- Totally get the frustration with disposable gloves piling up—after a big turnover or maintenance blitz, the trash bags are half full of them.
- I switched to reusable nitrile ones for most jobs. Honestly, they're a pain to wash, but I just toss them in with the rags and call it a day.
- Noticed fewer hand rashes since making the change. The disposables would always split when I was elbow-deep in something gross, which was...not ideal.
- Only time I still use disposables is for really nasty stuff (think: sewer backups). Otherwise, the reusables seem to last months if I don’t lose them.
- One downside: they’re bulkier, so not great for fiddly repairs. But for hauling junk, painting, or yard work, I’m all in.
- The landfill thing bugs me too—feels good knowing I’m cutting down on that, even if it’s just a little.
- Curious if anyone’s found a good way to keep reusables from smelling funky after a while... mine get pretty ripe.
Curious if anyone’s found a good way to keep reusables from smelling funky after a while... mine get pretty ripe.
I hear you on the smell—mine got so bad last summer I started storing them outside in the sun for a bit, which helped a little. Once, I tried soaking them in vinegar water overnight and that seemed to knock out most of the funk, but it left a weird after-smell for a day or two. Anyone tried tossing them in the dishwasher? I’ve always wondered if that’d wreck them or actually help.
On another note, I still can’t get used to how thick some of the reusable gloves are for electrical work. Ever find a thinner pair that holds up, or is it just a tradeoff?
Anyone tried tossing them in the dishwasher? I’ve always wondered if that’d wreck them or actually help.
Tried the dishwasher once—didn’t totally ruin them, but the heat warped the cuffs a bit. Not sure it’s worth the risk unless you’re desperate. About the glove thickness, I’ve never found a thin pair that lasts more than a few weeks. Always feels like a compromise between dexterity and durability, especially when you’re sweating buckets in the summer. Anyone else notice the “breathable” ones still get gross?
Always feels like a compromise between dexterity and durability, especially when you’re sweating buckets in the summer.
Honestly, I’ve had better luck just rinsing my gloves out in the sink and letting them air dry. Dishwasher felt like overkill, and mine ended up smelling weird after. As for the “breathable” ones, I hear you—they still get swampy if you’re working outside in July. I tried those thin nitrile-coated ones and they lasted longer than I expected, but yeah, nothing’s perfect. Sometimes I just rotate between two pairs so one’s always drying out.
Yeah, I get what you mean about the “breathable” gloves still turning into mini saunas in the summer. I’ve tried a bunch of different brands and honestly, nothing’s really solved that sweaty hands problem for me either. Rotating pairs is smart though—I do the same, just toss one on the line while I use the other. Sometimes I’ll even stick a little fan by them to speed things up. It’s not perfect, but at least it keeps ‘em from getting too gross.