How to Wash Gloves and Mittens: By Material (Wool, Leather, Fleece)

Gloves and mittens accumulate sweat, oils, and grime faster than most people realize — especially winter gloves worn daily. The right washing method depends entirely on the material. Treat leather like wool and it'll crack; treat waterproof gloves like fleece and you'll strip the water-resistant coating. This guide covers care by material type.

Wool and Knit Mittens/Gloves

Wool is the highest-maintenance material but produces the warmest, most durable mittens when cared for correctly.

How to Wash

1. Fill a basin with cool water (max 30°C). Add a small amount of wool or delicate detergent.
2. Submerge the mittens and gently swish — don't rub or wring.
3. Soak for 5–10 minutes.
4. Rinse thoroughly in cool water until no suds remain.
5. Gently press (do not wring) to remove excess water.
6. Roll in a clean towel and press firmly to extract more moisture.
7. Lay flat to dry, reshaping to original dimensions while damp.

Never: use hot water (shrinks wool), put in the dryer (causes felting), or rub vigorously (causes pilling and damage to fibers).

Frequency: Wash at the end of each season, or when visibly soiled or odorous. Airing out after wear reduces how often they need washing.

Fleece Gloves and Mittens

Fleece is one of the easiest materials to care for and tolerates machine washing well.

How to Wash

1. Machine wash on a gentle or synthetics cycle in cold water.
2. Use a small amount of regular or gentle laundry detergent. Avoid fabric softener — it coats the fibers and reduces insulation effectiveness.
3. Tumble dry on low heat or air dry. Avoid high heat, which can mat the pile.

Note on microplastics: Fleece sheds microplastic fibers during washing. Using a Guppyfriend wash bag or a Cora Ball captures much of this before it enters the water system.

Leather Gloves

Leather requires the most careful handling. Submersion in water causes irreversible damage — stiffening, cracking, and loss of shape.

How to Clean

• For light soil: Wipe with a clean, barely damp cloth. Allow to air dry naturally.
• For stains: Use a leather cleaner or a tiny amount of saddle soap on a damp cloth. Apply very sparingly; avoid soaking the leather.
• After cleaning: Apply leather conditioner to restore flexibility and prevent cracking.
• Store flat or stuffed with tissue paper to maintain shape.

Never: Machine wash, hand wash by submerging, use alcohol-based cleaners, dry with direct heat (radiator, dryer), or use regular laundry detergent.

Lined leather gloves: If the lining is removable, you can sometimes hand wash the lining separately. Non-removable linings should be spot-cleaned only or taken to a specialist cleaner.

Waterproof and Ski Gloves

Ski, cycling, and waterproof outdoor gloves often have a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) treatment on the outer shell. This coating can be maintained with proper care.

How to Wash

1. Turn gloves inside out if the lining is the main soiled part; right side out for exterior soil.
2. Machine wash on a gentle cycle with cold water.
3. Use a technical outerwear cleaner (Nikwax, Grangers) if available — they clean without stripping DWR coating. Avoid standard detergent if possible; it degrades the water-repellency over time.
4. Rinse thoroughly.
5. Tumble dry on low heat OR use a heated airer. Gentle heat helps reactivate the DWR coating after washing.
6. If water is no longer beading on the outer fabric after washing and drying, apply a DWR spray (Nikwax TX.Direct Spray, Grangers Performance Repel) and allow to dry.

Cotton, Jersey, and Liner Gloves

Basic cotton gloves, jersey work gloves, and thin liner gloves are the easiest to care for.

How to Wash

• Machine wash on a normal or cotton cycle in warm water (40°C).
• Use regular laundry detergent.
• Tumble dry on medium heat or air dry.
• For white cotton gloves with yellowing, add a small amount of oxygen bleach (OxiClean) to the wash.

Rubber and Household Cleaning Gloves

Dishwashing and cleaning gloves need regular cleaning to avoid internal odor and bacteria.

• Rinse inside and out under running water after each use.
• Periodically wash with dish soap inside and out, then rinse.
• Turn inside out and hang to dry thoroughly — trapped moisture causes odor.
• Replace when the rubber develops holes or cracks, as they no longer protect effectively.

How Often to Wash Gloves and Mittens

Type	Wash Frequency
Wool/knit mittens (outdoor wear)	1–2 times per season, or when soiled
Fleece gloves (daily wear)	Every 2–4 weeks during active use
Leather gloves	Condition every 1–2 months; clean only when soiled
Ski/waterproof gloves	End of season; more often if worn heavily
Cotton/jersey work gloves	Weekly or when visibly soiled
Rubber cleaning gloves	Rinse after every use; wash weekly

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put mittens in the dryer?

Wool and knit mittens should never go in the dryer — always flat dry. Fleece mittens can go in the dryer on low heat. Waterproof gloves can go on low heat to help reactivate DWR. Leather never goes in the dryer.

How do I deodorize gloves without washing them?

Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda inside the gloves, leave overnight, then shake out. For a quick refresh, spritz with diluted white vinegar, allow to air dry. UV light (sunlight) also kills odor-causing bacteria effectively.

My knit mittens felted in the wash — can I fix them?

Felted wool cannot be fully reversed. You can try the conditioner soak and stretch method (similar to stretching a shrunken sweater), which may loosen the fibers slightly, but severe felting is generally not fixable.

Recommended Products (Affiliate)

• Laundry Detergent Pods
• Mesh Laundry Bags
• OxiClean Stain Remover
• Wool Dryer Balls

Conclusion

Matching care method to material is the only rule you need for gloves and mittens. Wool needs cool hand washing and flat drying; fleece tolerates the machine; leather needs conditioning not water; waterproof gloves need DWR treatment after washing. Get the material right and your gloves will last for seasons.

Related: washing wool garments and cleaning winter gear before storage.