How to Clean MMA Equipment

Disinfecting Your Gloves

Wipe the exterior of the gloves with a disinfectant wipe or spray. Take a wipe or spray a paper towel with disinfectant. Rub the entire exterior of each glove, making sure to get every surface. Remember to get all the creases in the gloves, where bacteria could be hiding. The thumb curve, for example, is a spot that’s often missed. Use a fresh wipe for each glove. This works for both boxing gloves and open-finger MMA gloves. Gloves and other equipment are usually made out of plastic or synthetic leather, so disinfectant spray won’t damage them. If your gloves are real leather, you can clean them with a saline solution to avoid damaging them. A vinegar and water solution is a common natural cleaner for people who don't want to use chemicals. Vinegar is useful for removing stains and smells, but it isn't a disinfectant and won't kill most bacteria. It is still useful for removing smells, so if an odor builds up in your gloves, spray a 1:1 vinegar to water mixture inside and let it absorb the smell.

Undo all the hook-and-loop fastener straps and wipe them as well. Bacteria can also hide under the straps on your gloves. Undo the straps and wipe the hook-and-loop fastener parts. Then wipe any spots on the strap that you couldn’t reach while it was closed. Since it’s tough to wipe hook-and-loop fastener, you might find it easier to spray the straps with disinfectant instead.

Insert a different wipe into each glove to clean the interior. Don’t use the same wipe for the inside and outside of your gloves or you’ll cause cross-contamination. Take a fresh wipe and press it inside the glove. Rub it around to cover the inside surface. Then use a fresh wipe for the other glove. If you have open-finger MMA gloves, then cleaning the interior is much easier. You can insert the wipe around the palm area. If you’re using spray instead of wipes, open the gloves as much as you can and squeeze a good spray inside. Then use a paper towel to wipe the interior.

Let the gloves air-dry. Don’t throw your gloves in a bag as soon as you clean them. Leave them in an open area to dry out. This prevents an odor from building up. The gloves should be dry within an hour. However, it's best to store them in an open area at all times, even after they dry, so no smells build up. Some professionals use a boot dryer for their gloves to dry the interior. This is probably not necessary if you’re an amateur, but if you do a lot of sparring then it might be a good investment.

Wash your gloves after every use to prevent bacteria from growing. Even a single training session introduces sweat and millions of bacteria into your gloves. Stay consistent and wash them after every use. This might take a bit of time, but your gloves will last much longer without stinking and you'll protect yourself from dangerous infections.

Cleaning Shin Guards and Body Pads

Wipe the sweat off your shin guards, headgear, and sparring pads. In addition to gloves, many MMA fighters use shin guards, headgear, elbow or knee pads, and chest protectors. These all collect bacteria and sweat as well, so clean them after every use too. Start by wiping off all the sweat on them with a dry towel. Remove all the moisture you can. You can also use this same method to clean off training pads for practice. They get very dirty too and people often forget to wash them.

Scrub every external surface with a disinfectant wipe. Use a fresh wipe for each piece of equipment to avoid cross-contamination. Wipe down all the spots that you can reach, even if they don’t look dirty or smell. Don't miss the surfaces on your headgear that touch your face. It’s easy to get an infection from contaminated headgear.

Undo all of the straps and wipe underneath them. Bacteria and sweat can hide underneath the straps on your gear, so clean these areas thoroughly as well. Undo any hook-and-loop fastener or clips and wipe down the entire strap. Remember to get underneath the handles on practice pads. These may or may not unhook, so you might have to tuck a wipe into the open section.

Dry your gear before storing it to prevent odor and bacteria growth. Either leave your gear out to air-dry, or wipe it down with a clean, dry rag. Then store it in a ventilated area to prevent odors from building up. You could also use a hairdryer on a cool setting to dry off your gear faster.

Washing Your Uniform and Other Fabrics

Check the care label on uniforms, shorts, and other fabrics. Most fabric materials are machine-washable, but double-check on the care label. As long as the label says it’s safe, you can put all your fabric gear in the washing machine. Common gear that you can machine-wash are shorts, trunks, cups, shirts, hand wraps, and some cloth shin guards. If you aren’t sure about the care instructions, you can always handwash your gear.

Set the washing machine to warm water to kill bacteria. Warm water kills bacteria and eliminates odor better than cold water. Use a warm cycle for all your sweaty MMA gear. Don’t mix any delicate items with your MMA gear. It’s best to do a single load of all your MMA gear and do separate loads for your other clothes.

Use the same amount of mild, bleach-free detergent that you normally do. In most cases, your normal detergent is fine as long as it doesn’t contain bleach. Use the same amount you use for a normal load of laundry.

Put hand wraps inside a mesh laundry bag so they don't get damaged. Hand wraps can get tangled around other items or get stuck on the washing machine interior. Protect them with a washing-machine safe mesh bag. Put the hand wraps in and throw the whole bag into the washing machine. If other items like your shorts are fragile, you can also put them in the bag.

Let all your gear air-dry so it doesn't shrink. The dryer can shrink or damage MMA gear, so hang all of your items to air-dry. When everything is dry, fold and store it you’re your normal laundry. Brightly-colored MMA shorts can get bleached if you leave them in direct sunlight. Hang them in the shade to prevent any damage.

Preventing Odors

Clean all your gear after every use. Consistency is the most important way to keep your gear clean. Even one training session leaves sweat and millions of bacteria on your gloves, headgear, pads, and other equipment. Clean everything you used after every training session to avoid odor and infections. Don’t wait long after training to clean your gear. Ideally, do it right after you take it off and before you put it in your bag. If your gym doesn’t have cleaning equipment, then clean everything as soon as you get home.

Wash your hands before putting your gloves on. Using your gloves and other gear with dirty hands introduces a ton of bacteria. Make sure your gear stays clean by washing your hands before training to keep the bacteria to a minimum. Always wash your hands after training as well. You'll pick up bacteria from the mats and other people.

Store your gear in a well-ventilated area. While you can use a duffel bag to bring your gear to and from the gym, don’t leave the gear stored this way. Take everything out and store it in a well-ventilated area so they stay dry and odors don’t build. If you want to keep your gear in a bag, try using a mesh bag instead. This lets the gear air out so odors don’t build up.

Sprinkle baking soda into your gloves and bag to absorb smells. Even if you clean your gear well, it could still start smelling musty after a while. Absorb unpleasant smells by sprinkling baking soda into your bag and gloves. Remember that baking soda isn’t a disinfectant. You still have to clean all your gear to remove bacteria. You could also mask smells by leaving a dryer sheet in your bag. This will give it a fresher smell.