Are you tired of your batting gloves being ruined by dried sweat? Did you pick them up one day and realize you could not use them anymore because they were so stiff?
You don’t have to worry, though, because learning how to keep batting gloves from drying out is not complicated; just a few shakes and brushes, and they would be good to go!
Contents
What to Prepare
1. Brush
When looking for a brush, make sure to buy a lighter one because the rough ones can scratch the glove’s surface.
2. Soap and Water
Household cleaning products like dishwashing soap mixed with water and a soft cloth are the basic things you need to clean up your gloves.
3. Leather Conditioners
If the glove is dry, you can use leather conditioners to moisturize the gloves and prevent cracking on the surface.
This process will keep the leather pliable and longer-lasting.
Step by Step Guide
Here is the step by step guide for baseball glove care:
Step 1: Remove primary dirt.
Before doing anything else, simply clap both your gloves together to shake off the loose dirt. You can also do this every time you finish using the gloves.
This step will reduce the cleaning time since there will be less to remove later.
Keep your face away from the gloves to prevent particles from flying to your eyes or nose.
Step 2: Brush off the gloves.
Using your soft-bristled brush, softly remove the dust or dried-up mud stuck on the stinky batting gloves.
When doing this, make sure to be gentle to ensure you don’t damage the glove’s leather.
Taking extra care not to damage or cause it to wear out will prolong its life and save you the trouble of repairing it soon.
Step 3: Wiping with the soap solution.
This act is tricky since you don’t want to wet the leather when doing this.
- Add a few drops of dishwashing soap to a bucket of water.
- Take your soft cloth and dip it in the solution.
- Dab the damp cloth onto the gloves to gently work the solution in. Be careful not to damage the gloves.
- You can start inside out first to make sure you get to clean every nook and cranny of the gloves.
- After rubbing the solution on the gloves, you can now wipe everything off with another piece of cloth. Make sure to do this until the surface is spotless.
Step 4: Air-dry your gloves.
Pick a cool and dry place to let the gloves rest. Avoid placing them in the dryer, as this could deform and damage your gloves.
Another method you could do is hang the gear on a towel rack or clothesline.
It is essential to let the gloves dry naturally, as using them damp can also damage the glove’s quality.
It would be preferable to leave the handwear overnight to make sure it dried.
Step 5: Conditioning
With your glove conditioner and a soft cloth, apply the leather conditioner across the glove in a thin layer.
Make sure to gently rub it in, as this process will rehydrate your gloves after all the wiping in the earlier cycle and smooth over the cracks from the wear and tear.
If you don’t have a commercial leather conditioner, you can also use items lying around the house like Vaseline, olive oil, linseed oil, and mink oil.
Do not overdo applying the conditioner, as it can damage the gloves.
Additional Tips
- Ensure no suds remain after rubbing off the soap solution, as it could damage your glove.
- Don’t let your gloves dry under direct sunlight, as it could make the material brittle. Store your gloves properly after using them to maintain their shape.
- Always wear inner linings to prevent too much sweat from absorbing into the gloves.
Conclusion
Batting gloves are indeed precious. However, they also quickly dry out over time under rough use and infrequent maintenance. The sweat, dust, and other elements can compound on the glove’s surface over the years.
Thus, learning how to keep batting gloves from drying out is essential for many baseball and softball players.
All five tips mentioned in this article – removing main dirt, brushing, wiping with soap, air-drying, and conditioning – have proven to be effective!. There are also some other useful tips that might help you, such as how to shrink batting gloves, how to keep batting gloves from smelling and how to clean batting gloves.
Read more of our articles if you want to learn more about maintaining a batting glove.
A powerful swing and the ball is flying across the field, just one hit, and we might never forget the thrill it brings. I do not know about you, but I never do. Every baseball game is the chance to compete with others and cooperate with your teammate. It is among my biggest passions.
