How to Wash Fencing Gear: Jacket, Lamé, and Mask

How to wash fencing gear comes down to one rule: read the care label first, then wash cool, skip the bleach and let everything air-dry. Fencing whites, the saber lamé, the mask and the glove are protective equipment, not ordinary sportswear, and the makers are clear that the way you wash them affects how well they protect you and, for electric gear, whether your touches register. This guide pulls together what manufacturers actually say, so you know what to check on your own labels.

Absolute Fencing Gear's instructions for its FIE uniforms put it plainly: "Care instructions must be followed or a reduction in the level of protection will occur." Labels differ between brands and even between models from the same brand, so treat everything below as a guide to what to look for, and let your label win whenever it says something different.

Before you wash: check the care label

Every jacket, plastron, pair of knickers, lamé and glove should have a care label or a product page with washing instructions. Look for four things:

• Machine or hand wash. Some items are machine washable and some are hand wash only. Leon Paul notes that its lamés are machine washable, "many are not."
• Water temperature. Labels usually say "wash cool" or give a temperature.
• Bleach. Fencing garments typically carry the "Do not use bleach" symbol. Leon Paul says that symbol is mandatory on fencing garments under European law.
• Drying. Most fencing labels say line dry and do not tumble dry.

If an item has no label and the maker's website doesn't say, ask the maker or your club's armorer before you wash it. Don't guess with a lamé or a mask.

How to wash a fencing jacket, plastron and knickers

The polyester or ballistic-nylon whites are the easiest part of the kit. Leon Paul's general washing instructions recommend:

• Brush or shake off dirt first, and fasten all zips and Velcro so they don't snag the fabric in the machine.
• Wash in cold water with a natural soap powder, a very mild detergent or a color-fast washing powder.
• Avoid bleach, whiteners and fabric softeners, which Leon Paul says can damage the fabric, leave a residue and "diminish its protective qualities."
• Air-dry by hanging the garments or laying them flat somewhere cool and dry, away from direct sunlight.
• Don't iron or steam them, which can melt or scorch the fabric.

Leon Paul also explains why "whitening" detergents backfire. Whitening products contain bleach, bleach eats the elastic in sleeves, cuffs and braces, and on lightweight optic-white fabrics it can take the color back toward the fabric's original off-white. Its advice is natural soap powders made for delicates, or color-fast powders, which are bleach-free.

If your name or country is printed on the back of your jacket or knickers, the UK club Fencing North suggests turning the garment inside out to slow fading.

How to wash a lamé

The saber lamé is the conductive jacket that tells the scoring box a touch landed on target. Its metal threads are what make it work, so washing it wrong can create dead spots. Our guide to how electric scoring works in saber explains why that matters on the strip.

Check the label before anything else. Leon Paul's sabre lamé label, for example, says:

• Fasten zip and Velcro closures while washing.
• Use only color-safe detergents, "free of bleach, optic whitening or oxidising agents."
• Machine wash cool, line dry only.
• No bleach, no tumble drying, no ironing and no dry cleaning.

For its lightweight silver lamés, Leon Paul adds: no bleach, no softener and no washing powder, because "the use of any of these can affect the conductivity of the Lame." It says bleach oxidizes the silver into a tarnish that doesn't conduct.

If your lamé's label says hand wash, or doesn't say anything, Fencing North's lamé guide recommends hand washing in the sink with a detergent that contains no bleach, rinsing thoroughly, not wringing it, and hanging it on a coat hanger to dry. It also suggests rolling the lamé in a towel for your bag instead of folding it, because folding can break the metallic threads.

If your lamé fails a test at the armory check, washing won't fix broken threads. Have it tested and repaired or replaced.

How to clean a fencing mask

A mask isn't something you put in the washing machine. Absolute Fencing Gear's mask instructions say:

• The inside lining can be cleaned with a wet cloth.
• Removable inside padding can be hand-washed at 10°C (50°F) with a mild detergent.
• Air-dry the padding. Don't spin-dry or tumble it, "as the mechanical impacts will reduce its level of protection."
• Store the mask in a cool, dry place away from direct light.

A saber mask also has a conductive bib that is part of the scoring circuit. Follow your mask maker's instructions for the bib, and ask before soaking an electric mask if the instructions don't cover it.

How to clean a fencing mask bib

Many masks have a removable bib or padding. If yours does, take it out and wash it the way the label or instructions say. Fencing North's advice for padding that doesn't come out is to hand wash it, work the soap into the padding with your hands, rinse all the soap out and let it air-dry.

How to wash a fencing glove

Glove instructions vary a lot from one model to the next, so read yours first. One example is PBT's 800N washable glove, whose user guide says to wash in 30°C (86°F) water with neutral detergent only, with no whitening or aggressive detergent, no ironing and no machine drying or spin drying.

A saber glove also has a conductive cuff that is part of the scoring circuit. Treat that cuff the way you treat your lamé: no bleach and no softener, and only what its label allows.

How to dry fencing gear

Every maker source we checked says the same thing: air-dry and avoid the dryer. Leon Paul says dryer heat can damage fencing fabric and cause shrinkage, and that garments should dry in a cool place away from direct sunlight. Hang jackets and lamés on hangers so they keep their shape.

Store gear only when it's fully dry. Leon Paul warns that storing damp garments invites mold and mildew.

Why does my fencing gear smell?

Sweat that sits in a closed bag is usually the cause. Fencing North's tips are simple:

• Take your mask out of the bag after training and let it air out.
• Hang your whites to dry after every practice or competition, even if you aren't washing them that day.
• Keep your mask in an old pillowcase or cloth bag inside your fencing bag so sweat from the rest of your gear doesn't transfer onto it.

Leon Paul notes that silver fibers in lightweight lamés are anti-microbial, which helps with smell, but airing out and regular washing still matter.

Make care part of the routine

If you are new to the sport, our saber fencing equipment guide explains what each piece does and what armorers check, and our USA Fencing starter kits post covers what to buy first. Parents getting ready for a first event can read our first saber tournament guide, and the How to Start Fencing guide covers the first steps before you own any gear. To learn saber with coaches in Bethesda, see Saber Nation's youth fencing classes.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put fencing gear in the washing machine?

Often, yes, but it depends on the item. Many jackets, plastrons and knickers are machine washable on a cool cycle, while some lamés and gloves are hand wash only and masks shouldn't go in the machine. Check each label.

How often should you wash fencing gear?

Follow your club's and manufacturer's guidance. Hanging your whites and mask to air out after every session helps between washes, and regular washing keeps sweat from building up.

Can you use bleach on fencing whites?

No. Fencing garments typically carry a "do not use bleach" label. Leon Paul says bleach shortens a garment's life, damages the elastic and can make lightweight whites look duller, and it ruins the conductivity of silver lamés.

Can you put fencing gear in the dryer?

No. Manufacturers we checked, including Leon Paul and PBT, say not to tumble dry or machine dry fencing gear. Hang it or lay it flat to air-dry away from direct sun.

How do you wash a fencing lamé?

Follow its care label. Leon Paul's sabre lamé label says machine wash cool with zips and Velcro fastened, a color-safe detergent with no bleach or optical whiteners, line dry only, and no tumble drying, ironing or dry cleaning. If the label says hand wash, wash it gently in the sink without wringing.

Sources (checked November 3, 2026): Leon Paul, Washing Instructions; Leon Paul, Garment Care; Leon Paul, What is a Lame?; Leon Paul USA, Mens Sabre Lame care label; Absolute Fencing Gear, mask instructions for use; Absolute Fencing Gear, FIE uniform instructions for use; PBT, 800N washable fencing glove user's guide; Fencing North, Looking After Fencing Gear.