Why You Should Avoid Using a Damp Oven Mitt

Few things compare to the joy of pulling a tray of brownies from the oven. However, few things are more painful than burning your hands while grabbing those brownies. This is where oven mitts and pot holders come in—insulated fabric or silicone coverings that allow us to briefly touch surfaces heated to hundreds of degrees.

There’s a surefire way to greatly reduce the protective power of an oven mitt, and that's when it gets wet. Here’s why.

The Hazards of Wet Oven Mitts

Traditional oven mitts are designed with a heat-resistant layer inside the fabric. However, if the mitt becomes damp or your hands are wet when you use it, the mitt’s ability to block heat is significantly diminished. This happens because water is a much better conductor of heat than air, with a thermal conductivity that’s up to 25 times higher.

At Oklahoma State University's Department of Design, Housing, and Merchandising, a series of tests showed that wearing a wet oven mitt exposed to temperatures over 350°F could lead to a third-degree burn in just one second.

OSU also discovered another flaw in fabric oven mitts: the stitching. When fingers press against a hot surface inside the mitt, the heat transfers more quickly through the stitched parts of the fabric.

OSU plans to urge oven mitt manufacturers to consider adding warning labels to alert users about these risks and potentially rethink the design of mitts to improve their safety. For now, it’s important to ensure that fabric mitts are completely dry before using them. If you wash your mitts, make sure your hands are dry before putting them on.

Silicone mitts should also be kept dry both inside and out, although they seem to be less vulnerable to water than fabric mitts. While some silicone mitts are marketed as waterproof, others have a cotton lining, so it’s safer to keep them dry. Doing so will also help prevent a hot pan from slipping from your grip.

Why You Should Avoid Using a Towel for Handling Dishes from the Oven

Some people may reach for a kitchen towel to handle a hot pan, but this is not a safe practice. Towels aren’t designed for heat protection, and their insulation varies depending on how they’re folded. Additionally, loose towels can catch fire on a gas stove, which is a real danger. Never use a wet towel for this task—just like wet mitts, they conduct heat quickly.

Whether you opt for fabric or silicone oven mitts, always plan ahead for where you're going to place the hot pan. Know where you’ll set it before pulling it from the oven. Every mitt has a limited amount of time—usually 10 seconds or less—before it no longer offers effective protection. Remember, it’s tough to enjoy brownies if your hands are wrapped in bandages.