How to Clean Sim Racing Gloves Without Damaging the Grip
By GSI - Gomez Sim Industries | High-End eSports Racing | Published: 2026-10-16
Category: Tipps & Pflege
A step-by-step method to wash AeroFlex gloves safely, protect the silicone grip, and stop odor without shortening glove life.
Quick answer
Wash sim racing gloves by hand in cool water with a drop of mild detergent, gently work the palm and finger area, rinse thoroughly, and air-dry away from heat. Never machine wash, bleach, or tumble dry them. This keeps the silicone grip pattern intact and removes odor without breaking down the poly-spandex fabric.
Why grip dies before the fabric does
The silicone surface pattern on AeroFlex gloves is what gives you control at the wheel, and it is also the first thing to suffer from bad cleaning habits. Hot water, harsh detergent, and friction against other laundry can dull or lift that pattern long before the fabric wears out. The fabric itself is a lightweight poly-spandex, which handles gentle hand washing well but does not enjoy heat or mechanical agitation.
Odor comes from sweat and skin oils trapped in the palm and finger seams. You do not need strong chemicals to remove it; you need to lift the residue out and dry the gloves completely. If you only spray them with deodorizer, the oils stay in the fabric and the smell returns within a session or two.
What to keep away from your gloves
Skip the washing machine, the dryer, fabric softener, bleach, and any detergent with added enzymes or scent boosters. These either abrade the silicone pattern, leave a slippery film, or weaken the spandex. Also avoid soaking gloves for hours; a short wash is enough, and long soaking can encourage the palm material to separate from the backing.
If your gloves have touchscreen-compatible fingertips for GSI wheels, treat those areas with the same care as the palms. They are part of the same fabric and coating system, and aggressive scrubbing can make them unresponsive.
How often to wash, and what to do between washes
For regular sim racing, wash gloves every four to six sessions, or sooner if they start to feel slick or smell stale. Between washes, turn them inside out and let them air out completely after each use. A second pair lets you rotate while one dries, which is the single easiest way to extend sim racing glove life.
Keep a small towel near your rig and wipe your hands before putting gloves on. Clean hands mean less oil going into the fabric, so the grip stays consistent and odor takes much longer to develop.
Step-by-step glove cleaning routine
- Empty and inspect: Take everything out of the gloves and check the palms, fingers, and seams for worn spots or loose silicone. Common mistake: washing gloves with debris or keys still inside, which can snag the fabric. If the silicone is already peeling, wash even more gently and avoid scrubbing that area.
- Mix cool water and mild detergent: Fill a basin with cool water and add a small drop of mild liquid detergent. Swirl it in until it is barely sudsy. Common mistake: using hot water or a heavy pour of detergent, which leaves residue that makes the grip slippery. If you can feel slickness after rinsing, you used too much detergent.
- Wash by hand, palm first: Submerge the gloves and gently squeeze the water through the fabric. Focus on the palms and finger area where sweat and oils collect. Do not twist, wring, or scrub the silicone pattern against itself. Common mistake: treating the gloves like a rag and rubbing hard, which dulls the grip texture. Aim for gentle compression, not friction.
- Rinse until the water runs clear: Drain the basin and refill with cool water, then squeeze the gloves through it again. Repeat until no suds remain. Common mistake: stopping too early, which leaves detergent in the fabric and causes odor to return faster. Clear rinse water is your checkpoint.
- Remove excess water without wringing: Press the gloves between a clean dry towel to blot out water. Do not twist or wring them. Common mistake: wringing gloves out like a cloth, which stresses the seams and distorts the finger shape. Blot, then reshape the fingers flat.
- Air-dry away from heat: Lay the gloves flat or hang them in a well-ventilated spot at room temperature. Keep them out of direct sun and away from radiators, heaters, or a dryer. Common mistake: putting them on a warm surface to speed drying, which can harden or warp the silicone and shrink the spandex. They are ready when completely dry inside the fingers, usually several hours.
Gloves this routine is written for
- "Graff" AeroFlex Shorty Gloves: The Graff AeroFlex Shorty Gloves use a lightweight, breathable poly-spandex with a grippy silicone surface pattern on the palms and fingers, plus touchscreen compatibility for GSI wheels. The silicone pattern is the grip surface, so hand washing and air drying protect the exact feature that makes these gloves useful. The touchscreen fingertips also need gentle handling to stay responsive.
- "Blackout" AeroFlex Long Gloves: The Blackout AeroFlex Long Gloves share the same poly-spandex build and silicone palm and finger pattern, with touchscreen compatibility for GSI wheels. The long cuff covers more skin, so it traps more sweat and needs thorough rinsing and full drying. The same cool-water, no-heat routine applies.
