How to Care for and Store your Boxing Equipment

Boxing is not an expensive sport in itself. But, if you do not care for your gear properly, it can very easily turn into one. If you’re an avid boxer or fitness enthusiast, it’s important to take care of your equipment to ensure its longevity. To maintain longevity store your boxing equipment in good storage.

Sweat, dirt, blood and spit are some of the elements from which you’ll be protecting your boxing equipment. Regular training and fights can wear down your gear and it is important that you take appropriate measures to keep it clean and make it last longer. The below-listed tips will help you do just that.

How to take Store your Boxing Equipment

Boxing gloves and hand wraps can build up mildew and other undesirable elements. Gloves can build up moisture with no chance to dry off, and wraps can become smelly and gross quickly.

To keep the gloves out of harm’s way:

• Crumple up newspapers and stuff them into gloves. This will absorb the sweat and not make them moldy.
• Do not keep them in the bag or the trunk of the car, especially after workouts. Instead, hang them. Else, they might become smelly.
• If they do become smelly, use Lysol. Spray it on the inside. First, wipe it with a dry paper towel and then with a wet paper towel, clean the insides. Open up all straps and Velcro and leave to dry in a well-ventilated area.
• Avoid drying in the sun as there are reported incidents of the gloves beginning to peel off soon after.
• When your gloves are 100% dry, put them in the freezer bag. Then put the bag in the freezer for 24 hours or more. This will freeze out and kill off all the stinky, odor-causing bacteria.

To take care of wrist wraps:

• Unroll them, hang them on something, and put them in the washing machine once in a while. Then fan-dry them.
• You can get a hand wrap wash bag here. It is designed to hold your wraps and prevent them from tangling. This particular bag holds five at a time.

Cleaning your mouth guard is of utmost importance.

A lot of spit, sweat, and blood can be left to dry up. More dirt will land on it if you handle it with your gloves or hands afterward. If you keep the guard in the bag without cleaning, it will accumulate a host of bacteria. To ensure this does not happen:

• Rinse the guard after every session. Do this as soon as you can.
• You can also use this spray to clean the guard. It comes with a mint flavor.
• Keep a separate toothbrush for cleaning the guard. This will eke out any hard-to-reach elements from the gaps. You can also use toothpaste but make sure it’s a non-whitening one.

The head guard is another important item to take care of. You don’t have to perform the cleaning routine every day, but you’ll have to perform it twice a week.

• Hang the head guard in a well-ventilated area and let it dry completely. You can also place it in front of a fan.
• Get a leather cleaning product.
• Use a damp cloth or antibacterial wipes to clean the guard and get the grime out from all the corners.
• You can wipe it with apple cider also, or a mixture of vinegar (1 tbsp) and water (1 cup).
• Do not put it in direct sunlight, in the dryer, or close to a heat source.
• Do not use any chemicals or detergents.

Finally, if you are going to hang up your boxing gloves for a (long) while, then after implementing the above measures, store your boxing equipment in a self-storage facility where additional protective measures will ensure that it is kept well and safe.

Conclusion

Even though boxing is an inexpensive sport, some people will insist on making it an expensive one by listing each and every equipment piece you’ll need to train. In reality, even the minimum necessary equipment will do. Your body is the main boxing equipment. The remaining requirements are your determination and perseverance.

So, do not fall in the trap of buying expensive boxing gear. Practice hard with what you have and maintain/ store it properly. That is enough.