Students should wear gloves in the lab, so why is it important for them to wash their hands after handling organisms or chemicals? gloves can contain imperfections, which allows for contaminants to get through to the skin. gloves are made of a porous material, which allows substances made of small particles to pass through. the material of gloves thins with extended use, allowing for more acidic substances to reach the skin. the material of gloves reacts with many substances and leaves toxic residues on the skin.