# When are latex gloves reusable? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [April 21, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-latex-gloves-reusable/852277 "2020-04-21T17:31:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-latex-gloves-reusable/852277/1 "2020-04-21T17:31:26Z")
When I make my bi-weekly grocery run, I use disposable gloves – a new pair for each store I stop at. I put the used gloves in a plastic bag in my car. We’re starting to get short of gloves. Given that it’s two weeks since last use, would any virus on the gloves now be dead so that the gloves are reusable? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-latex-gloves-reusable/852277/2 "2020-04-21T18:38:39Z")
Certainly the virus would be dead in two weeks. > [@](#): > > The researchers report that coronavirus survival on PPE items varies by material, but infectious virus was detectable on all materials for at least four hours. They report further, “Only a small amount of infectious virus (0.8 log10) was lost on an N95 respirator within the first two hours, and virus was detectable for up to 24 hours (loss of 3 log10). On gowns, TGEV was detectable for up to 24 hours, with a 1-log10 decrease over two hours and a 3-log10 decrease by 24 hours. Virus was still detectable at four hours on scrub fabric. Survival on latex and nitrile gloves was comparable, with a 1.3-log10 decrease by 2 hours and a 2.5-log10 decrease by four hours.” [https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/personal-protective-equipment/coronavirus-survival-highlights-need-careful-removal-and-handling-ppe](https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/personal-protective-equipment/coronavirus-survival-highlights-need-careful-removal-and-handling-ppe) ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-latex-gloves-reusable/852277/3 "2020-04-21T20:46:27Z")
Thanks! That’s what I thought. I’ll start reusing them. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-latex-gloves-reusable/852277/4 "2020-04-21T20:53:11Z")
I wash my latexed gloved hands. Does that help? Then I dry the gloves. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-latex-gloves-reusable/852277/5 "2020-04-21T22:19:36Z")
Latex and nitrile are not degraded by bleach. I’d wash them in dilute bleach while wearing them, just like if you were washing your hands, but for longer and more thoroughly. Then rinse the bleach off before drying them. Or just wash them thoroughly in regular soap and water as Dummy suggests.