This is one of the questions that goalkeepers have doubts about. There is no one right answer because there are a lot of variables to take into account. What I can say right away is that it’s not a big a no-no situation as many people want to make it out to be. Can you put goalkeeper gloves in the washing machine? Well, exactly that depends on you! If mom’s going to yell at you for doing so, it may not be the best idea for you personally. If you live alone, and you don’t mind using your washing machine to put in the gloves, honestly go for it. Now, some gloves are going to be better suited for machine washing.
In looking through some of the old packages for gloves that I have at home, I can’t find many that outright tell you, you shouldn’t machine wash them. Is that a direct yes to the question of goalkeeper gloves in the washing machine? Maybe not, really you want to be smart with the type of gloves that you put in. A disclaimer before we get going. All of the things that I’m going to cover in this article are based on personal experiences. If you’re going to machine wash your goalkeeper gloves, do so at your own risk. That being said, it is a procedure that shouldn’t be as risky as it would seem to some people.
How Do You Think They Do It In The Pros?
Do you think that pros don’t wash their gloves? You may be right with that, I would have a hard time believing that Manuel Neuer spends his afternoons washing his gloves for training tomorrow. Then again, goalkeepers are an eccentric bunch. It probably isn’t too hard to find a professional that actually does this. For the most part though, even in lower-tier clubs, which I was a part of a few, you could leave your gloves with the staff, and they’d be clean the next morning. The way the cleaning gets done is going to vary from club to club. Staying on Neuer I would imagine his gloves and maybe those of his teammates have their own wash cycle.
In most of the other clubs around the globe with a lower budget, they are just going to stick the gloves in with the training jerseys. Everything is going to be clean the next day. A lot of these staff guys have been doing their jobs for years and years. So it’s actually highly unlikely that you’ll go to training the next day, and you’ll see your gloves all tore up. If and when that does happen, some of those staff guys are going to give you some ridiculous reason as to why this happened. Is there a danger though if ripping your gloves up in the washing machine.
Can You Put Goalkeeper Gloves in the Washing Machine: Pick out The Gloves That You’re Going To Wash
I remember when I tried to machine wash my goalkeeper gloves the first time out naturally you want to use some older gloves. That way if you mess up the damage is not as severe. That’s not a bad idea, just make sure that you are picking out gloves that are not ripped up. The palm area in latex gloves for example may come apart in the washing machine if you put in gloves that are way too old. Some of those gloves that have a mesh covering may also not be the ideal candidates. Again, just because that mesh can get caught in something. That can cause a whole mess.
If this is going to be the first time that you do it, make sure you avoid those types of gloves that were previously mentioned. With some of the more modern gloves, you don’t even have to worry about some of these problems that I’m pointing out. There’s usually not a lot of loose string flying around. Plus, those new palms are pretty good with washing machines, no big deal. Maybe a glove that I wouldn’t recommend putting in the washing machine are the speed bump palm version in Reusch gloves. I have those, and I’ve always been reluctant to fully wash them. I’m afraid the little bumps are going to smoothen out in the washing. That’s going to lose me a lot of grip for sure!
What Can You Put Your Gloves In With?
Naturally, unless you have a lot of goalkeeper gloves, you’re not going to want to put them in the washing machine on their own. What can you put them in with then? Usually things like socks are perfect. Not too much at stake when you do something like that. If you want to put them in with men’s boxers, you’re also going to be ok. Some more delicate underwear could be a little bit more of a gamble. When it comes to colors, obviously it depends on what type of color your gloves are. Don’t put in the black gloves with your whites!
One quick tip that I had forgotten to mention to this point, not sure why. Is that you should make sure that the wrist straps on your gloves are properly fastened before you put them in the washing machine. I talked about the mesh earlier. What you don’t want is to have the possibility that a part of the glove can end up catching onto something, and you’ll ultimately find yourself in trouble. That’s how some of the tragedies that people who don’t have good experiences putting their gloves in the washing machine start. Again, it wouldn’t make sense to put in a glove that is too worn down. If it has a lot of loose threads on different parts of the glove, then it won’t be an ideal candidate for the wash!
Can You Put Goalkeeper Gloves in the Washing Machine – How Often Should You Be Washing Your Gloves?
This is actually a really good question. If you’re a pro, it can be real easy to just leave your gloves with the equipment staff and get them to wash them out. You can do that after every session. I would say there is a difference between washing and drying here. For example, if you play on a wet field every day for training, then everyday you should be looking into drying your gloves. Without necessarily putting them through a wash cycle. Here are a couple of reasons why. First of all, damp goalkeeper gloves tend to smell awful. Using damp gloves can be uncomfortable as well.
When you have gloves that are too wet on a surface that is dry, it’s easier for the glove to tear when you dive on the surface. You have to be able to differentiate when the gloves need cleaning or just drying. Maybe a daily drying procedure with a weekly deep cleaning could be a good process to follow. Am I saying this because putting goalkeeper gloves through a washing machine diminishes their life span? Not necessarily, but I do think not drying them correctly actually can be more dangerous. Even if you’re not in the habit of drying them after every use, they are more likely to dry on their own when they are not washed. When you wash them daily, and you don’t give them enough time to dry or take the time to make sure they dry out properly, they are more likely to rip on tough fields.
Soap & Fabric Softener In The Washing Machine?
Yes, you should be able to use some of the same elements that you would use with regular clothes. Maybe fabric softener isn’t necessarily something that you want to “waste” on goalkeeper gloves. That’s reasonable on your part. When it comes to soap, you need to make sure that you don’t use too much! Just to make sure that some of that soap doesn’t stay on the gloves. If you’re going to use a lot of soap, make sure that you allow the washing machine to complete the full cycle. A lot of times it can be easy to peek your head in the middle of the cycle to see that the gloves are not all torn up. Since you see that they are relatively clean, you want to take them out.
Taking them out before the cycle ends though could mean that a lot of soap stays on the glove. That’s not necessarily the worst thing in the world. There is a chance though that some of those soap particles can lead to a loss in grip. Particularly if you don’t do a good job in the drying process. All you need to do is be patient and make sure that you allow the full cycle to be able to play out. As was mentioned before, you could throw the gloves in with other garments. To make sure that you take advantage of the wash cycle. If you’re going to put your gloves in the washing machine, do it with confidence.
How Should You Dry Goalkeeper Gloves
There’s actually a full article on this that I’ll link to here. Knowing how to dry your goalkeeper gloves could very well be more important than washing them. You can take them out of the washing machine in good shape, but if you let them dry out in the sun for too long they can begin to harden and then crack. This is going to mean that you’re going to lose all of the grip from your gloves. A clean glove with no grip is certainly not something that you need.
As far as drying techniques go, there are pretty much 3 that you can try. You can hang them out to dry. If you have a lot of time on your hands, this can be a good option. Don’t dry them out in direct sunlight, though, or you know what’s going to happen. The other thing that you can do is throw them in the drying machine when they get done in the washing machine. Most of the same rules that we talked about in the washing process are going to apply here! The other option that you’re going to have is to use a hair dryer. This is the one that requires the most work. It very well could end up being the most effective way to get the job done, though!
Can You Put Goalkeeper Gloves in the Washing Machine – Conclusion
Most goalkeeper gloves are going to be able to go in the washing machine without too much trouble. Remember some of the simple rules though to decide whether or not a pair of gloves are a good candidate for that washing machine or not. If the gloves have some type of mesh or loose threads that you would need to worry about, those may not be the best option for you. If the glove is already too worn down, particularly from the palm area, those gloves may also not do well in the washing machine. Make sure that you put your gloves in with other clothes that maybe aren’t too delicate.
Drying your gloves may be more important than washing! Particularly gloves with very thick palms. Some of the more traditional gloves with thick latex palms fall into this category. If you’re going to let them dry out, make sure that they are in the shade. Never dry them out in direct sunlight. Using a hair dryer could be one of the best ways to dry your goalkeeper gloves. Above all else, don’t be afraid to put your gloves in the washing machine. “Can you put your gloves in the washing machine?” could be a question that is more conditional to your ability than to the gloves themselves. What I mean by that is, you’re probably more likely to get in trouble with your mom, partner, or whoever it may be for using the washing machine for something like this. Then having your gloves tear apart for throwing in the washing machine!
