“ Leather Gloves don’t need any maintenance; no need to allocate time to keep them”. Unfortunately, you have been told wrong. Oops! Sorry for destroying the castle of imagination you had built regarding best leather gloves. But no need to fret as we will reveal some practical tips to increase the longevity of gloves so that they fit snugly, provide excellent grip and look plush even after months. Let us start without dragging the preamble.
Why Do Leather Gloves Need Maintenance?
Just like every wearable in your wardrobe loses its luster and elasticity with time, so do leather gloves. Leather, although its quality is beyond question, starts to age fast when maintenance is overlooked. Continuous exposure to heat, sweat buildup, accidents and turns of the calendar— all conspire to make your beloved glove pair look worn out or as though it had been used in a battlefield. Failing to pay heed to glove maintenance will eventually force you to ditch them because they will not offer a better grip, restrict your movement and much more. It simply means: Fork out some cash and get a pair of gloves. Try this way: just as a plant needs water and sunlight to grow and show its full colors, leather needs proper nourishment to perform well.
Maintenance Tips To Keep Leather Gloves New-Like
1- Cleaning The Gloves:
Often considered a preliminary step of the maintenance process, cleaning your bike gloves should become a habit. However, cleaning leather comes with a few caveats to follow: use a soft brush while removing the surface; brushes with hard bristles can ruin the leather surface. Similarly, preserving the gloves’ leather goes hand in hand with cleaning that isn’t harsh. You can also use a damp cloth to clean the leather surface if you want the leather to retain its texture.
After you have wound up the washing phase, let the leather gloves dry in the natural air. Avoid placing the gloves in direct sunlight or using a hair dryer.
2- Usage of Mild Washing agents:
Glove-washing can become your pocket enemy if you don’t use mild washing agents. Grizzled riders often recommend using mild agents that go lenient on the leather surface, such as Lexol Leather Cleaner and Bickmore Bick 1. These liquids are formulated in a way that their polar part only attacks the germs and stains while sparing the fabric as it is.
In case your gloves have stains that refuse to leave the surface, you can use hard washing chemicals. Their usage, however, is still discouraged. Why let a small stain destroy the whole glove’s leather? Makes sense? Gloves should undergo thorough cleaning every 3-6 months, while mild wiping should be done weekly or after every demanding ride.
3- Proper Storage:
This is where foolhardy riders trip up! They treat leather gloves as if they were made up of some sort of steel that doesn’t rust even after years.
If you want the leather gloves to last long, treat them like an expensive watch. Store them in a dry and cool place, preferably in a pouch. Avoid excessive folding of gloves; doing so will leave permanent crack-like lines that look obtrusive. In a similar vein, refrain from placing it where there is direct sunlight: it undermines the glove’s elasticity and leather quality.
4- Keep a bunch of Glove pairs:
Juggle between two to three glove pairs; it alleviates the usage burden on a single glove pair, extending lifespan significantly. For instance, you can have two pairs: one with deerskin leather and one with PVC leather. The latter one is ideal for normal rides, while the former one works superbly in demanding and long rides.
A Few Extra Yet Secret Tips
1- Dry wet gloves before storing them.
2- Use a leather polishing solution to maintain leather shine.
Do Leather Gloves Expire?
Yes, leather gloves expire after a certain duration of usage. Even when all the maintenance tips are put into practice, there comes a time when you should go for a new pair of gloves. Consider retiring the gloves when they show these signs:
1- Visible cracks or holes
2- Loose stitching or detached armor
3- Reduced grip or change in the leather feel
Final Words:
Even the best leather gloves need maintenance to last for years. For hands, they act as a guardian that keeps the impact of heavy blows at bay. Keep fingers and hand bones intact in the event of a crash. To make them keep performing all these jobs well, they need pampering after every ride, just as you need a body massage after a demanding errand.
