Eye and hand protection: disposable vs. reusable gear?

I totally get what you’re saying about the sweat smell - my reusables have definitely gotten funky after a few summer projects. I’ve tried the cotton liners too, but then I wonder if I’m just adding more laundry to the pile. Has anyone found a reusable glove that actually holds up after multiple washes, especially if you’re dealing with stuff like roofing tar? Or is it just a lost cause in humid climates? I keep thinking disposables are wasteful, but sometimes they just make life easier...

I hear you on the laundry pile - those cotton liners seem like a good idea until you’re staring at another load of sweaty gear. I’ve been through a bunch of different reusable gloves, especially when I’m crawling around attics or dealing with old roofing materials. Honestly, once tar or heavy adhesives get into the fabric, it’s tough to get them truly clean again, even with the best washing tricks. I’ve tried soaking in vinegar and baking soda, but after a few rounds, the funk just lingers.

In humid weather, it’s even worse. Sometimes I’ll rotate two or three pairs so they have a chance to dry out between uses, but that’s not always practical if you’re working every day. For really nasty jobs - like roofing tar - I usually cave and use disposables, just because it’s not worth ruining another set of gloves. It feels wasteful, but sometimes you’ve got to pick your battles.

If you do stick with reusables, maybe try those nitrile-coated ones - they seem to hold up a bit better and don’t absorb as much sweat or grime. Still, nothing’s perfect, especially in muggy weather. Just gotta do what works for you and not feel too guilty about it.

For really nasty jobs - like roofing tar - I usually cave and use disposables, just because it’s not worth ruining another set of gloves. It feels wasteful, but sometimes you’ve got to pick your battles.

That’s honestly the same conclusion I keep landing on. I’ve tried to be all-in on reusables, but after a couple weeks of attic work in July, those gloves just never smell right again, no matter what I soak them in. Even tried freezing them once (someone swore by it for killing odors), but nope - just ended up with cold, funky gloves.

Nitrile-coated ones are definitely better for sweat, but once you get tar or that black mastic stuff on there, it’s game over. I do wonder if anyone’s found a cleaner that actually breaks down roofing adhesives without wrecking the glove material? Haven’t had much luck so far.

It’s tough to balance the waste thing with just getting through a long day without feeling gross. Honestly, rotating pairs like you said is probably the best compromise, but even then, muggy weather just makes everything harder. No shame in grabbing disposables when you need to - sometimes you’ve just gotta get the job done and move on.

- Totally get the struggle with reusable gloves and attic work - mine always end up smelling like a mix of gym socks and burnt plastic after a week in the summer.
- Tried every trick I’ve heard: vinegar soak, baking soda, even left them out in the sun for days. Still funky.
- For tar and adhesives, I’ve had some luck with citrus-based cleaners, but they tend to eat through the glove coating if you’re not careful. Not sure anything really gets that black mastic out without wrecking the material.
- Disposables feel wasteful, but sometimes it’s just not worth fighting a losing battle. I’ll double-glove if it’s really nasty - nitrile under cheap cotton, then toss the outer layer when it gets gross.
- Rotating pairs helps a bit, but in muggy weather, everything just ends up soggy anyway.
- Honestly, I’d rather burn through a box of disposables than deal with that lingering tar smell on my hands for days. Maybe not eco-friendly, but sanity counts for something...

Honestly, I’d rather burn through a box of disposables than deal with that lingering tar smell on my hands for days. Maybe not eco-friendly, but sanity counts for something...

That’s pretty much where I landed after years of trying to “do the right thing” with reusable gloves. I used to have this one pair of thick rubber gloves I’d break out for attic insulation or crawlspace stuff. No matter what I did - inside out, baking soda, even tried that fancy glove deodorizer spray - they’d still end up smelling like a swamp mixed with melted plastic. My wife banned them from the laundry room after the second summer.

I get the guilt about disposables, but after scraping black mastic off old ductwork last year, I just gave up. That stuff is relentless. I tried the citrus cleaner trick too, and yeah, it softened the gloves so much they tore right at the fingertips. Ended up with sticky hands anyway.

The double-glove method you mentioned is a lifesaver for the really nasty jobs. I’ll do nitrile under those cheap jersey gloves from the hardware store. Once the outer layer gets gross, off it goes, and at least my hands aren’t trashed. Still feels a bit wasteful, but honestly, I’d rather toss a couple pairs than spend half an hour scrubbing tar out from under my nails.

Humidity just makes everything worse. I’m in the southeast, so by July, even the “breathable” gloves are soaked through in minutes. Tried rotating pairs and hanging them up in the garage, but they never really dry out - just get mustier.

I still keep a couple pairs of heavy-duty reusables for yard work or stuff that isn’t so grimy, but for attic or crawlspace jobs? Disposables all the way. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles.

I get the frustration with reusable gloves, especially after a nasty job, but I’m still not fully sold on disposables for everything. I’ve had decent luck with those “chemical resistant” gloves - think they’re butyl or something? - for the worst messes. They’re not perfect, but I just toss them in a bucket with some vinegar and let them air out on the fence. Maybe it’s just beginner’s luck, but they don’t seem as gross as the old yellow kitchen gloves. I do worry about all the trash from disposables piling up, though... Feels like a trade-off either way.

They’re not perfect, but I just toss them in a bucket with some vinegar and let them air out on the fence.

I hear you on the “trade-off.” I’ve tried those thick chemical gloves too, and they definitely handle the ugly stuff better than the thin yellow ones. Ever have issues with them getting stiff or cracking over time, even after cleaning? I’m always torn between saving money and just wanting something that feels clean after a gross job.

Ever have issues with them getting stiff or cracking over time, even after cleaning? I’m always torn between saving money and just wanting something that feels clean after a gross job.

That’s the story of my life every spring after the first big storm rolls through. I’ve got a graveyard of old gloves in the shed - some so stiff you could use them as doorstops. I’ve tried the vinegar soak, the baking soda trick, even left a pair out in the rain once (not on purpose, but hey, science). No matter what, those thick chemical gloves always seem to get that weird crunchy texture after a while. It’s like they’re aging faster than I am.

I get what you mean about wanting something that actually *feels* clean. After dealing with flood muck or insulation gunk, sometimes I just want to torch the gloves and start fresh. But then I remember how much those heavy-duty ones cost... and suddenly I’m back to scrubbing them with dish soap and hoping for the best.

The disposable ones are tempting for nasty jobs - especially when you’re elbow-deep in who-knows-what under a crawlspace. But then you go through a box in a weekend and start feeling guilty about all that waste (and your wallet). Plus, they never fit right for me. Either too tight or they rip as soon as I try to pull them over my knuckles.

Honestly, it’s always a trade-off. For stuff like tar or oil cleanup after a storm, I’ll use the thick gloves and just accept they’ll get trashed eventually. For lighter work, I’ll grab disposables and double up if it’s really gross. Never found the perfect solution - just a lot of “good enough for now” moments.

If anyone ever invents gloves that stay soft, don’t smell like last year’s compost pile, *and* don’t cost an arm and a leg... sign me up. Until then, it’s vinegar buckets and crossed fingers around here.

You’re definitely not alone with the glove graveyard. I’ve got a milk crate full of “retired” pairs that are basically just for show at this point. I keep thinking I’ll find a trick to bring them back, but like you said, they always end up stiff or smelling weird no matter what I try. The vinegar soak helps a little, but never really gets them back to normal.

I hear you on the cost, too. Those heavy-duty gloves aren’t cheap, and it feels wasteful tossing them after just a few nasty jobs. But I’ve also burned through boxes of disposables in a weekend and felt just as bad about the waste (and the fit - why are they always so tight in the fingers?).

Honestly, I think you’ve got the right idea - just do what works for the job and don’t stress too much about finding the “perfect” glove. Sometimes good enough is all we get. At least we’re not alone in the struggle...

Honestly, I think you’ve got the right idea - just do what works for the job and don’t stress too much about finding the “perfect” glove. Sometimes good enough is all we get.

That’s pretty much how I approach it too. I’ve tried every trick to revive old gloves - baking soda, sun-drying, even that weird freezer method - but nothing really brings them back once they’re stiff or funky. At this point, I just keep a couple of decent pairs for the rough jobs and don’t feel too bad when they finally bite the dust. Disposable gloves are a pain for fit, but sometimes you just need something clean and quick. It’s all about matching the glove to the mess, not chasing some mythical perfect pair.

You nailed it - sometimes you just have to accept that gloves have a lifespan, and no amount of creative cleaning is going to make them feel new again. I’ve tried soaking, scrubbing, even a vinegar rinse (which just made them smell like salad dressing). At this point, I keep a “good enough” pair for the quick stuff and a heavier-duty set for crawlspaces or attic work.

I used to get hung up on finding the right glove for every job, but honestly, it’s more about being practical. Like you said, disposables are awkward sometimes, but when I’m dealing with insulation or something gross under a sink, I’d rather toss them than try to salvage a pair that’s seen better days.

Funny thing is, the only gloves I’ve ever really gotten attached to were these old leather ones my dad gave me. They finally fell apart last year... kind of felt like the end of an era. But hey, hands are protected and that’s what matters most.

I get the nostalgia around a good pair of leather gloves - had a set I wore through two hurricanes and a couple of gnarly tree removals. But honestly, after enough exposure to insulation dust or black mold in crawlspaces, I’ve stopped getting sentimental. Disposables just make sense for the gross stuff, even if they’re not comfortable and you burn through them fast. Heavy-duty reusables have their place, but once they start cracking or holding onto that musty odor, it’s time to let go. No glove lasts forever, no matter how much you try to rehab it.

No glove lasts forever, no matter how much you try to rehab it.

That’s the truth. I used to swear by my thick nitrile reusables for demo work - felt like armor until they started smelling like a wet basement. For anything involving mold or insulation, I just grab a box of disposables and don’t look back. The trick is knowing when to swap out: if you’re hesitating because “they’re still good,” they probably aren’t. Learned that the hard way after a fiberglass rash...

I hear you on the smell - mine always end up with that weird funk after a few heavy projects. I’m curious, though: for stuff like painting or staining, do you still go disposable, or do you have a set of reusables just for that? I always wonder if I’m overthinking it, but I hate wasting gloves if I don’t have to...

I've gone back and forth on this, honestly. Early on, I’d just grab a box of disposables from the hardware store - cheap nitrile ones, usually - and use those for basically everything: painting, staining, cleaning gutters, whatever. But after a few times of getting halfway through a project and realizing my gloves had tiny holes (and then spending an hour scrubbing paint off my hands), I started rethinking things.

Now I keep two sets: one box of disposables for really messy stuff or anything with solvents, and then a couple pairs of those thicker reusable rubber gloves just for painting and staining. The trick for me has been keeping them separate - once I’ve used a pair for stain or oil-based paint, they’re dedicated to that forever. Even with a good wash, the smell never totally goes away... plus, I don’t want to risk cross-contamination if I’m switching between water-based and oil-based products.

Funny thing is, the reusables actually last longer than I expected if you rinse them right after use and hang them up to dry inside out. They still get that weird funk after a while (especially if I forget to dry them properly), but at least I’m not burning through boxes of disposables every month.

I do wonder sometimes if it’s more trouble than it’s worth - like am I really saving money or just making more work for myself? But it feels less wasteful. Have you ever tried those “chemical resistant” gloves they sell in the paint aisle? Supposedly they hold up better against solvents but I’ve never been sure if they’re worth the extra cost or if it’s just marketing.

- I’ve tried those “chemical resistant” gloves - they’re way thicker and honestly do hold up better with solvents, but they’re kinda clunky for detail work.
- For roofing, I mostly stick to nitrile disposables unless I’m dealing with tar or adhesives, then the heavy-duty ones come out.
- Agree on the smell - once a glove gets that oil-based funk, it’s never the same.
- I don’t think the extra cost is all hype, but unless you’re doing heavy solvent work all the time, regular reusables seem fine.
- Drying them inside out is a game changer... learned that the hard way after a moldy surprise.

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Drying them inside out is a game changer... learned that the hard way after a moldy surprise.

Kinda wish there was a glove that was both nimble and bomb-proof, but haven’t found it yet.

Honestly, same here. I’ve tried a bunch - those “cut-resistant” ones are decent for grip but the second you get into tar or adhesives, they’re toast. Disposables are fine for quick stuff, but I always end up double-gloving when things get messy. Reusables just seem to collect that weird smell no matter how careful I am. Maybe it’s just the nature of roofing... nothing stays clean for long.

Is there actually a glove out there that doesn’t end up smelling like a gym bag after a week? I’m with you - those “cut-resistant” ones are great until you get into anything sticky or oily, then it’s like they just soak it up and never let go. I’ve tried rinsing them, hanging them up, even tossing them in the wash (not sure that helped). Still end up with that weird funk.

For me, disposables are a mixed bag. They’re handy for quick checks or when I’m poking around insulation, but if I’m crawling through an attic or dealing with anything sharp, I just don’t trust them. Double-gloving helps, but then I lose all sense of touch... which is kind of the whole point of gloves, right?

Is there some magic cleaning trick I’m missing, or is glove funk just part of the job? And does anyone actually find a reusable pair that lasts more than a month before the fingertips start to go? Maybe it’s just one of those things we have to live with, like mystery stains on work pants...

I’ll admit, glove funk is a universal truth, but I’ve actually had better luck with some of the newer nitrile-coated gloves. They’re not perfect - nothing is when you’re elbow-deep in roof tar - but they seem to rinse out easier and dry faster than the old-school cut-resistant ones. I’m not convinced disposables are always a downgrade for sharp stuff, either. If you double up with a snug fit, you get more dexterity than you’d think, and you can just toss ‘em when they get gross. Still, nothing’s survived more than a month for me, either... maybe it’s just the price of admission.