How to clean Boxing Gloves and Gear (2023)?

How to clean boxing gloves?

Once you start investing in quality boxing products you may want to take care of your boxing gear to ensure you get the most out of it. Regularly cleaning and conditioning your boxing gear can add life to your boxing equipment and keep it looking fresh. I dropped a list of a few things I do to keep my gear clean and fresh throughout training sessions.

Are your hand wraps washed?

One of the most important things that gets overlooked doesn’t involve the boxing glove itself, but boxing hand wraps. We all have at least once smelled that foul, rancid, and downright disgusting smell of hand wraps that haven’t been washed in weeks. Now imagine using those smelly wraps in your boxing glove. The stench eventually spreads into your gloves and once it gets in, it can be tough to get out. I recommend alternating your hand wraps as much as possible and regularly washing them to keep the inside of your glove fresh. If you do get a foul smell in your gloves, try airing them out, spraying a 50/50 water and alcohol mix to kill germs, using cedar wood chips in a clean sock to absorb moisture, and dumping in some dryer sheets to give a clean smell.

Do you alternate your gloves?

 Adding a new pair of gloves into your rotation can help reduce wear and tear of your gloves and also give them a chance to air out. Although if you’re just starting you may not want to invest a bunch of money in gloves, but if you’re a seasoned boxer this is just an excuse to grab another cool pair.

Have you changed the laces?

 I know a bunch of guys who use to have white laces and overtime with sweat or blood the laces get a nasty dingy color and sometimes even develop a funk. If this happens swapping out your laces may be a simple cost-effective way to keep the look of your gloves fresh, but also the smelling fresh (The same can be done for headgear and cups that use a lace closure system).

Clean and condition the leather:

I know for me using a leather cleaner or conditioner was always hit or miss. Sometimes cleaners would be overly abrasive giving my gloves a sticky rough feeling, or sometimes conditioners would be overly greasy giving my gloves a cheap high gloss finish that I hated. For a longtime I just use soap and water with a microfiber cloth, but it wasn’t until a few weeks ago a friend of mine kept suggesting I try a leather cleaner called Leather Honey. After weeks of telling me how good this stuff was he uploaded a video demonstrating how well the cleaner worked (checkout his review here: Wingo Reviews Boxing and MMA) and he had me sold. I’ve been using it since and really like how it cleans and conditions my gear without leaving that greasy cheap finish other cleaners do.

Leather Honey Combo Kit

Overall keeping your gear clean and fresh doesn’t have to be another chore. Simple things like alternating gear, letting it air out, and keeping your wraps clean are simple ways to ensure you get the most out of your boxing gloves and boxing equipment.