Gloves are an essential piece of clothing that we need to protect our hands from harsh weather conditions, and hazardous work environments. Many workplaces make gloves a mandatory part of your protective or safety gear.
There are risks involved in some jobs where your hands are vulnerable to several possible injuries. Wearing gloves makes it easier and convenient to complete certain tasks or for that matter even your day-to-day activities.
However, have you ever been in a situation where you have only one pair of gloves and they are wet, so without thinking twice you decide to put them in the microwave to dry them quickly before heading to work.
If you have attempted this, then you probably already know that you should not put your gloves in the microwave to dry them. You will definitely ruin your gloves in this case, or they can catch fire which is even more dangerous.
Some gloves are made from all-natural fibers, which are safe to be put in the microwave for a minute or two but any other material is a big no, no! In this article, I have discussed everything you need to know about caring for your gloves.
What can possibly go wrong if you put your wet gloves in the microwave?
The most important thing here is that a microwave is not a dryer and it is not meant to perform the functions of a dryer. A microwave is used for re-heating your cold leftover food, and for other cooking purposes but not to put your clothing items.
So, here is what you can expect if you do put your gloves in the microwave.
1.) The surface of your gloves will come out hot and not dry because a microwave is mainly a heating device. The moisture of your gloves will be heated up.
2.) Only gloves made of 100% cotton are somewhat suitable for the microwave. Any other material will result in a mess. Fabrics such as polyester or a blend of polyester and cotton, and nylon as well will melt when you put them in the microwave.
3.) If your gloves are made of spandex then putting them in the microwave will catch fire because this fabric is combustible.
4.) Gloves that are made from very delicate materials regardless of being all-natural can also get damaged because they will not respond to the high heat generated by the microwave.
5.) In case your gloves have anything made from metal on them, it will lead to a huge disaster when put in the microwave. Your microwave will be wrecked and may even ruin the circuits of your house.
Instead of trying to expedite the drying process of your gloves by putting them in the microwave, you should simply keep an extra pair. Nobody would want to destroy and waste a perfectly good pair of gloves.
What is the right method to dry wet gloves?
Now that you know how some glove materials are not the right kinds to be put in the microwave as they may ruin them, let me give you a few useful tips on the right method to dry your gloves.
Gloves are also made from different types of materials, and each fabric needs to be dried differently. Take a look at the tips mentioned below.
1.) Gloves made from cotton canvas should not be dried in a dryer or by using a heating device as it will definitely ruin them. Instead, you should let them dry at room temperature or leave them hanging outside to dry naturally.
2.) If you have spandex gloves, then you need to again air dry them naturally. Do not use a dryer or any heating device to dry them as your gloves will shrink.
You need to hang them out instead of laying them on a flat surface because doing so can wreck the original shape and keep them flat forever.
3.) Knit gloves should be laid out on a flat surface for them to dry. You can either dry them out in the sunlight or even room temperature is fine for them. The fabric fibers will get damaged if you try to wring out the gloves so avoid trying to squeeze the water out.
4.) When drying leather gloves, you will have to keep them away from direct sunlight and high temperatures.
You need to leave them to dry naturally at room temperature while they lie flat or even naturally air drying them is alright. While they are getting dried you should stretch them out intermittently using just your hands.
5.) Suede gloves should be laid out flat on a surface and kept to dry naturally.
6.) Dipped Nitrile or Latex, rubber dipped gloves must be left to dry while they lay flat on a surface. If there is excess water in them, you should never attempt to squeeze or ring it out of the gloves.
Instead, press the water out from them by placing them on a flat surface. Doing so will help avoid them from getting twisted and stretched while drying.
Tips to care for your gloves
Caring for your gloves is as important as taking care of your other clothing items. After all, they do protect your hands against the various weather conditions, dirt, grime, and injuries.
You need to keep your gloves clean to take good care of them, so they last you for a long time to come.
1.) If you have cotton canvas gloves you should make it a point to clean them thoroughly after each time you use them as regular exposure to water does not affect them. To avoid shrinking them, you should use cold water and any regular detergent to clean them.
You can either hand wash or put them into your washing machine. Once washed and cleaned perfectly, leave them out to dry naturally or at room temperature instead of throwing them into a dryer, which will shrink them.
2.) If you wear spandex gloves to work, you are in luck because they are quite easy to clean. Do not machine wash them as it may spoil the shape and size of the gloves. So, you should always wash them with your hands using mild detergent and cold water.
Be gentle while scrubbing them to get rid of the dirt, and use cold water to rinse out the soap. Hang them outside to allow them to dry naturally and avoid putting them in a dryer as it will shrink them.
3.) Knit gloves are very versatile and are similar to spandex gloves, hence, you should handle them with extra care to avoid damaging and shrinking them.
To clean them you need to gently hand wash them with cold water and shampoo instead of using laundry detergent as it will be harsh on the fabric.
Once they are cleaned leave them out to dry in sunlight or room temperature by laying the gloves on a flat surface.
4.) Leather gloves are one of the most common and popular kinds to be worn by workers as they are highly durable and provide utmost protection to your hands. However, caring for leather can be a little more taxing than the other fabrics.
In order to remove any kind of dirt from them, you can use a toothbrush or brush with soft bristles or even your fingers to prevent damaging the material.
Then take some saddle soap, which is easily available in the market, and rub some of it on the gloves with a paper towel or clean lint-free cloth.
Remove the soap using a damp cloth and little water, then leave them to dry naturally at room temperature by laying them flat.
5.) If you wear suede gloves to work, you should know that they are the toughest to clean. To clean any kind of dirt from them you should use a towel or your fingers but without any water. For stains that are slightly tougher, rub a rubber pencil eraser on the gloves.
Post this, take some white vinegar and a clean lint-free cloth to wipe the entire glove. Instead of water, you can use suede cleaner, which is easily available. Lay them flat on a surface to allow them to dry naturally.
6.) Dipped Nitrile or Latex, rubber dipped gloves should be cleaned with cold water and some shampoo to get rid of dirt from the cotton part of the gloves.
Use dishwashing detergent and cold water to clean the latex or nitrile part of the gloves and scrub them. After this dry them out flat on a surface without ringing out any excess water from them, as doing so will stretch them out.
Therefore, different types of gloves need to be taken care of differently, so you can wear them for a long time without having to throw them away too soon.
See also: What Is the Best Fabric For Gloves?
Wrapping up
Any kind of clothing should not be experimented with by trying to put them into appliances that are not meant for clothes.
By doing so you are simply inviting disaster and damage not only to your clothes but also to the appliance itself.
Gloves are also a piece of clothing that should be treated with proper care and love if you want to make the most of them for years to come.
All you have to do is follow the basic steps mentioned above depending on the material of your gloves and you are good to go.
