Leather Glove Care

It’s that time of year and in response to the frequent questions I receive about the care of leather gloves, I thought it would be helpful to mention my recommendations here. These apply more to fashion leather gloves than general work gloves. Fashion leather gloves are generally made from premium grade sheep or lambskins which are thinner and softer than cowhide which is commonly used in work gloves. No offense to you leathernecks, but I know how you care for your gloves.

Proper care of leather gloves and leather fur lined gloves will allow them to last for years. Besides using conventional leather conditioners, proper storage is one of the most important and overlooked issue.

  • When storing, keep your leather gloves in a well-ventilated dark, dry area. This will allow the leather to stay supple and avoid mold and mildew. Sunlight will dry out and age the leather.
  • Do not store leather or fur lined leather gloves in a sealed bag. It is best to wrap them (keeping them flat) in cloth if you need to contain them. Leather is a natural material and likes to breath. Laying them flat reduces creases which can become permanent.
  • Never heat your gloves by any means or method to dry them. Let them air dry. Drying leather gloves by heat will remove the natural oils and lanolin and age the leather making it hard and brittle.

You may want to consider using the new Glove Dogs which naturally dry and deodorize your gloves. I mentioned these in my December 7th post. I know it’s a product plug but they work.

10 thoughts on “Leather Glove Care

How to repair the sticking zipper on lined burgundy gloves please. The zipper is quite fine and I hesitate to use paraffin for fear of staining these very nice gloves.

Hello!
I have a LARGE collection of ladies’ leather gloves, in many colors. Looking for the best way to store them for easy visibility, quick access, and safe keeping. Does anyone make a clear hanging garment bag, with small enough sections to hold one pair of gloves in each? Or do you recommend storing them in a box, and if so, what type of box is safe? Thank you in advance!

Hello Donna,
I cannot recommend any special storage unit, but I suggest keeping them any type of box or sealed plastic container in an environment that does not get warm or hot that will dry out the leathers.
I hope this helps, The Glove Guru

I have a nice pair of long leather ladies gloves in very good condition and store them in a cedar hope chest. I just pulled them out and there were a couple of light white spots on them. I took a lightly damp cloth and wiped the spots off but Not sure if this is mold? Is there a better way to store them? Should I wrap them in paper? I don’t live in a humid climate.

Hello Crystal,
It is difficult to say if it’s mold that you discovered. The best method to store leather gloves for long periods is to clean them with a nice leather conditioner easily found and then store them in regular food storage plastic bags that can be sealed from the elements. Thank you, The Glove Guru

Good Afternoon,
A half dozen pairs of leather gloves were stored in a plastic box with lid for a couple years. I opened today to put other winter items away. Everything in the box was covered with something that looked like yellow cornmeal. Is this a form of leather mold? I wrapped everything and tossed it in the garbage. I cleaned and thoroughly dried the container. Can I use the container for other things, or should I throw it out?
Thank you for any assistance you can give.

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