Ah, washing up the dishes. This is one household chore that seems to polarise people. Some people absolutely loathe it, as it involves touching leftover food (and depending on how long it’s been left, this can be kinda gross) and seems to take an irritatingly long time if you’ve got a particularly large load to clean.
The people that love washing up, love seeing the dirty plates go into the soapy water and emerge sparkling fresh and clean. They love working hard at those tough bits of sauce and other stuck-on debris that always seems to remain on plates, bowls and, the worst of all, pots and pans.
The dishwasher was invented for people who don’t like washing up. As timesaving an appliance as it is, though, it’s not always the most viable option. If you don’t have space or the budget, you are stuck with the manual method of dishwashing, whether you like it or not. It’s also worth noting, that while it’s often down to personal taste and preference, there are some people who have medical conditions that make washing dishes a lot trickier and more uncomfortable.
All is not lost, as there is one thing that can enhance the whole experience. What’s that? A decent pair of washing-up gloves, that’s what. In the following post, because we know you’ve really got lots better to do than trawl through Amazon and Google listings looking at household rubber gloves, we’ve put together a guide of the best 10 available in 2020.
As an accompaniment, we’ve also included a buyer’s guide and answers some commonly asked questions regarding these handy additions to your kitchen.
Table of Contents
Best Washing Up Gloves 2020
1. Lakeland Deluxe Latex Free Washing Up Gloves, Size 8 Medium
First, in our best guide we’ve got this great set of washing up gloves from the housewares giants Lakeland. These are a medium size 8 and are extremely comfortable, yet incredibly durable and tough. If you have sensitive skin or any allergies, it’s good to note that as well as being cost-effective, they are free from phthalate, nitrile and latex. A great choice for latex free gloves for washing dishes.
They are thick and robust enough to give your hands the protection you need, but also flexible enough that you don’t lose any flexibility when working with the different dishes you need to clean up. As a nice additional feature, they contain a completely natural and plant-based moisturiser that gives your hands and skin a real pampering while you wash up.
2. Europe Market Sport Glass Kitchen Rubber Dishwashing Gloves with Warm Lining
Next in our guide are these dishwashing gloves from Europe Market. They are made from a tough and durable rubber that’s bolstered by a comfortable PVC sleeve and a soft lining made from waterproofed and warming material. These factors along with the fact that they have been designed with generously long cuffs, means that your hands are protected from being submerged in water constantly while washing up.
You should be fine using these long household rubber gloves and not experiencing much that’s too contrary to what’s been said in the reviews of these gloves. The thing that really impresses us about this excellent pair of gloves, though, is the fact they are available for a very affordable and cheap price.
3. Life Marigold Extra Life Kitchen Glove, Medium, 6 Pack
As rubber gloves eventually wear out and need to be replaced, you may be looking to invest in more than just one pair. If that’s the case, consider this offering from E. Life. These are marigold-style rubber dish washing gloves that have been dipped three times during the manufacturing process to improve the durability and the level of protection they provide for your skin and hands. Likewise, the coating they’ve been given helps protect the gloves themselves from quick and early deterioration.
It’s not just the protective side of these gloves that have been enhanced to make them stand out from the crowd somewhat. They have also been designed with a safe and secure hold pattern that gives you even better grip than the competition, meaning you are less likely to experience slipping wet plates and other dishes.
4. TreeLen Magic Silicone Reusable Washing Up Gloves
Next we have these dish washing gloves from TreeLen that certainly look like they’re built for hard work and will helo to protect your hands. They are made from high quality, food grade silicone and are completely free of BPA, so they are safe and a good layer of protection for your hands if you have especially sensitive skin. While being incredibly comfortable to wear at the same time.
Thanks to the material and the construction process behind these gloves they are extremely resistant to leaks and tears. Not only that but they have been designed to also be resistant to higher temperatures, allowing you to wash up those dirtier plates and other kitchen equipment with much warmer than usual water, as your fingers and hands will be fully protected. We noted how they looked built for action and we stand by that as they effective and practical gripping nubs to the surface of the palm and fingers of the gloves to help avoid accidents happening.
5. Diabolical Gifts Glamorous Pink and Pearly Washing UP Gloves
Do you, or indeed the person you are buying washing up gloves for, have a larger than life personality and like to look your best, even when doing menial and repetitive household tasks? Then this next pair, from Diabolical Gifts, may be right up your street. They are not called glamorous for anything. Just look at them. They look like the kind of washing up gloves Mae West or Marilyn Monroe would have worn, had they had the time to do their own dishes, that is!
The first thing you notice is the shocking pink colour. That’s not too strange as many rubber washing up gloves tend to be pink. However, around the cuff, there’s a pearl bracelet and on the ring finger of the gloves, a nice fat pretend diamond. Did we mention the inside is lined with a soft ands comfortable fur? However, don’t let the novelty side of these gloves put you off investing in them, they are actually very practical and suitable for washing dishes.
Although you need to avoid getting the trim wet and should remember that they are made with latex rubber, so may be a problem if you have an allergy. Other than that, though, they will ensure you always look your best when washing up. So that if you’re caught unexpectedly by a delivery, the postman or guests, while you’re doing the dishes, you will look your fabulous self.
6. NetBoat Waterproof Kitchen Cleaning Rubber Gloves, Bright Coloured Fingers, 3 Pack
Okay we’re going to be straight with you here. These did look a little creepy to us at first. If you feel the same way, please let the fact they’ve got those curiously bright coloured fingers and listen to some of the many reasons why you should invest in these rubber latex gloves. As with all rubber gloves, they have been designed to keep your hands dry and protected against prolonged exposure to cleaning chemicals and harsh detergents.
The bright colours on the fingers of the gloves are just to give them a touch of class and make them stand out from the crowd a little but can be used in a practical way too. You can, for instance, assign the three different coloured gloves or use in three different tasks you normally wear rubber gloves from. This can help with the battle against cross-contamination and running a clean and hygienic household.
7. Diabolical Gifts Domestic Goddess Washing Up Gloves
Another awesome novelty pair of washing up and kitchen gloves from Diabolical Gifts are this so-called Domestic Goddess pair. With the sexy pink of a traditional pair of rubber gloves, the colour is complemented by the phrase Domestic Goddess printed on the cuff with a lighter pink than the rest of the glove as the background. They also have a whopping big imitation diamond on one of the fingers.
These are great for bringing out the inner domestic goddess in you or someone you know and love. Similarly, to the other pair of cleaning gloves in our guide from the same company, these are made from high quality natural rubber and although this can cause an allergic reaction with some people, is a sign that these are more than just a goofy and cute novelty gift. In their capacity as washing up gloves, they perform reasonably well.
8. TopBine Reusable Rubber Long Sleeve Dishwashing Gloves, Pack of 4
If you think you might struggle with medium sized dish washing rubber gloves and therefore want a pair that are a little bigger than average, this pack of 4 from TopBine might be just what you need. Available in large and featuring 4 different coloured pairs of long-sleeved rubber washing up gloves, they are ideal for all your kitchen and home needs. You can use them as just washing up gloves and then have three spare pairs or use the different colours for different rooms and different tasks
Another key point we want to highlight about these gloves is that the rubber they are made from is latex and lead free and due to their durable and thick design, they are great for protecting your hands while you work with high temperature water and lots of different chemicals. They have been tested for resistance to chemicals, abrasives, punctures, cuts and tears. Sometimes it can be a little tricky using thick gloves to lift and handle wet plates and other items, but because these are incredibly elastic and have excellent tactile sensitivity, they are extremely dextrous and make cleaning easier rather than harder.
9. Diabolical Gifts Red Leopard Washing Up Gloves
Back with Diabolical Gifts and another of their great pairs of kitchen gloves. Although they are definitely novelty rubber gloves they would make for a great and fun gift, they are also a fully-functioning and very practical accessory to invest in. These have a very glam and fabulous look that will make anyone look that little bit classier while washing up, with the giant purple diamond, animal print long cuff with lacy-style frilling. They are also fully lined for added comfort and sophistication.
As noted with the other diabolical gifts washing up gloves, these are made from natural latex rubber. So, if you have an allergy to latex, these are not for you. However, if you don’t and want to look every inch the A-list celebrity you know you are, then these are the gloves for you.
10. Elgood Deluxe Washing Up Gloves
We thought we’d round out our shortlist of the best washing up gloves, especially as we’ve featured quite a number of novelty items, with a bona fide great pair of practical and comfortable gloves. This is actually a two pack from Elgood, but each pair of gloves is made from very soft and comfortable PVC with a full cotton liner. The manufacturing process involves the use of cutting-edge flocking tech to weave the PVC and cotton together to give it a seamless and watertight finish.
As the gloves have tiny granules in the fingers and palms you benefit from a greater degree of friction that can help avoid unnecessary and avoidable accidents with slippery crockery and cookware. Everything and we mean everything seems to have been considered by Elgood, as the size of these gloves has even been perfectly devised to provide the maximum amount of protection against the water, while ensuring they are flexible enough to use.
Best Washing Up Gloves – Buyer’s Guide
It may strike you as odd to provide a buyer’s guide for something as small and seemingly insignificant as washing up gloves. However, given the wealth of variety available on the market these days, with every product being of a different standard in quality, we thought it was important to try clear things up a little. It can be frustrating when you order a pair of gloves, with good intentions, thinking they are going to be the one to end all other gloves, only to discover they tear up or take on water within the first couple of uses.
With our reviews above and this buyer’s guide, therefore, we hope we can help you avoid that scenario. We also realise your time could be better spent than pouring over washing up gloves of all things.
Why Wear Washing Up Gloves?
Perhaps you’re still wondering why it’s a good idea to wear washing up gloves when taking care of this common and daily household task? Although it’s not really that strange, we do realise there are two camps of people – those who do use gloves and those who don’t.
The main reasons for wearing dish washing gloves, whether they are rubber latex, PVC or some other kind of material are:
- They offer you more grip – this is crucial because when water and soap are mixed together, everything becomes slippery to touch and this can be a disaster when washing up crockery, cookware and fine china. As anyone will know if a plate has slipped and smashed. The material itself is sometimes enough to provide adequate friction between you and the plates and other items you are washing up. That being said, there are many washing up gloves in our selection with granules, nodes and other additions to their design that increase the gripping capability of the gloves.
- They protect your hands – most obvious reason. Why do you wear any kind of gloves? For protection. Washing up gloves protect your hands against the harshness of the chemicals, detergents and temperatures of the water used to wash dishes and other cleaning tasks you perform. This prevents your skin from becoming irritated or even drying out. They also give you more scrubbing power
Frequently Asked Questions
As part of our buyer’s guide for the best washing up gloves in 2019, we thought we’d answer two of the most commonly asked questions regarding these kitchen and home accessories.
How to Clean and Dry Washing Up Gloves
You may think it sounds a bit over the top to even be contemplating washing something that spends the majority of its time when in use inside soapy water, but if you want to get the most out of your washing up gloves, you need to look after them.
Depending on the pair of gloves and the material they’re made from, some can be simply put in the washing machine. If this is an option, we strongly advice you to do that, to keep your gloves clean and free from bacteria.
For any that can’t be washed in the washing machine, use an anti-bacterial spray and cover your gloves with it. Then take an old sponge or scourer and work over them ensuring that you cover the entire surface and all the nooks and crannies.
Drying them is simple – leave them somewhere hanging or upright so they are aerated, but away from high temperatures. Pro Tip – wipe away any excess water or cleaning spray with a towel before leaving them to dry.
How To Stop Washing UP Gloves From Smelling
Although the common thing to do is turn them inside out, well that’s the commonly suggested thing. That’s not really viable as it adds more time to the whole process. Instead you could try these couple of handy tips that deal with how to stop washing up gloves from smelling.
- Sprinkle baking soda into the gloves after they’ve been used. This is a natural deodorizer and can kill bacteria and absorbs any excess moisture.
- Hang them to dry upside down in a highly ventilated area, but out of direct sunlight.
Conclusion
By the end of our guide to the best washing up gloves available, we hope you feel better informed about the whole subject. Above all else, though, we hope we have been able to help guide you towards that awesome pair of washing up gloves that will help make your daily life and household chores more bearable, safer and easier.
