Have your Mechanix Wear gloves gotten dirty? If it’s time to clean them but you aren’t sure how, and/or you are concerned with shrinking them or damaging the leather, then this guide should help.
The first thing to do is to figure out which gloves you have. Are your Mechanix gloves:
- synthetic leather
- leather
- nitrile
- cowhide
The differences might not seem like a lot but they will affect how you clean your gloves.
The Basic Cleaning Process
For most Mechanix gloves the cleaning process is very simple, you should machine wash your gloves using cold water and normal laundry detergent.
Alternatively you can hand wash your gloves in a sink with cold water and laundry detergent or a mild dishsoap.
All gloves should be hung to dry and not placed in a clothes dryer or any sort of heater, or iron, etc. Air drying them will prevent shrinking. Never use bleach or harsh cleaners with your gloves.
This basics process will be ideal for cotton gloves, leather gloves, and synthetic leather ones. It will also work well for Mechanix’s insulated winter gloves and it’s safe for hi-viz gloves as the cold water won’t affect the color.
Cowhide, Pigskin, and Goatskin Gloves
The one big exception to the above cleaning process happens with Mechanix’s cowhide and similar material gloves. These models have an altogether different cleaning process.
Leather gloves like these should be cleaned with an oil-based saddle soap and minimal water. This will remove most stains and clean the leather quite well. Some water is used to activate the soap and pull out stains, but you should try to minimize the amount of water in order to protect the leather.
That’s it! Cleaning your Mechanix Wear gloves is likely much simpler than you expected.