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A player must always take care of their playing gear. For a softball player, it includes the bat, ball, helmet, and batting gloves for youths and adults. When it comes to batting gloves, cleaning them is important as they help batters get a good grip on the bat and hit that elusive and desired home run. Batting gloves accumulate dirt and sweat over time with use. They also start smelling over a period. Moreover, they also undergo rapid wear and tear if they aren’t cleaned and maintained on a periodic basis. Thus, regularly cleaning batting gloves is essential to keep them in the best shape, increase their lifespan, and avoid any unfortunate event during a game.
But, how do you clean batting gloves? Well, it’s relatively easy. In this guide, we have provided you with step-by-step methods and the tools required to clean batting gloves. So, here are six methods that can help you clean batting gloves. Our previous post covers how to give a softball glove a heat treatment.
Six Ways To Clean Batting Gloves
Caring and cleaning batting gloves is easy yet ignored by a vast number of people. We have mentioned six easy ways that can help clean your gloves. You can try any one or a combination of the methods to keep your gloves spick and span.
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Clap Your Gloves
This is one of the easiest methods to clean your batting gloves. After your game is completed, clap your gloves together. It is recommended to do this as soon as the game is over. You can clap the gloves while keeping the gloves in your hand or after removing them. Clapping the gloves together will help remove loose dirt that you might have picked up while playing.
Use A Dry Leather Brush
If there is still dirt left after you clap your gloves, you can use a dry leather brush to remove the remaining dirt. Brush the gloves lightly to avoid damaging them. Use a uniform motion and remove the dust in one direction. You can use Chemical Guy’s leather brush to clean your gloves and get the best results.
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Use A Cleaning Oil And Cloth Wipe
A leather cleaning oil and cloth wipe can help you spot clean your batting gloves. Ensure that the wipes you are using are marked safe for your glove material. You can use a leather cleaning solution on the cleaning wipe to get better results.
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Make sure that you use a reliable leather glove cleaner and not some random liquid mixture to prevent damaging the gloves. Similarly, use a cleaning wipe marked for leather and not baby wipes or regular cleaning wipes. Baby wipes and regular cleaning wipes contain alcohol, which is bad for leather.
Wash With A Detergent And Water Mixture
If the batting gloves still look dirty, you can clean them with a detergent and water mixture. Add two to three drops of detergent in lukewarm water. Take a soft cloth and soak it in the solution. Remove and rinse a little. Now, gently rub the cloth over the gloves to remove dirt, dust, and other stains. Similarly, turn the gloves inside out to clean them from the inside.
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Alternatively, you can also use soap instead of a detergent for the process. Hang the gloves on a clothesline or hanger to dry the gloves outdoors. Dry them under strong sunlight to remove foul odors that might be present due to sweat.
Rinse Under Cool Water
Place the batting gloves under the faucet. Keep them under the stream of cool, running water for about a minute or two. Rinse them to remove dust or other debris that might have been accumulated. Next, use a clean, dry cloth to remove any excess water that might be present. Hang the gloves in sunlight to dry them, as discussed above.
Use A Washing Machine
Unlike leather gloves, synthetic gloves can be cleaned in a washing machine. However, before you put them in there, make sure to read the instructions label. Read the tags on the gloves. There will be clear instructions on how to wash them in a washing machine. Use a cold water setting and a non-bleach detergent to clean your batting gloves in a washing machine. You can even add a denture cleaner tablet to remove any foul odours. It is advised to dry the gloves outdoors after washing them.
If there are no washing instructions present on the gloves, wash them as you would wash leather gloves.
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Routine Glove Maintenance
It is futile to clean batting gloves if you do not properly maintain them. You need to follow routine glove maintenance to make sure that the gloves are in the best condition throughout the year. Here are some glove maintenance tips.
Keep Them Cool And Dry
Always keep your gloves cool and dry. Do not store wet, sweaty gloves as they will catch odor. Moreover, they will also undergo wear and tear quicker.
Keep Them Separate
Keep your gloves separate from your other softball equipment. Keeping other items like a bat, helmet, or other gear on top of the gloves can cause the shape of the gloves to change. This can cause issues while playing.
Tighten And Repair Laces
The glove laces become loose and break over time. The deterioration can happen more quickly if proper care is not taken. Thus, while storing gloves, make sure that you tighten the laces. If you find a broken lace, repair or replace it as soon as possible.
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Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you will take proper care of your batting gloves, and in the right way, after reading this article. So go on, wear your clean gloves and hit those balls out of the park!
Check out this video for more information on how to clean batting gloves! Our previous post is a full review of one of the newest softball gloves in the market, the Wilson Flash.
