should let you know how to wash cotton gloves to make them look clean and like-new again. Make sure you follow important tips when drying and using bleach for your pairs to avoid ruining them.
Also, make it a habit to wash your gloves, whether they’re used for work or daily life. It is to keep good hygiene and avoid bad odor, dirt, and germs altogether.
If you have any helpful tips, please share them with us in the comment section below. Thank you for reading!
This is Edward Manning, the editor in chief of Construction Informer. Quite a bit of my time is spent researching the market and interviewing experts in the field so that I can give you reliable information.