Gear care: the routine that doubles lifespan
Gear dies two deaths: bacterial (the smell) and material (the crumble). Both are mostly moisture problems, and both are prevented by ninety seconds of routine.
The golden rule: dry everything, every time
- Out of the bag the moment you get home — a zipped gym bag is an incubator.
- Gloves open and upright somewhere with airflow; glove-dryer inserts or even stuffed newspaper speed it up.
- Never on a radiator or in direct sun — heat cooks foam and cracks leather and PU alike.
Why gear smells, and why prevention beats cure
Bacteria thrive in exactly the environment a used glove or a zipped bag provides: warm, damp and enclosed, with plenty to feed on. Once that smell has really set into foam and lining it's very hard to fully reverse — you can knock it back, but the underlying material has absorbed the problem. That's the whole case for daily drying over occasional deep cleaning: prevention is genuinely easier than cure here.
Cleaning by item
- Gloves & shin guards: wipe inside and out with a mild antibacterial solution or diluted vinegar; dry fully. Leather gets occasional conditioner.
- Wraps: machine-wash in a mesh bag, air-dry. Rotate several pairs.
- Mouthguard: rinse after use, brush regularly, vented case. Guide
- Shorts & rash guards: wash promptly; technical fabrics hate sitting damp. Apparel guide
- Bags and pads: wipe down synthetic surfaces regularly, especially anywhere skin makes repeated contact.
A simple deep-cleaning schedule
Wipe every session — that's the non-negotiable baseline. Add a proper interior wipe-down weekly for gear used regularly, going beyond the quick post-session pass. Condition leather occasionally rather than often; over-conditioning softens the structure that gives gear its shape and support. Wraps go into the wash on a regular schedule rather than waiting until “when they smell” — by then bacteria have had a real head start.
Travelling with gear
Pack wet or sweaty items in a separate mesh or vented bag rather than tangled in with dry clothes, and never seal them in plastic for longer than the trip home. Air everything out fully as soon as you arrive somewhere before it goes back into a closed bag — a suitcase or gym bag left packed for days is the same incubator problem as a zipped kit bag, just for longer.
Storage
Cool, dry, ventilated. Long-term storage: clean first, straps closed loosely (velcro stored open collects lint and dies), nothing stacked on top of foam items.
Know when it's over
Compacted padding, cracked shells, dead elastic and torn linings are retirement letters, not challenges. Protective gear that no longer protects is decoration — see the replacement notes in each gear guide.