Skip to main navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer For Medicare For Providers For Brokers For Employers Español For Individuals & Families: For Individuals & Families Medical Dental Other Supplemental Explore coverage through work How to Buy Health Insurance Types of Dental Insurance Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment See all topics Shop for Medicare plans Member Guide Find a Doctor Log in to myCigna
Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Caregiving: Using Disposable Gloves

Caregiving: Using Disposable Gloves

Overview

Disposable gloves are gloves that you use one time and then throw away. They can protect your health and the health of the person you're caring for. They help keep germs and infection from spreading to you and to the other person.

Use gloves whenever you might touch body fluids, such as saliva, blood, urine, or stool. Use a new pair of gloves when you touch areas near a cut (incision) made by a doctor. And some people use gloves when bathing someone. Gloves can also be used when you put medicines on the skin and when you give shots.

Gloves do not protect you from poking your skin with sharp objects. So if you are handling sharp objects, such as needles, be sure that the object doesn't poke a hole in the glove. Handle these types of objects carefully.

Gloves can help prevent infection from body fluids. But if there are times when you choose not to use gloves or don't have any, keep your hands as clean as possible. After coming into contact with body fluids, wash your hands as soon as you can. And keep hand sanitizer available.

Types of disposable gloves

Disposable gloves may be sterile or non-sterile. Your care team can tell you if you need to use sterile gloves, and they will give you special instructions about where to get them and how to use them. Most people do not need sterile gloves. Sterile gloves will be individually wrapped. Non-sterile disposable gloves are usually pulled out of a box or container.

Disposable gloves may be made from latex (rubber) or vinyl. If you or the person you're caring for is allergic to latex, be sure to use non-latex gloves.

Putting on disposable gloves

Be sure the gloves are the right size. They should fit close but should not be too tight. If the gloves are too big, they can slip or make it harder to grip things. If they're too small, they won't feel comfortable and they can tear.

  1. Wash your hands well with soap, and rinse them with clean, running water. Then dry them well.
  2. Hold the glove in one hand, and put your other hand into the glove.
  3. Repeat with your other hand.

Taking off disposable gloves

Use this method to take off disposable gloves, so that any soiled material or germs stay away from your hands.

slide 1 of 5
slide 1 of 5, ,

1. Grasp the cuff. Use the hand that you write with to grasp the cuff of the glove on the other hand.

slide 2 of 5
slide 2 of 5, ,

2. Pull that glove off so that it is inside out. Be sure any soiled material stays inside that glove.

slide 3 of 5
slide 3 of 5, ,

3. Ball up the glove with your covered hand. Then put one or two bare fingers inside the second glove so you can remove it. Make sure that the bare fingers don't touch the outside of the glove.

slide 4 of 5
slide 4 of 5, ,

4. Peel off the other glove. Pull down with those fingers, peeling off the other glove. The first glove will be inside the second glove.

slide 5 of 5
slide 5 of 5, ,

5. Throw away the gloves. Put them in a plastic bag, and wash your hands.

Current as of: November 16, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

© 2024 Ignite Healthwise, LLC. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Ignite Healthwise, LLC.

Related Links

Caregiving: Washing Soiled Clothes and Linens Caregiving: Preventing Rashes in the Groin Area Caregiving: Reducing Germs and Infection in the Home Caregiving: Overview of Personal Care

<cipublic-spinner variant="large"><span>Loading…</span></cipublic-spinner>

Page Footer

I want to...

Get an ID card File a claim View my claims and EOBs Check coverage under my plan See prescription drug list Find an in-network doctor, dentist, or facility Find a form Find 1095-B tax form information View the Cigna Glossary Contact Cigna

Audiences

Individuals and Families Medicare Employers Brokers Providers

Secure Member Sites

myCigna member portal Health Care Provider portal Cigna for Employers Client Resource Portal Cigna for Brokers

The Cigna Group Information

About Cigna Healthcare Company Profile Careers Newsroom Investors Suppliers The Cigna Group Third Party Administrators International Evernorth

 Cigna. All rights reserved.

Privacy Legal Product Disclosures Cigna Company Names Customer Rights Accessibility Non-Discrimination Notice Language Assistance [PDF] Report Fraud Sitemap Cookie Settings

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details