Cleaning Gloves and Pads

Gloves and protective pads absorb more sweat per session relative to their surface area than any other piece of hockey equipment. Regular, correct cleaning preserves both hygiene and the protective properties your gear was designed to provide.

What You Need to Know

Gloves with synthetic palms can be hand-washed effectively in warm water with sports detergent — submerge fully, work the solution gently into fabric and foam, and rinse thoroughly. Gloves with leather palms require spot treatment only — submerging leather causes it to stiffen and crack as it dries, destroying the natural suppleness that makes quality leather palms perform well. In both cases, air dry palm-side up in a ventilated space away from any heat source.

Shin pads and elbow pads respond well to a post-session antimicrobial spray wipe-down combined with a thorough hand wash once monthly during the active season. Remove detachable foam inserts and wash them separately. Use the wash as an opportunity to inspect plastic shells by running your hand across the surface — cracks are significantly easier to detect when the shell is wet and slightly flexed.

Key Takeaways:

• Synthetic-palm gloves can be fully hand-washed; leather-palm gloves need spot treatment only
• Air dry gloves palm-up in a ventilated space — heat sources harden and distort the materials
• Shin and elbow pads benefit from a spray wipe-down after each session plus monthly hand washing
• Wet shells during cleaning — cracks and damage are much easier to detect on a wet, flexed surface

Clean pads protect better and last longer — and the cleaning process is the most natural time to catch developing damage before it becomes a real safety issue.