This article is about how to clean tanning mitt. First, let’s introduce you to what a tanning mitt is. A tanning mitt is a glove-like self-tanning product. It is a hand mitt that you wear when applying tanning lotions, creams, mousse, and/or serums onto your body.
The mitt helps to protect your bare hands from suntan liquid products. It keeps your hands from staining your skin with a tanning solution that could possibly turn your skin orangey in color. The mitts are soft and contain small fibers.

These features allow users to not only apply suntan products, but its soft fibers will also slough off dead skin cells leaving a smoother epidermis surface. Good tanning mitts are made from various silky-like materials. Tanning mitts are manufactured with a soft easy to adhere technology and materials that are water-resistant.
Benefits of a Tanning Mitt
With a tanning mitt anyone can quickly and easily blend a suntan liquid solution onto various parts of your body. A mitt allows you to even out tanning liquids without having any uneven skin surfaces. When shopping for your self-tanning mitt, you will see that there are two types: disposable and reusable.
Tanning mitts are important, they are a part of the self-tanning practice. Many dermatologists favor their clients using the self-tanning methods rather than lying down or sitting under a lamp. A specialized mitt is a tanning solution that is safe to apply tanning products.
Self-tanning mitts help to give you the right amount of tan coloring you want. Using a tanning mitt eliminates the risk of prematurely aging or damaging your skin’s appearance. Even weather experts inform us that the sun’s rays are becoming stronger. Granted, obtaining a tan is fun and sexy. But taking care of our skin in the sun must be our most important goal.
Tanning Mitts History
If the term tanning mitts sounds familiar, yes, they were introduced years ago. Their purpose was to keep your hands free from suntan products. Their earlier existence was a good start, but the material they were made from did not work.
Their spongy foam texture only sucked up more the sun tanning solution than what you were attempting to apply to your skin. Today, we have more effective self-tanning mitt technology.
The mitts are smoother and allows users to apply as much tanning solutions as they need to protect themselves from UV rays. A self-tanning mitt is a beauty tool that is great to invest in for an all-over even tan.
The Best Time to Use a Tanning Mitt
Naturally, when applying your tanning solution, you can use your mitt. But to apply your tanning solution, use your mitt several hours, if not the next day after you have bathed or showered. Tanning using your mitt works best when there is lots of time for your skin to be dry.
In other words, your skin should be completely dry before applying your tanning products. Wait until the next day or for several hours. This grooming option allows the tanning lotions, creams, etc., to be applied effectively without splotching.
As previously mentioned, a self-tanning mitt is a great exfoliating tool. Simply wash it after using it to remove dead skin cells and before you use it again to apply tanning products.
Applying Your Tanning Products
To apply your tanning products with the tanning mitt is an easy process:
- Apply your tanning product to the tanning mitt.
- Rub the mitt filled suntan product onto your body using a circular motion.
- Dot the tanning product directly to your legs, arms, neck, etc., and then use the mitt to smooth it over your skin. Do not rub the suntan product into your skin, simply glide it with a circular motion and let it naturally soak into your epidermis and dermis layers.
The mitts are easy to use and provides a more even distribution of tanning liquids to your body. If you choose the reusable tanning mitt you will find that they are easy to clean. When using tanning solutions, yes, your mitt will become stained.
This is not problem. Your tanning mitt will continue to do what it is designed to do and that is to help apply your tanning solutions smoothly. Wearing your mitt allows you to apply your quality tanning treatments to various body surfaces with ease and keeping your tan looking natural.
How Long Does a Tanning Mitt Last?
A self-tanning mitt when used and washed with care should last around 6 months. Keeping your mitt cleaned helps to evenly spread your tanning solution.
Self-tanning mitts that are heavily stained will lose their ability to evenly distribute your tanning solutions, therefore keep them washed. Also, keeping them washed and cleaned will go a long way in keeping them eco-friendly when it is time to purchase a new one. Also, keeping them clean helps to extend their useful sun protecting life.
Tips on What Not to Do in Cleaning Your Mitt
Keeping your tanning mitt, a viable glove-like tool for self-tanning, here is what you should not do when it is time to clean it:
- Do not use harsh soaps or detergents because they will lessen its texture and quality.
- Do not use any type of bleach.
- Do not put it in the washing machine. Not only will a washing machine be too harsh on the mitt’s texture. Also, tanning solutions will loosen from its fibers and wind up staining your other clothes.
- Do not put your tanning mitt inside a dryer. The tumbling and hot air in a dryer system will cause the mitt to shrink . A drying machine action will also wear down its fiber materials that gives you an even application.
How To Clean Tanning Mitt?
It is best to wash your tanning mitt by hand. Yes, as mitt technology advances, you will find specific tanning mitt products whose instructions say that you can throw it in the washing machine. If you are not using a tanning mitt that is of good quality, a washing machine will vastly decrease its texture and cause tanning application to the skin a streaky mess.
However, your best bet in keeping your tanning mitt in good health is to hand wash it. Do not worry, you can easily clean your self-tanning mitt by hand because you are helping to keep it sanitized and comfortable to use, no matter how often you use it.
Follow the instructions below and your tanning mitt will serve you well. Let’s look at a couple of options in how to clean your tanning mitt:
Washing Solution Instruction # 1:
So that you do not need to fuss over keeping your stained tanning mitt clean, firstly consider washing it after each use.
- Only hand wash your tanning mitt.
- Choose a bowl or container and fill it with warm water (not hot water) and a gentle liquid soap solution.
- Place your mitt into the solution and let it soak for a couple of minutes.
- Pick up your mitt and gently rub the mitt to release tanning stains. The tanning solution will clean up quickly with a gentle caress.
- Rinse with tap water.
- Gently twist or squeeze to remove excess water.
- Reshape it. Some mitts have only a thumb fit, and others feature five finger slots. Reshaping your tanning mitt helps it to keep its original shape.
- Lay it down in a ventilated area to air dry. Please do not hang it up by a hangar or clothes pin. Do not place your damp mitt directly into the sunlight.
Washing Solution Instruction # 2:
This is how to clean tanning mitt with a different cleaning solution.
- Of course, we are only washing our tanning mitt by hand.
- Take your tan-stained mitt and run it under cold water until it runs relatively clear.
- Prepare a solution of club soda and warm water.
- Take a soft cloth and gently dab the club soda solution onto the remaining stains on the mitt. Club soda is great on stains, like wine also.
- Do not roughly scrub or squeeze the mitt because it may cause your stains to become more deeply embedded into the material. This action will also make the mitt fibers less effective.
- Follow the above rinse and drying instructions.
Endnote
Suntan solution mitts are a joy to use, plus they are stress free. Self-tanning mitts are affordable. Washing your tanning mitt means keeping it as clean as you keep your makeup tools, which cosmetologists suggest should involve an everyday cleanse.
Now that you have successfully washed your mitt, your tanning process will definitely give you a great even finish each and every time. You will also protect yourself with sunscreen products to lessen the chance of skin burns is vital.
Creating a glowing suntan helps to improve our appearance. When using our bare hands to apply SPF suntan products has often resulted in orange streaks or missed patches. Self-tanning mitts are one of the best self-tanning applications that helps your skin to tan as if you were born with a natural tan.
Tanning mitts are available in different shapes, sizes, as well as lengths. You no longer need to spend time to wash tanning products from your hands and fingers. Now, just slip on a clean tanning mitt and go get that sun glow that you are looking for.