The "Do Not Wash" List: Hockey Gear You Should Never Put in the Washing Machine

After a particularly rough week of practices, throwing everything in the washing machine seems like a reasonable solution to the gear smell problem. For some items, it works perfectly. For others, it causes immediate, irreversible, and expensive damage. Here's what never goes in the machine — and why.

The Do Not Wash List

• Skates — water immersion destroys the boot's internal structure, adhesive bonding, and the heat-moldable materials that were custom fitted to your foot. Never, under any circumstances.
• Helmets — machine washing compromises the interior foam's impact-absorbing properties without any visible sign of damage. You won't know it's been degraded until it fails to protect you.
• Shoulder pads and shin guards with hard shells — agitation and immersion separate adhesive bonds between shells and foam, and heat warps plastic components permanently
• Gloves — leather palms shrink, harden, and crack; internal padding compresses and shifts; exterior materials delaminate. The gloves you pull from the dryer are not the same gloves you put in.

What You Actually Can Wash

Fabric items without hard components are safe: neck guards, jocks and jills, base layers, hockey socks, and jerseys. Use cold water and a gentle cycle. Air dry or use a low-heat dryer setting — high heat degrades elastic and adhesives even in fabric items.

The Right Approach for the Do Not Wash Items

Antimicrobial spray, thorough air-drying, and periodic professional cleaning are the correct approaches for everything on the list above. The smell driving the urge to machine wash is bacterial — and bacteria respond to being dried out and treated with antimicrobial agents. The washing machine addresses the symptom while destroying the equipment. Work smarter, not harder.