How to Remove Gloves (Personal Protective Equipment) Without Spreading Germs- Great for Hazmat and Ebola Training

Free PDF download of the Glove Removal Process here: Glove Removal Steps

Gloves are to be worn in many situations, industries, tasks and so forth. It doesn't matter whether you are a health services employee, teacher, food service worker or work behind a desk. Gloves help protect us from the substances, germs, chemicals and other harmful materials.

However, personal protective equipment only helps protect us if we also REMOVE it properly. If gloves aren't removed properly, you may still be negatively affected by harmful materials. The germs and other substances can seep into your clothes, be flipped onto you or others, contaminate sanitized areas, etc.

Read through the steps and practice with a set of gloves. The Glove Removal Steps will help you further OUTFOX infection to avoid illness and disease!

See the manual for this lesson and other great infection control activities: http://www.outfoxprevention.com/home/programs/hygiene-instructional-manual---school-edition

Also see the Glo Germ kits for lessons on removing gloves properly. The simulation germs are fluorescent material that will illustrate how germs spread if gloves (and other personal protective equipment) are not removed properly. The Glo Germs come in fluorescent powder that illuminate under a UV black light. See the following link for more information:

http://www.outfoxprevention.com/home/handwashing-kits-with-glo-germ/glo-germ-training-kits-for-infection-control

Step 1:

With both hands gloved, grasp near the cuff of one glove and pull the glove from the wrist towards your fingertips until the glove folds over.  Be careful not to touch your skin as you reach near the inside of the glove.  

If using Glo Germ, the fluorescent material will verify whether whether you touched your skin with the contaminated glove.

Step 2:

Carefully grab the fold of the glove and pull the glove away from your body until it is pulled off of your fingertips turning the glove inside out.  Be careful not to flip any particles from the glove as it is removed.

If using Glo Germ Powder, a UV black light will show if contaminated materials were spread to the floor, equipment, walls, clothing or other items.  This is one of the common causes of hospital acquired infections. 

Step 3:

Place and hold the removed glove in the palm of your gloved hand.  Keep it wadded up as much as possible so step 4 and 5 can be completed easier.

Step 4:

With your ungloved hand, carefully insert two fingers into the cuff of the gloved hand. Slide your fingers down towards your fingertips until the glove folds over turning the glove inside out while also encasing the other contaminated glove.  Be careful to avoid touching the outside of the glove.

Spread Glo Germ on the glove as to simulate contaminated materials, by doing so you will be able to test yourself or others whether you are getting the germs on your hands.  Quickly swipe the area with a backlight to show where the germs spread.  It can be a great challenge and a great game for your health team!

Step 5:

Grasp the fold of the glove and fully remove it from your hand.  Again, be careful not to flip any particles that may contaminate the area.  Many germs are spread when personal protective equipment is removed. 

Use Glo Germ powder to help teach health students, restaurant staff and/or other types of employees if necessary.  The fluorescent particles (if flipped) will show how far and wide the germs can spread if not careful.  Use a black light to illuminate the simulation germs.

Step 6:

Properly dispose of the gloves.  Make sure to not contaminate trash areas, especially when handling harmful substances or chemicals.

Use the UV black light to scan over the garbage area once the glove has been disposed.  Show how the Glo Germs were spread on the waste area and is still able to contaminate or spread.  Not being careful about disposing harmful bacteria can cause an outbreak at your organization!

Step 7:

Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water to ensure that any contamination from the glove removal is eliminated.   Proper hand washing generally means not touching the side of the sink, using warm water, washing for 20+ seconds, using a clean towel, turning off the faucet with the towel (to not recontaminate your hands) and not using dirty door handles on the way out.

See the following tutorial on How to Wash Your Hands Properly if you would like to see a step by step process (with pictures).

Glo Germ can also be used to teach good hand washing habits.  The fluorescent simulation germs (Glo Germ Gel version) will show where employees and students missed when practicing hand hygiene.