# Washing bike gloves?



## jamesaka2 (Mar 16, 2012)

Do you wash em? Is it a no-no? hand wash? with the clothes?

I ask because I recently (last week) got a new jersey (white colored) & it has a black stain on the back jersey pocket I use to reach for food, I think it's from my black colored gloves that I've never washed in about a year of having them.... It had never been an issue because I've always had black jerseys. What do you think? I'm strictly a road rider btw.

While I'm at it, do you wash your helmets?


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

I machine wash my gloves in a lingerie bag. I might wear them twice if the rides are short; definitely wash after a long ride.

For many helmets, you can get replacement pads. I don't think they'd hold up to much (any?) washing.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

After ruining several pairs of gloves, I hand wash my gloves then try to wear them for an hour or so afterwards, usually while I mow the lawn. Then I let them air dry. I have leather gloves and if you don't have leather, you might be OK washing them, which I used to do. I do suggest letting them air dry though. They will do so over night.


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## rm -rf (Feb 27, 2006)

It's easier to hand wash gloves, since the velcro can snag on fabric. (maybe I'll try one of those bags sometime)

I just air dry them overnight.

My gloves get washed every couple of rides. In hot weather, washed after every ride. They feel a lot better when clean.

Something like these clips are good for air drying:


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

I do mine every month or two. I just put them in the sink with a little detergent and gently squeeze them to clean them. Then rinse a couple of times and hang up to dry. Works great!


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## milkbaby (Aug 14, 2009)

Every once in a while when I think they need washing, I put the fabric gloves (ones with synthetic leather palms) into a mesh bag into the washer and then air dry. Full genuine leather gloves just get wiped with a wet rag and then some leather conditioner, though technically they could be gently washed with soap and then conditioned.


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## Rogus (Nov 10, 2010)

I just take them, my heartrate strap, and helmet into the shower with me when I think they need washed and then hang to dry.


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## Easyup (Feb 26, 2012)

I use light soap and water or suede leather cleaner for real grease, still pretty black but does not rub off. Here in AZ I rinse my helmet out every day after the ride and it looks and feels good, if I don't you can see salt deposits on the stiff straps and the padding gets funky fast.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Maybe i'm missing something, but I have never understood why people feel that this stuff need special care or fussiness.

I have machine washed every single pair of cycling gloves I've ever owned, and I have seen absolutely no sign of wear and tear caused by this. This goes for "modern" lycra and synthetic palmed gloves as well as my favorite old school cotton crocheted, leather palmed gloves. Washing in cold water harms this stuff no more than riding in the rain.

In fact, every cycling thing I own goes in our top loader, regular detergent, short cycle, cold water. I put my bib shorts in a garment bag to keep the straps from getting all tangled up with the other stuff, and I put the gloves either in a separate bag, or in the pocket of a jacket or something that can zip shut - so the velcro doesn't get snagged on stuff and damage it.

Everything gets tumble dried, _extra low heat_, fully dry. I sometimes air dry bibs and always air dry the cotton / leather gloves, although the couple of times I accidently dried them, it didn't seem to hurt (extra low heat, remember). 

I can't see how a washing machine and extra low dryer can harm synthetic gloves or other cycling gear. But, again, maybe my experience is unusual.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Agree with Camilo on this (and shorts, jerseys, etc..) When my gloves get rank I just mate the velcro, throw them in the washer with other stuff and into the clothes drier afterward. There is nothing particularly sensitive or delicate about cycling apparel.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

I throw my helmet and gloves on the lawn and hose them down with the garden hose, squeeze the extra water out of the gloves in my fist and hang the gloves and helmet on the clothes line in the yard until they're dry or I remember that they're out there.


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## Cyclin Dan (Sep 24, 2011)

I wash my gives in the laundry every month or two...I can't imagine what they'd be like after a year! 

When the straps on my helmet get real salty, or I notice it starts to stink, I just throw it in the dishwasher on the top shelf. Works great!


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## Schneiderguy (Jan 9, 2005)

the washer was causing my gloves to wear out quickly. I now wash them when they need it when I take a shower and allow to dry at room temp. They seem to be holding up much better.


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## 67caddy (Nov 4, 2009)

Back in the day when all the bike gloves were made of leather, it was a pain in the arse. Hand wash with a leather cleaner, line dry and then apply a leather moisturizer. I use to pick up the cleaner and moisturizer at a very nice leather apparrel shop. The staff at one of these usually really know their leather goods.

But with the advent of synthetic palm gloves, I stopped using leather gloves. The synthetics machine wash and dry. My current favorite gloves are the Sugoi Evolution gloves. Sugoi also makes very good bike shorts that don't break the bank either.

There is probably no better feel than a properly cared for Pittards leather glove, but to me, it's just not worth the time.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Definitely, wash them. A year with no wash is gross. Since they're black and you think they bleed, don't toss them in the washer with lighter-colored stuff. Hand wash with a mild soap (dish liquid is fine), rinse well, squeeze them in a towel to remove most of the water, and hang to dry. They'll feel better.

And helmets, yes. Wash them, too. I remove the pads to give them a good separate wash and rinse, and wash the straps well. If the whole helmet is looking nasty or smelling gross. the easiest way to wash and rinse thoroughly is to take it in the shower.


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## taralon (Sep 1, 2011)

Mesh bag once a week with the rest of my gear. I have three pairs of gloves now so at most the get used for two rides.


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## torch511 (Mar 4, 2012)

I throw my gloves in the jersey pockets and wash them pretty much after every ride.


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## cdhbrad (Feb 18, 2003)

My gloves all have synthetic "leather", so they go in the wash with the other bike clothes whenever I do a load. I close the velcro tabs so it doesn't grab other clothes. Air dry just like everything else.


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## jmoryl (Sep 5, 2004)

After trying many gloves over they years I've decided I like ones that have no leather, synthetic or real. Right now I use a few pairs of Santini gel gloves, which are 100% polyester; they get hand washed with my other stuff after each use. Just make sure the velcro is closed.


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## desertgeezer (Aug 28, 2011)

I leave my gloves on my hands and wash them in the sink. I always use laundry detergent because it rinses out better then other types of soap. Other types of soap may not rinse completely and cause the gloves to get slippery when you sweat.


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## SOME_1_ELSE_1999 (Apr 22, 2011)

im about the same as every one else machine wash every thing but shorts and gloves go on the line to dry since i dont want the padding to melt in the drier


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Kudos to Camilo & Looigi! If something I own is dirty, into the washing machine it goes followed by the dryer. I have never, ever ruined any piece of cycling apparel by tossing it in the washer/dryer. I occasionally even put my shoes in after a ride in the rain. 

But of course, what do I know? I've only been doing it that way for 50 years. I can't remember who posted about carbon fiber bikes that said, "I ain't a tea cup the queen gave you..." Same thing with cycle clothing. Will it wear out faster? Not IME. I've got jerseys that are 10+ years old and my Spenco gloves last me 2 years at ~ 5,000 mi per year.


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## Kuma601 (Jan 22, 2004)

A year without washing...yuck! 
I wash mine at minimal once a month gentle cycle then hang dry. I get about 2 years or so on most gloves. By then the sweat has faded them or the stitching has worn.


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## RedNose44 (Jul 24, 2011)

Rogus said:


> I just take them, my heartrate strap, and helmet into the shower with me when I think they need washed and then hang to dry.


I do the same thing with my gloves and HR strap. I have not tried the helmet before, but sounds like a good idea.


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## budkid (Dec 15, 2010)

Wash and air dry!


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## zender (Jun 20, 2009)

Camilo said:


> Maybe i'm missing something, but I have never understood why people feel that this stuff need special care or fussiness.


I'm with you on this. Are these items heirlooms you're trying to save to pass on to your grandkids? It's just bike clothing. It wears out, get new stuff. 

All my cycling gear goes in the machine washer, gentle cycle with high efficiency (low suds) detergent. Gloves, jerseys, bibs, vests the lot. In the summer, I dry in the sun, in the winter in the drier at low heat, 10 minutes. The key in the dryer is to use low heat and just enough time to get the pad barely dry.


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## bayAreaDude (Apr 13, 2012)

I throw my leather specialized gloves in the washer on the rinse cycle only then throw em on the garage floor to dry - have done it about 100 times and they're fine.


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## scottzj (Oct 4, 2010)

I wash all my gear after every ride. Throw the jersey, bibs, gloves, and helmet pads in different garment bags wash away. Then hang dry and call it good.


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## Tschai (Jun 19, 2003)

As to me and my gloves I .................


wait..................................



its coming...............................

wash them.

As to food I............................

eat it. My eating method involves food, my mouth, chewing and the like. 

This thread has seriously wasted some bandwidth. Can someone please start a bib thread or something?


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

FWIW, I'll just mention that we got a front loader quite a while ago because it's got a bigger capacity, uses less water, and is a lot easier on clothing than most top loading agitator type machines.


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