If you have to change your dishwashing gloves every week because they are getting sticky, then it looks like there is something that you’re doing wrong.
It is completely normal for gloves to become sticky over time as they get exposed to hot water and oils. But if you have to change your pairs more often than once every month, then the chances are high that you’re not keeping the gloves clean and dry. Furthermore, you might not be storing them correctly.
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Below you will find out what’s the right way to clean your dishwashing gloves and where you should store them.
Why Are My Dishwashing Mitts Getting Sticky?
Any pair of dishwashing gloves that are made of rubber or latex will eventually become sticky. In fact, the gloves might even start to melt over time.
Here are 4 main reasons for that:
- Exposure to oils and grease
You are most certainly using gloves to wash the dishes from grease. The oils that the gloves pick up get lodged in the material’s tiny pores and make the cells of the rubber become swollen and brittle. Over time, these oils will cause the material to break down, and this, in its turn, will make the gloves sticky.
- Exposure to hot water
It is completely normal to use hot water when washing dishes as cold water simply won’t be able to get rid of all the dirt and grease. Unfortunately, high temperatures can also cause your dishwashing gloves to melt and become sticky.
- Aging
With time, your dishwashing gloves will inevitably start to degrade. That is because the material that the gloves are made of is prone to oxidation. If the gloves are exposed to oxygen (which they certainly are if they’re lying around in your kitchen), the number of polar groups in the material will increase, and this is what will make the gloves sticky.
Though natural rubber gloves have a shelf-life of around 3 years, you might end up throwing the pair away in only a week or two, after they get exposed to oxygen, hot water, and grease.
- Exposure to various environmental conditions
Rubber gloves will deteriorate at a faster rate if they get exposed to heat and UV light. If you tend to leave your pair close the window or heating sources, the material will become sticky in no time.
How to Keep Dishwashing Gloves Clean?
As the gloves will get exposed to hot water, grease, and various detergents in any case, you can’t really eliminate these factors. But even though the pair with eventually degrade and become sticky, you can increase the lifespan of the gloves by taking proper care of them.
Make sure to follow this step-by-step guide once you’re done washing the dishes:
- With the gloves on, wash them as if you are washing your own hands. You can use regular soap and warm water for that (avoid harsh chemicals as they will damage the gloves). Thoroughly wash the whole surface of the gloves, including the areas between the fingers.
- Rinse the soap off with warm water and dry the gloves with a towel.
- Now that the outside of the pair is clean, you would want to take care of the inside as well. Turn the gloves inside out. Before you put them on, make sure to wash and dry your hands.
- Put the dishwashing gloves on again and repeat steps 1-2.
- Once the gloves are dry, you can sprinkle the inside and outside with talcum powder. This will help make the pair less sticky even if you’re already experiencing such an issue. If you don’t want to use talcum powder, you can always opt for baking soda or cornstarch.
If your dishwashing gloves are extremely smelly and you’re not ready to throw them away yet, then clean the outside of the gloves, turn them inside out, and place the pair in a mixture of water, baking soda, and soap. Leave the gloves to soak in the water for around 3 hours (ensure that the water is not hot).
This should help get rid of the smell. However, your gloves won’t develop an unpleasant odor in the first place if you follow the instructions given above every time you’re done washing the dishes.
Can I Wash Dishes Without Gloves? What Will Happen?
You can certainly wash the dishes without putting your gloves on.
However, putting a pair of rubber gloves on before you begin scrubbing will help you achieve quite a few benefits.
- Gloves provide a better grip
All your cups and dishes can easily become way too slippery when you are using dish detergent. If you’re wearing gloves, the chances of you dropping something would drastically decrease as the pair will provide a better grip.
Gloves can also help protect you from cuts if there are a few shards of glass that you need to take care of. Just make sure to check the pair after cleaning up the mess – if the pair got cut, you would have to use a new one.
- Gloves help protect your skin and nails
Read more : How To Choose The Best Disposable Gloves For Your Job
Chemicals and hot water can easily damage your skin and nails. The people who prefer not to wear gloves when doing their dishes usually have to deal with dry and irritated skin and weak brittle nails.
It would be a lot easier to keep your skin soft and your nails strong, if you put on a pair of gloves when doing your dishes. This extra step will also protect your manicure.
- It is more pleasant to clean with gloves on
Sometimes, you have to deal with nasty spills and gross meat chunks that are stuck to the pan. If you’re not wearing gloves, the chances are high that you’ll end up not cleaning the kitchenware as thoroughly, just because you feel disgusted and want to get over with it.
Furthermore, without a pair, you might have to deal with bits of food stuck under your nails which is an incredibly unpleasant experience on its own.
How to Store Dishwashing Gloves
If you manage to store your dishwashing gloves correctly, they will not become sticky for quite a while and you might be able to continue using the pair for months.
You shouldn’t leave the gloves soaking wet as the moisture will cause damage to the material that the gloves are made of. You should also not keep the pair under direct sunlight or next to heating sources as the gloves might end up melting and becoming sticky.
Ideally, you would want to place the gloves in a cool place after they had a chance to fully dry. A lot of people prefer to keep them under the sink. You can get a hook with clips and attach your pair with the clips, so they don’t get deformed.
You would also want to make sure that there are no sharp objects next to the gloves as they can easily get punctured.
Final Thoughts
Even though any dishwashing gloves will become sticky over time, you can drastically extend the lifespan of the pair by taking proper care of it.
Simply remember to clean and dry the gloves after you’re done washing the dishes and keep the pairs away from heating sources, moisture, and UV light when you don’t need them.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: HOW
