Your hand wraps are some of the most important items you’ll have for your MMA or Boxing training.
Properly washing your hand wraps is absolutely vital for ensuring your own cleanliness and hygiene as well as your partners’. Furthermore, it helps your hand wraps last longer.
Believe it or not, even many experienced fighters don’t know how to maintain their hand wraps.
In this MMAWhisperer guide on washing your hand wraps for boxing, you’ll learn:
- How to properly clean and store your hand wraps
- Do’s and don’ts of hand wrap care
- Why hand wrap maintenance is important
When you are finished, you’ll be more than ready to keep your boxing hand wraps clean and fresh.
Let’s do this!
Table of Contents
How To Clean Your Hand Wraps
Whether you participate in boxing, Muay Thai, or Mixed Martial Arts, you need to wash your hand wraps every time you train.

There are two main methods of washing your hand wraps.
The first is by using a washer and the other is by doing manual work.
Washing Your Hand Wraps With A Washer
Using a washing machine is the preferred choice since it takes less time and effort. Here’s a step-by-step guide on washing it through your washing machine.

- Take out your hand wraps and lay them out as straight as you can.
- Close each velcro seal by folding it on itself. This is an important process as it helps maintain the strength of the velcro even after it runs through the washer.
- Fold your hand wraps at the center at least 3 times so they don’t get too tied up inside the washer.
- Place the hand wrap inside a mesh bag.
- To avoid ruining your hand wraps, make sure to wash them through a gentle cycle with cold water for 15-30 minutes. Use a mild detergent as well.
- Take out the hand wraps.
- To dry the hand wraps, hang them to the bottom of the hanger and leave them out to dry naturally. Make sure that the hand wraps are as straight as possible.
Hand Washing Your Hand Wraps
If you don’t have a washer available for use, it’s always possible to manually wash your hand wraps. It takes a lot of work but it’s a good MMA workout at home for your hands and forearms at least.
- Soak your hand wraps in cold water and gently press and squeeze on them.
- Drain the initial soaking water and then soak the hand wraps again.
- This time, use a mild detergent to clean the hand wraps. Do with it as you would when washing clothes but in a gentler manner.
- If there are any stains on the hand wraps, brush them away gently.
- Rinse the hand wraps until the water becomes bubble-free.
- Take out the hand wraps.
- To dry the hand wraps, hang them to the bottom of the hanger and leave them out to dry naturally. Make sure that the hand wraps are as straight as possible.
Both hand wrap cleaning methods are effective.
The difference is that having a washer removes most of the work on your end.
It can also provide a more thorough cleaning especially if you’re not used to washing things manually.
As you may have noticed, we’ve emphasized gently washing your hand wraps. This helps avoid causing wrinkles and annoying knots.
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The Do’s And Don’ts of Hand Wrap Maintenance

Even if you clean your hand wraps regularly, they won’t last long unless you take care of them properly. Here are a few important things to keep in mind.
Do’s
- Spread out the hand wraps and leave them out to dry after use.
- Get at least 3 pairs of hand wraps so that you can switch out while the others dry.
- Clean your hand wraps at least once after 3-5 uses.
- Roll up your hand wraps after they dry so that it’s easier to use later on.
- Store your hand wraps in a dry area when in use.
Don’ts
- Do not use any hard cleaning agents like bleach on your hand wraps as this can ruin the fabric.
- Do not mix your hand wraps with other apparel because it can cause them to get tangled up. The only exception is if you have a mesh bag.
- Do not put your hand wraps in the dryer as it can tie up the wraps and cause the material to get wrinkled.
- Do not store your hand wraps in enclosed storage unless it’s completely dry.
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Why Hand Wrap Washing And Maintenance Is Important
There are quite a few reasons why you should be mindful of how you wash and maintain your hand wraps.
Here’s what you need to know:
Washing Keeps Your Boxing Gloves Clean And Fresh

Boxing gloves are harder to clean than hand wraps. What’s worse is that the odor that can build up inside is a lot harder to remove. That odor is caused not by your hands, but by your sweaty and dirty hand wraps.
If you’ve invested in a pair of the best boxing gloves, you do not want to ruin them by using dirty hand wraps.
If you want to avoid having smelly boxing gloves that can deter trainers and your teammates away, always wear clean hand wraps while training.
Washing Prevents Bacteria Build Up
The moisture from your sweat and the dirt that you might get your hands on while working out result in the development of bacteria.
Wearing dirty hand wraps can cause you serious problems such as infections especially if you have an open wound on your hands.
Washing kills the bacteria within your hand wraps.
It prevents bacteria from spreading to other areas such as the inside of your gloves.
Furthermore, washing your hand wraps helps prevent ringworm from training martial arts.
Maintenance Makes Your Hand Wraps Last Longer
Although they’re built to last, hand wraps aren’t impervious to damage.
Proper maintenance, storage, and washing can make your hand wraps last for years instead of months.
Hand wraps aren’t exactly expensive but you wouldn’t want to waste your money by getting new ones constantly.
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Keeping Your Hand Wraps Clean For Boxing – Final Ideas
Cleaning your hand wraps can be done with a washer or with your hands.
We recommend using a washer as it’s a lot less tiring to do.
While the washing methods may vary from person to person, don’t forget to dry your hand wraps by hanging them and leaving them out naturally to prevent damage.