OK, let’s talk about washing these darn gloves. I’ve got a bunch of different pairs, some cotton, some polyester, and even a pair of wool ones that my grandma knitted for me. They get pretty grimy, especially after a weekend of gardening or fixing up the old bike. I used to just toss them, but then I realized that some of them could probably be saved with a good wash.
So, I decided to figure out how to clean these things properly. First, I sorted the gloves by material. I figured that cotton and polyester could probably handle a rougher wash than the wool ones. I mean I don’t want to destroy those wool gloves my grandma made, you know?
- Cotton gloves – These are the workhorses. I use them for everything from gardening to cleaning the garage.
- Polyester gloves – These are a bit lighter and I use them when I am out and about in the city.
- Wool gloves – My precious, hand-knitted gloves. Need to treat these with extra care.
After sorting, I knocked off any loose dirt or debris. I just banged them against each other outside to get rid of the big chunks. No point in clogging up the washing machine with that stuff, right?
The Wash
For the cotton and polyester ones, I chucked them into the washing machine. I used regular detergent and warm water. Nothing fancy. I figured if they can handle getting dirty, they can handle a bit of a tumble in the machine. But I set the machine to a gentle cycle, just to be safe. The wool gloves, though, those I washed by hand. I filled the sink with lukewarm water, added a bit of mild soap, and gently swished them around. No harsh scrubbing or anything like that. And I rinsed with cold water a few times to make sure all the soap was out of it.
Extra for Bad Stains
Now, a couple of the cotton gloves had some pretty stubborn stains, I think it was oil or grease from the bike chain. For those, I made a paste of baking soda and water and rubbed it into the stains before tossing them into the wash. I’ve also heard that vinegar works, but I didn’t have any on hand, and baking soda is what my mom always used, so that is what I know. But I think it did the trick since the stains seemed to fade a bit after the wash.
Drying Time
After washing, I laid all the gloves flat to dry. I didn’t want to risk shrinking them in the dryer, especially the wool ones. I put them on a clean towel, away from direct sunlight. Took a bit of time, but hey, better safe than sorry.
And that’s it! Most of the gloves came out looking pretty good. The cotton and polyester ones looked almost new. The wool gloves were nice and clean, and they didn’t shrink or anything. I’m pretty happy with how this little experiment turned out. Now I don’t have to throw away gloves just because they’re a bit dirty. I can just give them a good wash and they’re good to go again. Pretty neat, huh?
