So there you are—ski boots tossed in the corner, goggles fogged up, cheeks red from the cold—and now you’re holding two damp ski gloves that feel like wet sponges. The mountain was incredible, but you know tomorrow’s gonna be brutal if you shove your hands into these soggy, freezing things. Ever tried sliding fingers into gloves that never dried overnight? It’s like willingly putting your hand into a bucket of ice water before breakfast. No thanks.
And this is the thing nobody tells you about ski trips. Hotels don’t exactly have dedicated drying rooms. They give you a bathroom, a radiator if you’re lucky, and maybe a half-decent hairdryer. That’s it. No fancy glove dryers, no lodge mudroom with racks humming along. So the question becomes—how do you make it work with what you’ve got?
From my experience, drying gloves in a hotel room is part science, part improvisation. You can’t just throw them near the heater and pray. You’ve got to use a few clever tricks, keep patience, and sometimes think like MacGyver in ski socks.
Step One: Shake, Squeeze, and Prep
Before you even try drying, get rid of excess water. Shake them outside the room—saves you from puddles on the carpet. Pat them down with a towel. If the gloves have removable liners, pull them out and separate them (this makes a massive difference). And if you’re like me, you’ll even blow into each finger once just to get air flowing. Silly? Yeah. Effective? Also yes.
The truth is, gloves that feel “just a little damp” are still loaded with hidden moisture. Skip this prep step, and you’ll be waking up to swamp gloves.
Step Two: The Hotel Heater Dance
Almost everyone tries this first—laying gloves over the heater. It works… sort of. The trick is spacing. Don’t suffocate them on the metal grates. Put a pillowcase or towel between glove and heater, rotate them every hour or two, and resist the urge to crank the heat to the max.
Honestly, I once left my leather-palmed gloves too close to a radiator in Austria, and they came out stiff as cardboard. Still usable, but they never felt the same again. Lesson learned: heat is good, scorching heat is glove murder.
Step Three: Newspaper Never Fails
This is the old-school move. Stuff gloves with crumpled newspaper or, if you’re in a pinch, those free hotel brochures nobody reads. Paper sucks up moisture like magic. Replace it once or twice overnight, and your gloves will be dry enough by morning.
I once tried this in a cheap motel in Vermont where the heater barely worked. Newspaper saved my trip, no exaggeration. Next day, while my buddy was whining about frozen fingers, I was already strapping into my bindings.
Step Four: Hairdryer Hack
Hotel hairdryers aren’t glamorous, but they get the job done. Wrap the glove loosely in a towel, aim the dryer into the cuff, and blast in short bursts. Don’t go continuous—it overheats and can warp insulation. Instead, think intervals. Five minutes, pause, rotate, repeat.
And yeah, it’s noisy. In 2012, I was drying gloves at 1 a.m. in a Motel 6, and my roommate swore he heard that dryer in his dreams. But the gloves were warm the next morning, so worth it.
Step Five: DIY Drying Stations
Well, if you’re traveling with family, gloves multiply like rabbits. You can’t just hog the heater. So, get creative.
- Hang gloves on clothes hangers and hook them over the shower rod.
- Clip them with clothespins on a string or shoelace across the room.
- Stick rolled-up socks or paper cups inside to keep the cuffs open.
It looks ridiculous, kind of like a craft project gone wrong, but by morning everything is at least wearable again.
Step Six: Overnight Airflow Tricks
Sometimes you don’t even need heat, just airflow. Crack the window if it’s dry outside (yes, even in freezing temps—it helps with humidity). Set the gloves upright so air circulates inside the fingers. Toss a couple silica gel packs in if you’ve got them from old shoeboxes.
Not the fastest method, but it keeps gloves fresh and reduces that nasty damp smell. And nobody likes hotel rooms that reek of wet dog, right?
Step Seven: Mistakes to Avoid
This is where people mess up. Don’t leave gloves sitting in a closed plastic bag. Don’t try ironing them (saw a guy try it once in Whistler—ruined his gloves instantly). And for the love of the 90s, don’t microwave them. I don’t care what YouTube video said it works—it doesn’t.
Prevention Beats Desperation
Honestly, the best fix is not letting gloves get soaked in the first place.
- Wear liner gloves—they absorb sweat and dry faster.
- Waterproof your gloves before the trip with spray or wax.
- Rotate between two pairs if you ski multiple days.
- Shake off snow during breaks instead of waiting until it melts inside.
It’s kind of like car maintenance—small habits keep the big problems away.
A Quick Story: Aspen Save
- Family trip. Gloves soaked after a powder day. Everyone panicked. I raided the lobby for free newspapers, stuffed every glove, and lined them along the heater. At 2 a.m., I swapped out the paper. By breakfast, all gloves were dry. My kids thought I was some kind of winter wizard. Honestly? Felt like one.
FAQs
Can I put gloves in the hotel laundry dryer?
Yes, but only on low heat. High heat breaks down waterproofing.
How long does it take to dry gloves in a hotel room?
Anywhere from 6–12 hours depending on the method.
Are leather gloves harder to dry?
Yes. Keep them away from direct heat, use paper inside, and go slow.
Do liners really help?
Absolutely. They keep sweat out of your main gloves and are easy to wash at night.
Final Thoughts
Drying ski gloves in a hotel room is less about having the perfect setup and more about making the most of what’s there. Airflow, gentle heat, newspaper, patience—that’s the formula. Once you figure out your system, mornings go smoother, hands stay warmer, and trips feel less stressful.
So next time you’re staring at soggy gloves in a tiny hotel room, what’s your move? Do you risk the heater scorch, trust the old-school newspaper trick, or invent your own hack on the fly? Either way, the key is simple—don’t let tomorrow start with wet gloves.
