How to Clean Soccer Goalie Gloves

While not essential, special soccer gloves can help a goalie when he is trying to deflect an oncoming shot or secure the ball. Because soccer can be played in practically any kind of weather, these gloves can get very dirty in a hurry. Sweat, dirt and mud can fill the outside and inside of these gloves after one day. It's not a good idea to simply throw these gloves into your washing machine; you don't want to ruin them. Here is how to clean soccer goalie gloves.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Goalie Glove Wash
• Old Toothbrush/Small Scrubber

1. Begin by purchasing goalie glove wash at your local soccer shop. Regular detergents can harm the integrity of the glove. These goalie glove soaps are made without the harsh chemicals found in regular detergents. The goalie glove wash both washes the gloves and removes odors. If you can't find this product at a local store, you can order it from an online marketplace.

2. Fill your sink with lukewarm to hot water. The exact temperature of the water will be determined by your tolerance to hot and cold, as you will be washing the gloves by hand and not in a machine.

3. Add the goalie glove wash to the water. Exactly how much you add will be determined by the directions found on the side of the bottle. Remember that you don't need to add any more than what is indicated in the instructions.

4. Soak the gloves in the water for roughly 30 minutes. Then, turn the gloves inside-out and let them soak for about the same amount of time.

5. Empty your sink completely, as it will be full of dingy, dirty water. Refill the sink with the lukewarm water and goalie glove wash.

6. Using an old toothbrush or a small, gentle scrubber, begin cleaning the inside of the goalie gloves by thoroughly scrubbing all areas. Obviously, you'll want to specifically concentrate on any areas covered in sweat or dirt stains.

7. Turn the gloves back to their original form and scrub the outside of the gloves with the toothbrush or scrubber. You will probably have to use a little more force when doing this as the outside of the goalie gloves will usually be dirtier than the inside.

8. Hang the gloves somewhere inside your home to let them dry. Depending on what type of goalie glove you own, you can probably set them in a dryer and place two dryer sheets inside the gloves to help eliminate odors. However, the safest bet is to let them air-dry in your home. When hanging them, remember to not place the gloves in direct sunlight as this can damage the gloves. Let them hang at room temperature. You can even place a fan in front of the gloves to speed the process.

Tips & Warnings

• Add baking soda to the water and goalie glove wash to help eliminate odors. You should need no more than one-fourth cup of baking soda to remove any odors.
• Wash your goalie gloves about once every three uses. You may have to wash them more at times, depending on how dirty the gloves get.
• Remember to take your time when scrubbing the gloves to make sure that you get them as clean as possible. This could take both some time and effort. It will be worth the work, though, as cleaning them using this method will keep the gloves in much better condition than if you washed them as you do your other clothes.

Resources

• Reusch Glove Wash

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[goalkeeper]

on 5/11/2009 I been washing my gloves for around 7 years now And this is how I do itFirst of all I fill up my bath tub quarter of the way with warm water. I then get washing machine powder that you clean your clothes with and sprinkle quite alot in the bath and mix it till it goes bubbly EST.I then drop my gloves in and mix them around for a 1 min and then come back 15mins later.After that I then put the gloves on while there wet and dip them in and out and rub the gloves together whilst in the water for about 5-10mins until I�m happy that they are clean enough and smell fresh.After I done this I then run cold water from the tap and make sure the water rinses all the powder fully and I then squeeze the gloves so water gets out but not damaging the latex.You should then leave them outside so they air dry and it should take about 24 hours.Make sure you put them under a chair or something for shelte...