white glove test

noun

An examination of cleanliness, hygiene or other cleaning-related standards.

“Looking at the imprint his hand had left on the visible layer of dust, he realized his home would certainly not pass his mother's white glove test.”

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Meanings

nounwhite glove test (plural white glove tests)

plural white glove tests · alternative white-glove test

  1. An examination of cleanliness, hygiene or other cleaning-related standards.

    Looking at the imprint his hand had left on the visible layer of dust, he realized his home would certainly not pass his mother's white glove test.

Origin

From the 1950s American image of putting on a white glove and running a finger along a spot to see how much dirt and dust is accumulated as a way of measuring how well the area has been kept clean.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

white glove test. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20glove%20test

MLA

“white glove test.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20glove%20test. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “white glove test,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20glove%20test.

Source: white glove test on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.