How to wash volleyball knee pads the right way 

At the Twin Cities Classic my sophomore year, one of our outside hitters had to sit out the second set of a bracket match because of a contact dermatitis flare on both knees. Red, raw skin under pads she hadn’t washed in three weeks. We lost that set by four. After the tournament, our athletic trainer said the same thing she always said: thirty seconds of post-practice care would have prevented it. That stuck with me harder than any timeout speech.

If you spent time choosing the right volleyball knee pads and you’ve been putting off cleaning them because it seems like one more chore after an already exhausting practice, I get it. But the difference between pads that protect you and pads that cause problems is a ten-minute wash cycle. Here’s exactly how to do it, when to skip the full wash, and when your pads are too far gone to save.

Why dirty knee pads cause real problems

Sweat doesn’t just smell. It degrades EVA foam from the inside out. Pads that absorb 200-plus hard floor contacts per practice session lose cushioning faster when moisture stays trapped in the foam cells. Over a few weeks without washing, that foam compresses unevenly and stops rebounding the way it did when new.

The bacterial issue is more immediate. Staphylococcus thrives in the warm, moist environment between your skin and an unwashed pad. At the mild end, you’re looking at a friction rash or contact dermatitis. A staph infection is the severe version, and that sidelines you for weeks. I’ve seen both in players I’ve coached, and neither one was worth the five minutes it would have taken to rinse the pads after practice.

There’s a mechanical problem too. Grime buildup on the inner surface of the pad reduces grip between the fabric and your skin. During a full-extension dive, dirty pads slide down your shin instead of staying centered over the kneecap. That sliding exposes the knee at the exact moment of impact.

What you need for washing

You don’t need specialty products. Cold water, a mild fragrance-free detergent (Hex Performance and Win Sports Detergent both work, though any sport-specific formula without dyes is fine), white vinegar, baking soda, a mesh laundry bag, and a clean towel or drying rack. Skip the fabric softener entirely. It clogs the pores in moisture-wicking fabric and reduces breathability, which accelerates exactly the moisture-trapping problem you’re trying to fix.

How to hand wash volleyball knee pads

Hand washing is the gentler option, and the one I recommend for pads with thicker EVA foam inserts like the Mizuno LR6 or Adidas Elite.

Start by turning the pads inside out and shaking off any loose dirt or dried sweat flakes. Fill a basin or sink with cold water and add a small amount of your detergent. Cold water matters for both methods. Hot water softens the adhesive layers holding the foam to the fabric shell and can warp EVA foam permanently. The old advice about “lukewarm for hand washing” is wrong if your pads have any foam padding.

Submerge the pads and let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Resist the temptation to leave them longer. Extended soaking beyond 30 minutes starts breaking down the foam, especially if you’ve added vinegar to the soak. Fifteen minutes loosens sweat salts and surface bacteria without damaging the pad structure.

After soaking, use a soft-bristled brush (an old toothbrush works) to scrub the inner foam surface and the elastic edges where sweat collects most heavily. Work in small circles. You’re lifting grime, not sanding the material down. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear and no soap residue remains.

To dry, lay the pad flat on a clean towel and roll the towel up, pressing gently to absorb excess water. Never wring knee pads. Twisting deforms the foam insert and stretches the elastic sleeve out of shape.

How to machine wash volleyball knee pads

Machine washing works for thinner, low-profile pads and for players who need a faster turnaround between conditioning sessions.

Turn the pads inside out first. Place them in a mesh laundry bag. The bag prevents the elastic from snagging on the drum and keeps the pads from getting balled up with other laundry, which maintains their shape through the cycle.

Use the gentle or delicate cycle with cold water only. Add your detergent and, optionally, half a cup of baking soda in the rinse cycle for extra odor control. Never use hot water. Never use fabric softener. Never machine dry. The heat from a dryer deforms EVA foam in minutes and shrinks elastic fabric permanently. One accidental dryer cycle can ruin a pair of pads that had months of life left.

Drying and deodorizing

After washing, lay the pads flat on a towel or set them on a drying rack in a well-ventilated area. Keep them out of direct sunlight. UV exposure degrades the elastic fibers in the sleeve, and over multiple drying cycles in direct sun, you’ll notice the sleeve losing its grip.

Stuff each pad with crumpled newspaper. The paper absorbs residual moisture from inside the foam cells faster than air circulation alone. I started doing this in college after a teammate’s trick, and it cuts drying time roughly in half.

For stubborn odor that survives a regular wash, try a pre-wash soak: one part white vinegar to one part cold water, ten minutes maximum. Vinegar neutralizes the bacteria causing the smell rather than just masking it. Rinse the pads after the soak and then proceed with your normal wash.

Between washes, you can sprinkle baking soda inside the pads overnight. It absorbs odor without needing water, and you just shake it out before the next practice. This works well during weeks when your schedule is too packed for a full wash cycle.

Tournament emergency care

This section is for the specific situation every competitive player hits eventually: it’s day two of a multi-day tournament, your pads are soaked from four matches on day one, and you’re in a hotel room with no access to a washing machine. By match three, your teammates are giving your bag a wide berth.

Between matches, wipe the inner surface of each pad with an antibacterial cloth. Turn the pads inside out and prop them open somewhere with airflow. A chair back works. The floor vent in a gym hallway works. Anything that keeps the inner surface exposed to moving air.

Overnight in the hotel, stuff the pads with newspaper and sprinkle baking soda generously inside. Leave them open on the desk or bathroom counter, not sealed in your bag. A spray-on sport gear deodorizer (several brands make these) can help as a quick fix, but it’s masking the problem, not solving it. You’ll still need a proper wash when you get home.

If you regularly play four or more matches in a single tournament day, pack a second pair of pads. Liberos and defensive specialists who take 50-plus dives per match on tournament days burn through a single pair’s comfort window faster than any other position on the court. Rotating between two pairs gives each set time to dry between sessions.

When to replace instead of wash

There’s a point where no amount of washing saves a pad. Knowing where that line is prevents you from playing on dead equipment.

Try the Thumb Press Test. Press your thumb firmly into the foam padding and hold for two seconds. When you release, the foam should rebound to its original shape within a second or two. If it stays compressed, or rebounds slowly with a visible dent, the foam cells have broken down past the point of useful shock absorption. I use the same test on volleyball shoe midsoles to check cushioning life. The principle is identical: once foam stops rebounding, it stops protecting.

Other replacement signals: a permanent odor that persists through a full vinegar wash cycle (the bacteria have colonized the interior foam and can’t be reached by surface cleaning), visible compression marks on the foam that don’t fill back out, elastic that no longer grips your leg (the pad slides during play even when dry and clean), and fabric thinning at the contact zone over the kneecap. That thinning spot is where floor impact is heaviest, and once the fabric wears through, the foam underneath deteriorates fast.

For most players practicing three to four times per week with regular washing, a pair of quality knee pads lasts one full season. Liberos and DS players who hit the floor dozens of times per practice may need to replace mid-season. That’s normal, not a defect.

Between-wash maintenance

Daily habits extend the time between full washes and keep your pads in better condition overall. Remove your pads from your gym bag immediately after every practice or match. I know it’s tempting to just zip the bag and deal with it later, but sealing damp pads in a closed bag creates the exact warm, moist environment bacteria love.

Turn the pads inside out and let them air for at least 30 minutes before storing them anywhere. A mesh bag or open compartment in your gear setup works. After especially heavy sessions, wipe the inner surface with an antibacterial cloth before airing them out.

Wash every one to two weeks during the season as a baseline. If you’re a libero or defensive specialist logging 50-plus dives per practice, move that to weekly. Your overall training routine already demands attention to recovery and preparation between sessions. Gear maintenance is part of that same discipline, even if it’s the least exciting part.

Think of it the same way you’d think about volleyball shoes or finger tape. Equipment care is equipment performance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use bleach on white volleyball knee pads?

No. Bleach weakens the elastic fibers in the sleeve and chemically degrades EVA foam. Even diluted bleach solutions accelerate material breakdown. If your white pads are stained, a baking soda paste applied directly to the stain and left for 15 minutes before a cold water wash is the safer alternative.