How to Clean Shin Guards and a Mouthpiece (So They Don’t Smell)

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Hey friends, it's Lizzie! Everyone writes about cleaning boxing gloves, and I did too. Nobody writes about the two pieces of gear that actually get gross fastest: shin guards, which sit against sweaty legs for a full class, and a mouthpiece, which lives in your mouth. Here is how I look after both, ten years in, so they don't smell and they last.

Shin guards: the ten-second habit that does most of the work

Out of the bag the second you get home. That's it. Sweat-soaked padding sealed in a gym bag overnight is where the smell is born, and a deodorizing spray is not a substitute for cleaning. Unzip the bag as soon as you walk in and pull out gloves, shin guards and wraps before you do anything else; it is the single biggest reason gear stops announcing you.

Cleaning slip-on shin guards

Sleeve-style guards, like the Sanabul pair I used to wear, need the care instructions for that exact model. If hand washing is permitted, use the specified water temperature and cleaner, handle them gently, and let them dry completely. A quick rinse removes some surface sweat, but it is not a substitute for the recommended cleaning routine. Do not wait for a two-week date on the calendar if the guards need cleaning sooner.

Cleaning strapped or shell-style shin guards

For strapped or shell-style guards, check whether the manufacturer permits wiping, hand washing or another method. Do not soak them or machine wash them unless the instructions allow it. Clean the padding and straps as directed, open them up and let them dry fully with airflow. Only use sprays or cleaners approved for the materials; a deodorizer is not necessarily a disinfectant.

The mouthpiece

Follow the care instructions for your mouthguard or your dentist's instructions for a custom one. Clean it before and after use with the recommended method, and clean its case too. Check which brushes and cleaners are suitable before using them.

• Rinse it the moment it comes out. Cold water, right there at the gym if you can. Don't let it dry with anything on it.
• Use the cleaning method recommended for your mouthguard. Materials differ, so do not assume every soap, toothpaste or disinfectant is suitable.
• Dry it before it goes in the case. A wet mouthpiece in a closed case is a science experiment.
• Keep it in a vented case. Never loose in the bag. It touches everything in there, and everything in there is sweaty.
• Replace it when it's chewed, cracked or loose. Do not rely on a damaged or poorly fitting mouthguard; have the fit checked and replace it as advised.

A simple weekly reset

The weekly reset is extra housekeeping, not a reason to delay cleaning equipment used in each session. Once a week, everything comes out of the bag. Shin guards get a proper clean, wraps go in the wash in a mesh bag, the mouthpiece gets brushed and its case gets rinsed, and the bag itself gets turned inside out and left open. It takes a few minutes and it means your next class starts with gear that smells like nothing, which is the goal.

What I don't do

I do not use bleach or put padded gear in the washing machine unless the manufacturer specifically allows it. Instructions vary by material and model. And I don't share a mouthpiece, ever, with anyone, for reasons that shouldn't need a paragraph.

Florida makes all of this harder

Humidity is the enemy of every piece of padded gear. In a Florida summer, “air dry” can take a full day, and gear left in a hot car for an afternoon comes out smelling like it was never cleaned at all. The fixes: never leave the bag in the car, dry gear in the room with the best airflow rather than the bathroom, and rotate what you can. A second pair of wraps and shorts means nothing goes back on damp. If you live somewhere humid, build the rotation into your gear budget from the start.

When it's time to replace

Shin guards: when the padding has gone thin enough that you feel a check, when a sleeve won't stay up, or when a strap has stretched past its last hole. Mouthpiece: any crack, any bite-through, or any looseness. Gloves have their own timeline, and I wrote about how long boxing gloves last separately. If you're replacing more than one thing, do it in one order; my Hayabusa code LILO is one discount per order and doesn't combine with a sitewide sale, so if a bigger sale is on, take that instead.

The gym-bag setup that makes this easier

Most of the smell problem is a bag problem. A bag with a separate section for wet gear keeps sweaty shin guards and wraps away from the water bottle and the clean shorts. A mesh bag inside the gym bag does the same job for a few dollars. And the bag itself gets emptied and left open at home, never zipped shut with anything damp inside. If your bag has never been turned inside out, that's where the smell lives now.

A note on sharing and gym loaners

Before borrowing shin guards, ask the gym how they are cleaned and check their condition and fit. A quick wipe alone does not establish that shared gear is clean enough to use. Buy your own the moment partner work becomes regular. Mouthpieces are never shared and never borrowed; if you forget yours, that is a bag-work day, not a sparring day.

Why I bother

Because looking after gear gives you a chance to spot wear and keep it clean, and because nobody wants to hold pads for the person whose shin guards you can smell from the next bag. Regular care matters, but it cannot promise a particular lifespan. It is the least exciting part of the sport, and it is one of the parts that has kept me in it for a decade.

Your Questions, Answered

How do you get the smell out of shin guards? Take them out of your bag, follow the cleaning instructions for the exact model and let them dry completely before storing them. A deodorizer alone does not establish that gear is clean. If odor persists after proper care, ask the manufacturer about the next step.

Can you wash shin guards in the washing machine? Only if the manufacturer says that your exact model is machine washable. Sleeve, foam and shell designs can need different methods. Follow the permitted cleaning and drying instructions.

How do you clean a mouthpiece? Follow the mouthguard manufacturer’s or your dentist’s cleaning instructions before and after use, and clean the case too. Use only suitable cleaners, let it dry and keep it in a ventilated case. Have damaged or poorly fitting mouthguards checked and replaced.

Related reading

• How to Clean and Deodorize Boxing Gloves (So They Do Not Stink)
• Hayabusa vs Sanabul Shin Guards: I’ve Worn Both
• What’s Actually in My Gym Bag (Hayabusa Edition)
• Why I Rotate My Boxing Gloves (And Don’t Train in One Pair)
• How Much Does Kickboxing Cost? Gym, Gear and What’s Actually Worth It
• Hayabusa Discount Code: My Verified LILO Code (2026)