How to clean boxing gloves (and make them last)

Clean boxing gloves come down to one habit: get them open and drying straight after every session. Wipe the outside, let the inside air out, and give them a deeper clean once a week or whenever they start to smell. Never put them in a washing machine or a dryer. Here is the routine, how to clean the inside, how to stop the smell before it starts, how to break in new gloves, and when it's time to replace them.

After every session: five minutes

1. Take your wraps off and the gloves out of your bag. A closed gym bag keeps the sweat in, and that is where the smell comes from.
2. Open the cuffs wide. Undo the Velcro or loosen the laces so air can get into the hand compartment.
3. Wipe the outside with a damp cloth, then dry it with a towel.
4. Stand them up open to air-dry at room temperature, cuff down on a rack or upright with the cuffs open. A fan speeds it up.
5. Keep them away from direct heat and sun. Heaters, hair dryers and hot cars dry leather out and can crack it.

A deeper clean, once a week

Do this weekly if you train often, or whenever your gloves start to smell.

1. Wipe the inside. Dampen a cloth with warm water and a little mild soap, wring it out well, and wipe as far into the hand compartment as you can reach. Don't pour water in.
2. Wipe again with a clean, damp cloth to take off the soap.
3. Disinfect if you want to. A disinfectant spray or wipe made for sports gear helps with odor. Use it lightly, inside only, and test it on a small spot first, especially on leather.
4. Pack them loosely with paper towels or newspaper to pull moisture out of the padding, and change the paper after an hour or two.
5. Let them dry completely before you train in them or put them away.

Leather or synthetic: what changes

What not to do

• No washing machine and no dryer. Tumbling soaks and breaks up the padding, and heat cracks the shell.
• No soaking. Padding that gets wet through takes days to dry and can stay damp in the middle.
• No direct heat from heaters, radiators, hair dryers or a hot car.
• No bleach or harsh cleaners. They dry out and discolor leather.
• Don't store them damp or zipped in a bag.

Stop the smell before it starts

• Always wear hand wraps. They soak up sweat that would otherwise go into the glove. Our 180 in hand wraps and quick wraps both go under gloves.
• Start with dry hands.
• Rotate two pairs if you train most days, so each pair has a full day to dry.
• Use glove deodorizers or cedar inserts between sessions to absorb moisture and odor.
• Air them out right away, every time.

How to wash hand wraps

Wraps hold more sweat than gloves, so wash them after every session. As a general guide: put them in a mesh laundry bag so they don't tangle, wash on a gentle cycle, and hang them to dry rather than using the dryer. Once they're dry, roll them up from the hook-and-loop end, so the thumb loop ends up on the outside, ready for next time. Our guide on how to wrap your hands for boxing shows how to put them on.

How to break in new boxing gloves

New gloves, leather ones especially, feel stiff at first. The best way to break them in is to use them: a few sessions on the pads and the heavy bag shapes the padding and the leather to your hand. Opening and closing your fist inside them between rounds helps too. Don't use heat, soak them or pound them with anything to speed it up; that damages the padding you paid for.

How long do boxing gloves last?

It depends on how often you train and what you hit; heavy bag work wears padding faster than pads. Replace your gloves when:

• you can feel your knuckles through the padding
• the padding has shifted, or gone flat in spots
• the lining is torn
• the wrist support feels loose, or the Velcro no longer holds
• the shell is cracked or split
• the smell won't go, even after a deep clean

Choosing a new pair? Our boxing glove size chart covers weights, fit and lace-up versus Velcro.

Gloves in this guide

• PG Professional, crimson red, Velcro: genuine leather, made in USA
• SFX Deluxe, black: a synthetic leather shell that's easy to clean

Frequently asked questions

Can you put boxing gloves in the washing machine?

No. The water soaks and breaks up the padding, and the tumbling and heat can crack the shell. Wipe them by hand instead.

How do I clean the inside of boxing gloves?

Wipe the hand compartment with a cloth dampened in warm water and a little mild soap, wipe again with a clean damp cloth, then pack the gloves loosely with paper towels and let them dry completely.

How do I get the smell out of boxing gloves?

Dry them fully after every session, clean the inside once a week, use a disinfectant spray made for sports gear lightly inside, and keep glove deodorizers or cedar inserts in them between sessions. Wearing hand wraps keeps most of the sweat out in the first place.

How do I dry boxing gloves fast?

Open the cuffs wide, stand the gloves up in front of a fan and pack them loosely with paper towels, changing the paper as it gets damp. Avoid heaters and hair dryers.

Can I use disinfectant spray in boxing gloves?

Yes, lightly and inside only. Test it on a small spot first, especially on leather, and let the gloves air out fully before you wear them.

How do I break in new boxing gloves?

Train in them: a few sessions on the pads and the bag shape the padding and leather to your hand. Don't use heat or water to speed it up.

How long do boxing gloves last?

It depends on how often you train and what you hit. Replace them when you can feel your knuckles through the padding, the lining tears, the wrist support loosens or the smell won't go.

How do I wash hand wraps?

After every session: in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle, then hung up to dry. Once they're dry, roll them up from the hook-and-loop end, so the thumb loop ends up on the outside.