There are many ways to disinfect gloves for non-medical applications.

Cleaning non-medical glove options:

Option 1: Hand Wash

1. Wash the outside of the gloves with an anti-bacterial soap or solution and warm water to remove dirt and debris.

2. Turn the gloves inside out and wash in the same anti-bacterial soap or solution and warm water that was used to wash the outside of the gloves.

3. Rinse the gloves with warm water and hang to dry. Gloves must be completely dry to use for maximum longevity.

Option 2: Hydrogen Rinse

1. Soak gloves in 3%-6% Hydrogen Peroxide for 2-3 hours

2. Rinse in warm water and hang to dry. Gloves must be completely dry to use for maximum longevity.

Visit the CDC's website for more guidance on the Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaning Method.

Option 3: Machine Wash

It may be prudent to use multiple pairs of gloves and alternate them throughout the day until they’re no longer reusable due to visible deterioration. If using leather gloves, please request specific laundering instructions for leather gloves. Fiber options such as HPPE, Dyneema®, cotton, terry cloth, Kevlar, and other string knits that are supported or unsupported can be machine washed using these instructions. Fiber options are not recommended for resistance to bacteria or viruses.

1. Use commercial laundry soap or detergent that does not contain chlorine-based chemicals, bleach, or dry-cleaning solutions. Oxi Clean or equivalent is the preferred detergent to avoid shrinkage of gloves. 

2. Machine wash in warm-hot water up to 194°F. Recommended to wash at 140°F for 15 minutes for optimal results. Gloves should be machine washed at 203°F if coming into contact with food.

3. Rinse in pure cold water up to 194°F. Recommended to rinse at 140°F for 15 minutes for optimal results. Gloves should be rinsed at 203°F when coming into contact with food.

4. Recommended tumble dry at 131°F for 15 minutes for optimal results. Gloves should be placed in a tumble dryer at 140°F if coming into contact with food.

5. Repeat wash and rinse if gloves contain heavy dirt or grease. You may use several pieces of heavy canvas/cotton in the second wash to help remove deep grime from the gloves.

NOTE: warmer temperatures can be used except on HPPE and PVC-based products in which these temperatures are the MAX.

Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.

• Clean and disinfect clothes hampers/holding areas according to standard cleaning operating procedures. If possible, consider placing a bag liner that is either disposable (can be thrown away) or can be laundered.

**MCR Safety makes no guarantees to removing COVID-19 virus using these methods.**

Case Study

MCR Safety helped a customer convert single-use to reusable gloves in part by implementing a sanitizing process. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the warehouse employees at this facility were not wearing any type of hand protection. Once the virus hit they were required to wear disposable gloves for sanitation reasons. However, due to the nature of the application, many employees were going through dozens of pairs of disposables per day from holes and staple punctures. View and download the PDF here to learn how MCR Safety helped this customer resolve this problem at a 70% cost savings!