I hear you on the weird glove smell—sometimes it’s like the funk just sets up camp and refuses to leave. I’ve had better luck with the heavier nitrile-coated fabric gloves, but only if I wash them in cold water and let them air dry. Hot water seems to make them stiff and shrink a bit, especially the cheaper ones. For the smell, a splash of vinegar in the wash helps, but honestly, once they get that deep stink, I usually just toss ’em. Disposable nitriles are a pain on shingles—one wrong move and you’re fingerless.
That glove funk is no joke. I’ve tried every trick under the sun—baking soda, vinegar, even leaving them out in the sun for a day or two. Sometimes it helps, sometimes they just end up smelling like a weird salad. I’ve had the same issue with hot water making them stiff as cardboard. Cold wash and air dry seems to be the sweet spot, like you said.
For hand protection, I’ve found reusable nitrile-coated gloves last me a few months if I’m not too rough on them. They’re not perfect for everything, though. If I’m crawling around attics or dealing with insulation, I’ll grab disposables since they’re less bulky and I don’t care if they get trashed. But yeah, shingles will eat right through those in a heartbeat.
One thing that’s helped me is keeping a couple pairs in rotation so one set always has time to dry out completely. That seems to cut down on the stink and they last longer before getting that “perma-funk.” Not a perfect system but better than tossing ‘em every week...
I hear you on the glove funk—nothing like pulling on a pair that smells like a compost bin. I’ve tried all the “miracle” fixes too, but honestly, once that smell sets in, it’s tough to get rid of it completely. Rotating pairs definitely helps, but I still end up tossing them sooner than I’d like.
Reusable nitrile gloves are my go-to for most jobs, but I’ll admit, they’re not always up to the task. I’ve had a few pairs shredded by rough shingles or torn open crawling under old decking. Disposables are handy for quick, dirty jobs, but the waste bugs me. I’m always thinking about how many end up in the landfill after a busy week.
Has anyone found a reusable glove that actually holds up to roofing work long-term? Or is it just wishful thinking? I’d love to ditch disposables altogether, but I haven’t found anything that lasts more than a couple months before they’re toast. Maybe there’s something out there I’m missing...
Reusable nitrile gloves are my go-to for most jobs, but I’ll admit, they’re not always up to the task. I’ve had a few pairs shredded by rough shingles or torn open crawling under old decking.
Yeah, I’m right there with you. I started out thinking one good pair would last me through all the gross stuff, but after a couple weekends cleaning gutters and scraping paint, I realized those “reusable” gloves are more like “semi-disposable.” I tried a pair of those thicker rubber-coated ones from the hardware store—felt pretty sturdy at first, but the fingertips started wearing through after a month or two of yard work and patching up the shed roof. Maybe I’m just too rough on them?
The glove funk is real, too. I tried leaving them out in the sun to air out, but then they just got stiff and weird-smelling. I hate tossing them, but sometimes it’s just not worth trying to save a pair that’s gone full swamp.
I’d love to find something that lasts longer and doesn’t end up in the trash so fast. Haven’t cracked the code yet, though. If there’s a glove out there that can survive both roofing and my sweaty hands, I haven’t met it.
You’re not alone—those “reusable” gloves rarely last as long as I hope, either. I’ve tried a bunch of different brands and thicknesses, but between rough lumber and roofing grit, they all seem to give out eventually. One thing that’s helped me a bit is rotating two or three pairs and letting them dry out fully between uses (not in direct sun, just somewhere airy). Still, nothing’s truly indestructible. Sometimes it feels like the best you can do is stretch their life a little and accept that some jobs just eat gloves for breakfast. At least you’re getting your money’s worth out of them before they go swampy...