Golden Rules for Baseball Glove Care

Quality baseball gloves are some of the most essential investments a player can make. Your glove becomes an extension of your arm and hand. Baseball gloves can last for years if you take good care of them. Many people purchase their first baseball glove without really knowing how to take care of it properly. Here’s how I keep my gloves from wearing down too quickly and keep it performing well for many seasons to come.

Break-In

Unused leather is stiff, and the leather used in baseball gloves is no different.

Gloves made of real cowhide or steerhide leather must be softened up before use. However, gloves made of synthetic materials are intended to be game-ready right off the shelf. The duration of the break-in phase will depend on the material of the gloves.

To ensure that your glove performs exactly as designed, it must be broken in. A glove should fit your hand comfortably and be soft and flexible. Though you can break it in by using it during practice, it could take more than a few practices to break-in. Some might even use a bucket of hot water (not boiling) and a bit of manhandling to break-in their gloves.

Make sure your gloves are broken in before game day.

Cleaning & Conditioning

Your investment will not last long if you go through an entire season not caring for your glove. Let’s face it, after putting in the time and effort to break in your glove, the last thing you would want to do is to have to repeat the entire procedure.

Cleaning your baseball glove (or softball glove) can be as simple as wiping off accumulated dirt. However, there is a better way of cleaning and conditioning gloves to help them last longer.

What you’ll need:

• Terry Cloth / Cotton Rag
• Brush
• Leather safe cleaner (steer clear from cleaners used for saddles and shoes)
• Glove Oil / Conditioner (use those approved for use on baseball/softball gloves)

Follow these steps:

1. Use a brush or piece of cloth to carefully remove extra dirt and debris from your glove.
2. Remove any remaining dirt with a soft cloth and a leather safe cleaner. A little leather safe cleaner goes a long way.
3. Moisturize your glove with the conditioner. Apply the conditioner sparingly and work it into the glove. Don’t use too much! This may cause build-up over time and would weigh the glove down as it would collect more dirt and debris. As much as you can, make sure to get between the fingers and on the inside of the glove. This will help prevent deterioration.

Cleaning and Protecting the Inside

Cleaning the interior of your glove isn’t much different from cleaning the exterior mentioned above. One important difference: Make sure to check for any mold growth. If you discover any mold inside your glove, simply buff any mold growth and apply glove oil afterwards.

Some players also prefer to wear a light batting glove inside their glove to help absorb most of the sweat from their hand. This will help protect the glove’s lining.

But make sure to check with your league rules! Fielders are usually allowed to wear a batting glove under their fielding glove, while pitchers are generally not allowed.

Proper Storage

Not knowing how to properly store one’s gloves is one of the biggest mistakes a player can make. Make sure to keep your glove in tip-top shape, both during the season and off-season.

Clean and Condition

Only use approved conditioners. Avoid spitting in the glove! This won’t help; it will just dry your glove out.

Keep your Glove Dry

If your glove gets wet during play or for any other reason, dry it off with a clean, absorbent cloth before allowing it to air dry. After drying, the leather may turn a bit stiff, but nothing a glove conditioner can’t fix.

Store with a Ball

During the off-season, you should keep a ball rolled in the glove to help preserve the pocket in good shape. You can also use a glove guard to help hold the shape. Just make sure the plastic has holes to allow airflow around the leather.

Another way to keep your glove’s shape is to store the glove on the top of a batting helmet. This can make the glove more stretched out, but it keeps the glove open.

Off-Season

Keep your glove at room temperature or in a cool, dry place during the winter. Never leave it outside, inside your equipment bag, or near a heater for too long. Leaving it near a heater could dry out the leather to the point of cracking.

Keeping your baseball glove in good condition is essential to maximizing its performance. Quite simply, a worn baseball glove doesn’t perform optimally or reliably, so knowing how to take care of it is as important as knowing how to play with it. It all boils down to consistency.