Keeping your ice hockey gear clean and well-maintained is essential for both performance, longevity. and basic courtesy for your teammates in the locker room. Proper cleaning not only helps prevent unpleasant odors, but also reduces the risk of infections caused by bacteria. Below will cover the best methods for cleaning your hockey gear, how often to clean it, and tips for repairing and storing your equipment so that your gear stays in top condition season after season.
How often to clean your hockey gear
Regular cleaning of your hockey gear is crucial. Here’s a general guideline on how often you should clean different pieces of equipment:
Skates:
- Wipe down after every use and deep clean monthly.
- After every use: Wipe the blades with a dry cloth to prevent rust. Remove the insoles and let them air out.
- If possible, hang them upside down to air dry. This prevents moisture from settling in the foot-bed and slowly rusting out the rivets.
- Always spray the inside of the boot was a deodorizer / disinfectant.
- Recommended: Howies Deodorizer Spray on Amazon
- Monthly: Cleaning the insoles by tossing them in a washing machine with detergent. Once washed, let them air dry.
Helmet
- Wipe down after every use and deep clean monthly.
- After every use: Wipe down the interior padding with a disinfectant wipe.
- Recommended: Wipex Fitness Equipment Wipes on Amazon
- Monthly: Use a warm soapy cloth to thoroughly wipe the padding down.
Pads (shoulder, elbow, shin, pants)
- Clean after every few uses and deep clean monthly.
- After every use: Air the gear out and spray down with a deodorizer.
- Recommended: Howies Deodorizer Spray on Amazon
- Monthly:
- Gear like the shoulder pads, elbow pads, and pants can easily fit inside of a washing machine. I would recommend washing it monthly, and then let air dry.
- Shin pads are more difficult to use a washing machine. I would recommend filling up a bathtub with hot water and mix in some laundry detergent and let the shin pads soak for an hour, rinse and air dry.
Gloves
- Air out after every use and deep clean monthly.
- After every use: Air dry gloves and spray with deodorizer.
- Recommended: Howies Deodorizer Spray on Amazon
- Monthly: Gloves are also perfect to wash in a washing machine on a monthly basis, and let air dry after each wash.
Jersey, socks, underwear layers
- Wash after every use. Follow the care label for washing and drying.
Hockey bag
- Wipe down and deodorize monthly.
- Recommended: Howies Deodorizer Spray on Amazon
- Recommended: Wipex Fitness Equipment Wipes on Amazon
How often to clean your goalie hockey gear
Skates
- Wipe down after every use and deep clean monthly.
- After every use: Wipe the blades with a dry cloth to prevent rust. Remove the insoles and let them air out.
- If possible, hang them upside down to air dry. This prevents moisture from settling in the foot-bed and slowly rusting out the rivets.
- Always spray the inside of the boot was a deodorizer / disinfectant.
- Recommended: Howies Deodorizer Spray on Amazon
- Monthly: Cleaning the insoles by tossing them in a washing machine with detergent. Once washed, let them air dry.
Helmet
- Wipe down after every use and deep clean monthly.
- After every use: Wipe down the interior padding with a disinfectant wipe.
- Recommended: Wipex Fitness Equipment Wipes on Amazon
- Monthly: Use a warm soapy cloth to thoroughly wipe the padding down.
Pads (chest and arms, pants, jock, and knee pads)
- Air dry every time and deep clean monthly.
- After every use: Air the gear out and spray down with a deodorizer.
- Recommended: Howies Deodorizer Spray on Amazon
- Monthly:
- Chest and arm protector
- A chest and arm protector can fit inside of certain washing machines. If you have a top-loader without an agitator, then put your chest and arm protector in it monthly on a heavy duty cycle with detergent. Afterwards, let it air dry.
- If the chesty won’t fit in the washing machine, fill up a bathtub with hot water and mix in some laundry detergent and let it soak for an hour, rinse and air dry.
- Pants can easily fit inside of a washing machine on their own. I would recommend washing them monthly, and then let air dry.
- Jock and knee pads can easily fit inside of a washing machine with your jersey, socks, and underwear layers. I would recommend washing them after every use and then air drying, or at least once or twice a month.
- For your knee pads, I would recommend getting a mesh laundry bag to place them in so the Velcro does not stick to anything else.
- Recommended: Mesh Wash Bag on Amazon
- Chest and arm protector
Glove and blocker
- Air out after every use and deep clean monthly.
- After every use: Air dry gloves and spray with deodorizer.
- Recommended: Howies Deodorizer Spray on Amazon
- Monthly: A glove and blocker can be fully submerged in water. Fill up a bathtub with hot water and mix in some laundry detergent and let it soak for an hour, rinse and air dry.
Jersey, socks, underwear layers
- Wash after every use. Follow the care label for washing and drying.
Hockey bag
- Wipe down and deodorize monthly.
- Recommended: Howies Deodorizer Spray on Amazon
- Recommended: Wipex Fitness Equipment Wipes on Amazon
Tips for repairing and maintaining hockey gear
Stitching:
- For minor tears in gloves, jerseys, or pads, use a needle and thread to stitch the fabric back together. Heavy-duty thread works best for durability.
Skate blades:
- Sharpen your skate blades regularly to maintain performance. You can do this at a local pro shop or invest in a skate sharpener.
- Recommended: Sharpen your skates at home with the SPARK Skate Sharpener 2 Bundle on Amazon
Padding:
- If the padding in your helmet or other protective gear becomes worn out, replace it with new padding or with new gear. Most manufacturers do sell replacement pads, but if it’s a question of your safety, it might be worth it to upgrade the gear.
Best practices for storing hockey gear
Drying:
- After each use, remove all gear from your hockey bag and let it air dry completely. Use a drying rack or hang items in a well-ventilated area.
- Recommended: Portable Drying Rack on Amazon
- Recommended: Metal Drying Rack on Amazon
Storage:
- Store your gear in a cool, dry place. Avoid leaving it in your car or in damp areas where mold can develop.
Other product recommendations for cleaning and maintenance
To help you keep your gear in top condition, here are some product recommendations from Amazon:
- Disinfectant spray for gear: Clear Gear spray
- Mild detergent: SportSuds Detergent
Wrapping up
Don’t be the smelly kid! Take time to properly clean and maintain your hockey gear. Regular cleaning, prompt repairs, and appropriate storage will help you get the most out of your investment and ensure you’re always ready to hit the ice. Just remember to put all your gear back into your bag before you head to the rink!