How to Clean Leather Golf Gloves
By Bill Herrfeldt
At $25 or $30 apiece, leather golf gloves can be the most expensive ongoing purchase of golf equipment that a player might make after golf balls. So it behooves players to keep them as long as possible. For example, after a round on a hot day, players often drop their leather gloves in their golf bags, not realizing they are dirty or damp and require maintenance. By storing them this way, they are shortening their use and they may become hard and crusty once they dry in their golf bags. There must be a better way to extend your leather golf glove's life.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Clean the surface dirt on your leather golf gloves after each round. Throughout the normal round of golf, your golf glove will be soiled by grass or sand. Wipe it off with a damp cloth, then rub it with a dry one. If you do this after every round, you will extend the time before you'll need to buy another glove.
Before you clean it, check your glove for any marks indicating you need to fix your grip, particularly if the glove is new. If there is an accumulation of dirt on the fingers or the palm of your glove, it could be symptomatic of changes you should make in the way you hold the club during your swing. Rid these blemishes with a warm, soapy rag, then adjust your grip so that you will avoid making more abrasions in your glove.
Take more drastic measures when your leather golf glove has more than superficial dirt. Contrary to the belief that leather hates water, there is no better way to clean most leather golf gloves than by dunking them in warm, soapy water and carefully "kneading" it to loosen the dirt. Squeeze out most of the water carefully, then put the glove on your hand to stretch it into its proper shape. Then, just as you would a sweater, put it on a towel and let it dry naturally.
Put the glove on after it has dried. It will harden a bit while it dries, but the warmth and moisture released by your hand will loosen it up in no time. You can also apply a small amount of Lexol on your glove to restore it, particularly if it remains hard. (See Resources.)
About The Author
Bill Herrfeldt specializes in finance, sports and the needs of retiring people, and has been published in the national edition of "Erickson Tribune," the "Washington Post" and the "Arizona Republic." He graduated from the University of Louisville.
