The disposable glove is an unsung hero and yet, without it, many everyday tasks wouldn’t be completed. From surgery to cleaning, cooking and serving food, getting the right disposable gloves is simply essential. But when it comes to catering and cleaning, which glove is best?

Choice of disposable gloves

Choosing the right disposable glove is difficult, simply because there are so many. Essentially, it is about choosing the right material. Disposable gloves suitable for catering and cleaning come in four materials typically:

  • Latex
  • Nitrile
  • Neoprene
  • Vinyl

Disposable gloves need to provide protection from different hazards, but also suit the wearer. It is not uncommon to find that people have allergies to one of the materials used for disposable gloves. And so, with this in mind, this guide will help you make the right choice for your team and for the task in hand.

Disposable gloves for cleaning and food preparation

It’s important to get the right glove for each task, as you don’t want to transfer any additional flavour to food unintentionally, but you also need gloves for cleaning staff that are strong when completing cleaning tasks.

Available in a range of sizes, blue powder-free vinyl gloves are suitable disposable gloves for catering. Detectable due to their colour, they are a cost-effective solution in an environment where a high number of gloves will be used.

As well as household ‘rubber’ gloves for cleaning, latex gloves are ideal. Being lightweight, coming in different sizes and available as powder-free, they are popular disposable gloves for cleaning.

Factors to consider when choosing disposable gloves

There are many factors to consider including the following:

THICKNESS

For tasks that require manual dexterity – that is, where staff need to be able to feel what they are doing – a thinner glove is required.

However, they don’t necessarily offer an effective barrier against chemicals and other hazards, so thicker gloves are needed in such a situation, especially for cleaning. Thicker gloves can mean less grip and movement, but there is no doubt that a thicker disposable glove is the right choice when protection is needed.

DISPOSABLE GLOVES OR REUSABLE ONES

It may be that disposable gloves are not always the best solution. Reusable gloves are, in some situations, the right solution. They tend to be thicker, with a longer cuff and a raised surface across the fingers and palm that help with grip. Reusable gloves are used commonly at the sink, with the dishwasher and in other areas too.

SIZE

Disposable gloves are available in a range of sizes, and it is important to have varying sizes available to staff. Gloves that are too tight are not only uncomfortable, but they also affect dexterity. Use ones that are too big, and the folds of material are a nuisance when trying to complete a task, but will also make the hands sweat too. Small, medium, large and extra-large sizes are available in most disposable-glove ranges.

ADDITIONAL FACTORS

Manufacturers also describe their disposable gloves in different ways, which they do to help you make the right choice. Some of the terms used are as follows:

  • Degradation - this is the term used to describe the changes in the physical nature of the glove when it comes into contact with certain chemicals. For example, the material could swell, bloat or become rigid, leading to loss of movement and flexibility. Resistance to degradation is rated on a scale of poor to excellent.
  • Breakthrough time– this is how quickly a chemical will pass through the glove. Thinner gloves have a shorter breakthrough time.
  • Permeation rate– this is the rate at which a chemical can pass through a glove by diffusion. It does this without damaging the glove.

COLOURS

Disposable gloves come in different colours for various reasons. In some situations, being able to see the glove is important, and so choosing a colour that can be easily spotted – such as using blue gloves in a kitchen – makes sense.

Some customers also choose different colours to signify different sizes, so it makes it easier for staff to choose the right size quickly.

MATERIALS

Again, choosing the right material is important, but what properties do each offer?

Latex

Latex rubber is a natural material, and it is used because it gives great performance and comfort. However, some people are allergic to latex, and so having other gloves available makes sense. They are available in different colours, including clear, white, purple and green latex gloves.

Latex gloves are ideal for protecting against infection and handling inorganic compounds; for example, water and some gases.

Nitrile

Nitrile is also a rubber, but is thinner than latex, giving great dexterity and movement. They are often used as an alternative to latex disposable gloves. They offer fantastic splash protection against chemicals. Again, nitrile disposable gloves are available in a range of colours.

Vinyl

These are cost-effective disposable gloves, but are less elastic than nitrile and latex. These are perfect for short tasks where comfort isn’t the biggest priority. They have a low resistance to punctures and chemical stress, and so are best used in ambient, non-hazardous situations. Vinyl gloves are favoured for use in food hygiene and protection against low hazard chemicals.

Neoprene

Used in surgery and other medical situations, they provide excellent protection against volatile chemicals, as well as acid, oil and grease. They are also cost-effective.

POWDERED OR POWDER-FREE DISPOSABLE GLOVES

You will also see that many gloves are offered as powder-free. In some situations, putting latex or rubber gloves on quickly is almost impossible, especially if your hands are damp or sweaty. A powder interior to the gloves helps ease the glove on, but many users find that the powder irritates the skin. Thus, most customers opt for powder-free disposable gloves.

For some reusable gloves, a flock lining is common. This helps to reduce friction when pulling the glove on and off, and helps minimise sweating too. These linings are found in high-quality reusable gloves.

Choosing the right disposable glove

With our guide, you should now be able to choose the right disposable gloves for your catering and cleaning staff. Strong and durable, disposable gloves are essential in the cleaning and catering industries. Offering protection for your staff is clearly the key reason for choosing disposable gloves, but it is also important to do so to meet regulations too.