One of the most common concerns regarding work gloves is that they don’t last long enough. The responses differ. Sometimes it’s only a day, and sometimes it’s three weeks.
If your glove is wearing out on a daily basis, you’re possibly using the wrong gloves for the job. The longevity of a work glove all depends on the type of work you do and how frequently you wear them – choosing the right glove for the job can make a huge difference.
How often and well you clean and maintain your work gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) is also a big factor in how long they will last.
Wear and tear are the most obvious indications that it is time to replace your gloves!
To mow the grass or pick up brush around the house, you can get away with wearing an old pair of split-fitter (leather palm) gloves. However, when the dangers pile up and you’re working for extended periods of time, a glove full of holes just won’t cut it.
Before each job, you should inspect your PPE for any wear and tear or damage from previous use. This is the best method to ensuring your gloves are up for the task at hand, to protect you against wounds, punctures, chemical burns, and other threats.
Cleaning and Maintenance
You wouldn’t wear the same work shirt for three weeks without washing it, so why would you do the same with your gloves?
Most knit gloves are machine washable, making it easy to chuck them in with the rest of your work clothes. Others require a bit more care…
Cotton/Knit Gloves: Once you rinse off any dirt, these gloves can be machine washed – just don’t put your knit gloves in the dryer as they can shrink and become misshapen!
Leather Gloves: It’s best to wash leather work gloves in cold water and saddle soap and dry flat in the shade. Don’t wring them out as this can misshapen them. You can also massage the gloves often while drying to keep the leather from stiffening up. When they’re not in use, store them in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.
Rubber, Nitrile, Neoprene and PVC: These gloves can be washed in the sink while still on your hands, just using normal hand soap or detergent. If chemicals have been handled, you may need a special soap to remove any residue. You can then remove the gloves and wash your hands. Hang these gloves up to drip dry and store them in a dry place to prevent mould.
It is also safe to wash heat-resistant gloves and chemical resistant gloves – washing (if done correctly) does not effect the level of protection from heat and chemicals.
Single-use versus multi-use gloves:
If you work with biological materials, you already know that disposing gloves correctly after one use is standard procedure. You should not be trying to clean your disposable gloves – this will not extend their longevity. This is the same for using disposable gloves in food service and janitorial industries. Disposable gloves are made from single-use materials, and are not tough enough to endure sanitising/cleaning processes.
Look after your gloves!
Work gloves can only perform well if they’re kept in good shape. For protection from severe temperatures (hot OR cold), a worn out glove full of holes is not going to protect your skin. This is also true for damage to cut-resistant, puncture-resistant, chemical-resistant gloves or any other sorts of gloves required to execute your job safely.
Each gloves is unique and there is no guaranteed time frame for a particular glove to last. Check your gloves for damage regularly and launder them as needed. And when it comes time to replace them, Lynn River has the glove for you!