Your woollen gloves carry twice as many germs as the toilet seat
While most of us overwash our clothes, there are some things we don’t wash nearly enough – if ever. Winter gloves is a good example of this. With the chilly weather, we wear them daily, but when was the last time you took them off and made the effort to clean them?
In fact, a recent study conducted by Initial Washroom Hygiene found that woollen gloves harbour twice as many germs as the toilet seat. That’s pretty disgusting, but not surprising when you consider how much we touch on a daily basis. Here’s the filthy truth behind your winter gloves and how to give them the clean they deserve.
How dirty are your winter gloves?
This swab test analysed the biological contamination found in five types of glove (50 pairs tested in total, taking readings both inside and out). The top scorer, unsurprisingly, was cycling gloves, with an average reading of 2,486 counts of ATP (adenosine triphosphate – organic matter left behind on surfaces). To put that into perspective, previously, Initial Washroom Hygiene found that the average toilet seat harboured 220 counts.
This is obviously a very high level of germs, but it’s not surprising when you consider the amount of sweat cycling gloves are exposed to. It hammers home the importance of washing all parts of our workout gear.
Woollen gloves came in second place, with a modest count of 618 units of biological contamination. We say modest, but that’s still almost three times what you’d find on the average toilet seat! Woollen gloves are absorbent when exposed to liquids and can pick up residue wherever we touch. Between handrails, buttons and door handles, they can amass more germs than we realise in a single trip.
In third place was suede gloves, with an average reading of 603. Not quite as absorbent as wool, which is likely why they rank slightly lower, but the nap still provides a soft and textured finish for germs to hide. Leather gloves followed behind with 414 units of biological contamination; more germs than the toilet seat, but the smooth and water-resistant finish provides less opportunity for germs to collect.
Finally, woollen mittens came in last with 404 readings. Close to leather, but your fingers are likely pick up a lot more germs than your palm, so you’re saved from a lot of exposure here.
How to clean your winter gloves
So, how should you remedy this and clean your gloves without damaging them?
For cycling gloves, use a detergent designed specifically for sportswear, such as Ecozone Pro-Active Sports Wash Laundry Liquid, and follow the care label instructions. These tend to be machine-washable at 30 degrees.
Woollen gloves are generally stored in our coat pockets, so they go forgotten about when it comes to the weekly wash. If they’re handmade, we’re less keen to wash them to avoid damage, too. However, woollen gloves are perfectly safe to wash, as long as you do so with care.
To start with, check the care label (if there is one) to see if handwashing, or machine-washing is recommended. In either case, you will need a detergent designed specifically for woollens, such as Ecover’s Wool & Silk Laundry Delicate Detergent. It’s generally safest to hand-wash your woollens at a low temperature, working the detergent in gently as you press. Rinse thoroughly once finished.
If you want to use the washing machine, it’s worth investing in a laundry mesh bag to protect your gloves. You should also pad out the load with sheets and towels to protect them from tumbling and don’t wash anything abrasive alongside. Turn the gloves inside out and use the wool or delicates cycle, with low heat and spin. Once you’ve finished washing your wool gloves, always line dry flat. This advice applies to woollen mittens too.
Finally, leather and suede are trickier to clean. This material definitely should not go in the washing machine; even washing by hand would cause damage. So, what should you do? First, to keep the inside clean, we recommend wearing silk glove liners beneath.
If the exterior is sticky or stained, you should check the care label. If they’re dry-clean or specialist clean only, do just that, otherwise you risk damage. You can take them to a specialist leather and suede cleaner, such as Ace of Suedes.
If you’d rather risk cleaning them yourself, it’s worth first wiping a clean, lightly dampened, well wrung-out, microfibre cloth over the surface. For leather, you can make up a soapflakes solution to apply to small stains. Otherwise, a proprietary leather and suede cleaner is your best bet, testing in an inconspicuous area first.
In both cases, we recommend using a protector spray to protect them from stains in the future.
Ecover Delicate Laundry Liquid for Wool & Silk
Ecozone Pro-Active Sports Wash
GOGOODA 7PCS Mesh Laundry Bags
The Leather Clinic Suede & Nubuck Cleaner Foam
Liquiproof LABS Premium Protector Spray
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