Given the somewhat hefty prices of new baseball gloves, it’s important that you take good care of your glove. There’s also the fact that most baseball gloves are made from full-grain leather. As such, the organic hide will gradually wear down with time. But, with the right maintenance measures, you can slow the process down considerably.
Here are a few tips to help you keep your glove performing for many years.
Break in Your Glove Naturally
The debate about which is the right method of breaking in a glove has always divided opinion. While some people focus on speed, others focus on quality.
Some people choose to steam their gloves with the understanding that steam will soften the leather. However, keeping your glove as dry as possible is important in caring for your glove.
Other people will soak the glove before heating it in a microwave for around 15 to 20 seconds. This method, unfortunately, does not work for gloves with any metal. There’s also the aspect of soaking a glove, of which is in violation of a lot of glove care measures.
A method most people would agree on is letting it break in naturally by playing with the glove. You’ll have probably spent a good amount of money to buy the glove so it’s best you grow accustomed to it before you step on the field.
Clean it After Every Use
Breaking in a glove is only a small part of the general process of caring for a baseball glove. It’s also important that you know how to clean your glove after using it.
It’s such a simple process yet most people tend to either forget or ignore it. Brush any dirt off of your glove after each game and ensure there are no particles of dirt stuck between the glove fingers. Next, you need to moisturize the glove to prevent the glove from wearing down. Make sure that you use the best baseball glove conditioner for this job.
The process of cleaning inside the glove is the same as that of cleaning outside. Just remember to check for possible mold growth.
Store Your Glove Properly
How you store your glove when you’re not using it is vital in ensuring long-term service from your glove. To store it right, keep it in a place with room temperature. Make sure you keep a ball rolled in the glove to keep its pocket shaped.
Most people make the mistake of simply dumping it in their garage or drawer before forgetting about them for months. This leaves the glove exposed to natural elements that will only work to deteriorate the glove.
A Bit of Prevention is Better than a World of Cure
To be a good baseball player, you need to have good quality gloves. Buying a glove and wearing it on the field hoping it will simply serve its intended purpose is not enough. You need to condition your glove and break it in.
Frequent maintenance of your glove will also help it stay in good condition. A new glove will look crisp and fresh but if you don’t care for it properly, it will break down at a much faster rate.