Muay Thai Gloves – 3 Easy Steps to Clean off Musty Smell and Sweat Stains After Use

Most of my new students don’t know how to care for the gloves after being used. Its obvious to everyone because they will smell awful and I can see stains due to sweat, dust, and lack of cleaning. So, here are three easy cleaning steps that will help avoid  this problem. Let’s get started!

How do I clean my gloves?

Clean your gloves with a hairdryer, microfiber cloth, cotton pads, and clean water. These will help remove sweat and dust and keep your boxing gloves dry without accumulation of sweat and bacteria inside.

Do not rush putting your ‘wet’ Muay Thai gloves in the closet, trunk or closed gym bag immediately after use because it will easily make them smell rank.

Step 1: Dry your Muay Thai gloves with a low temperature

Clean gloves by using a hairdryer. It will help dry them better than drying them directly under the sunlight. The reason is that the sun exposure makes the mitts dry slowly and the sponge withers and deteriorates faster. It is recommended to blow with a low temperature over the mitts by focusing on the end of the mitts and the thumb area. Direct sunlight also bakes the leather which reduces its life.

Step 2: Clean Muay Thai gloves up with a damp cloth 

After blow-drying, use a microfiber cloth moistened with water, wring it until dry and gently wipe it on the leather area to remove dust and sweat stains. It is not recommended to use a wet cloth to wipe the leather because it will cause too much water to seep into the leather which affects the condition of the gloves.

For the sponge, use a cotton pad instead of a microfiber cloth. Because of its small size, this will allow you to use your hands to wipe the interior areas more thoroughly. Many do not recommend using detergents or any cleaning chemical because it may damage your mitts but I use Lysol disinfectant. I was gifted with a skin fungus on my knuckles from sharing my gloves with a student only one time. I never loan my gloves to anyone anymore and I recommend you do the same.

Step 3: Blow dry your Muay Thai gloves again for a complete clean

After cleaning gloves with clean water, blow dry again to completely dry the mitts. It is recommended to store Muay Thai gloves in a dry space with good ventilation (not your car and especially not your trunk). I have let my gloves just just rest in the gym or my garage and have had no issues. Once they are completely dry you can tuck them away in closets or bags just fine.

Its a pretty simple process… just three simple steps and a few general cleaning tools can help keep your gloves in good shape, odor-free and fungus-free. You can follow these guidelines for striking equipment that uses leather or synthetic material as well.

For gear that uses “fabric” material such as ankle guards, elbow pads, hand wraps or other boxing apparel, we recommend washing with clean water and lightly expose them to sunlight in order to prevent bacteria and the musty smell that may occur after use. You can also add ½ cup of white vinegar to the washer to kill off the cooties. Your fabric-based gear should be washed between each use.

“Cheers” to clean and odor-free gear!