How To Properly Use, Remove & Dispose Of Gloves During COVID-19

By this point in the COVID-19 pandemic, we're well aware of the importance of covering our noses and mouths with face masks (more on how to DIY your own mask here). But what about our hands? Well, the CDC hasn't rolled out a formal recommendation about wearing gloves in public as they have with face masks1, and best practices are changing by the day. While gloves are essential for medical professionals, there's some question as to how useful they are to the everyday person trying to avoid the virus.

First and foremost, the CDC does currently recommend using gloves2 to clean and disinfect around your home, particularly if you're using harsh disinfectants like bleach. Linda Lybert, the executive director of the Healthcare Surfaces Institute, a nonprofit that works to mitigate the spread of infectious disease in hospitals, also recommends using gloves to open packaging that you're bringing into your home from outside, like that which holds groceries and takeout food, in order to mitigate the chance of exposure. (After all, though the virus is primarily spread from person to person, it seems to be able to live on surfaces for up to several days.)

Wearing gloves is not an excuse to get complacent about hand-washing. Always wash your hands thoroughly before applying gloves, and avoid touching the nose and mouth area when you have them on. It's also important to make sure your gloves fit properly: Too tight and they could tear; too loose and germs can sneak in.

The CDC says that "heavier, reusable utility gloves" can be used at home, as long as you're washing them right away in a washing machine or a makeshift laundry setup. You'll want to remove them the same way you would disposable gloves, to stop any germs from coming in contact with your bare skin. Depending what kind of gloves you're using, follow the individual cleaning guidelines that come with them.