How to oil an Old Baseball Glove?
If you are a baseball player, you know that taking care of your glove is crucial to a successful season. To maintain the glove in its original shape let’s find how to oil an old baseball glove?
How do you know if your baseball glove needs some love? Different signs will let you know it’s time to oil your glove.
For many years we kept on playing the game and forgot to oil our gloves, and with that result, our gloves start getting frying on the webbing or cracks in the leather.
Another sign would be stiffness in the fingers when opening and closing them or excessive break-in you will feel while using them for a game.
If you see any of these signs, then it may be time to oil your baseball glove. But that’s not a big issue; you can again make your glove back to its original shining look by knowing how to oil an old baseball glove by following the below steps.
How To Oil An Old Baseball Glove
First of all, remove any dirt or debris from the glove. The fingers should be able to open and close without any stiffness or break-in needed, but you may need to work in a bit of oil on them first before they’re flexible again.
- Unlace the glove.
- Apply a leather cleaner on one side of the glove, scrubbing that area thoroughly with your hand to get rid of any dirt or grime before applying on other 2nd glove.
- Dry off every part.
- Clean up any excess fluid.
- Use conditioner sparingly for added protection
- Now re-lace and tighten accordingly
After following the above step, you will see your baseball glove has retained its original shinning. For a detailed guide, let’s talk step-by-step process.
Unlace The Glove
First of all, you have to unlace the baseball glove before starting the process. While it may sound like a daunting task, unlacing the glove is actually quite easy, and two methods will help you to unlace it quickly.
- Well, all you need to do is pull the lace out from one end of the glove and then slowly work it toward the other. This process is quickest way and it will take less than two minutes.
- The second method is using scissors and cutting the laces, and buying the new ones. But generally, this method is perfect if your gloves are more than 5 years old and you can see cutting of laces is only the option to remove them completely from the gloves.
- And, the last method is if you’re not too keen on doing it yourself, you can always ask a friend or family member to do this for you. Well, they will actually have an easier time opening and closing when someone uses them because the fingers aren’t all bunched together by the laces.
Applying the Leather Cleaner
The next step in taking care of a baseball glove is to apply the leather cleaner. How should I use it? Well, this will depend on what type of protector you have on the glove.
If the baseball glove is made up of 100% leather, then you can’t use water on it. So you have to use the oil to clean the gloves.
But for that, you have to be careful if you have never used one before, so you’ll want to check with your manufacturer for specific instructions.
If not, then all you need to do is get a rag or a sponge to apply the oil cleaner and then wipe it across your glove.
Never put an excessive oil cleaner on your glove as this will damage the leather outer layer. Wipe it with a soft cloth if you have used the oil accidentally on it. Using too much oil will also darken the leather so be careful with the amount of oil you use on your baseball glove.
Dry Off the Glove
Now, after successfully applying the cleaner now it’s time to dry off the glove. Take a dry sponge and wipe it all over the glove so that no oil remains on the glove.
Let the baseball glove dry completely for 12-14 hours, depending on the weather. Never put it under direct sunlight as it will damage the material of the baseball glove.
You can also put it under the running fan for at least 12 hours to let the drying is done quickly. But also remember if the glove is not completely dry with oil then it will cause the glove to mildew.
Apply Oil to the Baseball Glove
Never apply the oil directly to the gloves. Many people directly apply the oil to the baseball glove, but this will only damage it and makes the leather more darker.
The best way to apply the oil on the glove is by applying the oil to the cloth and rubbing it on the glove. After applying the oil, rub the glove with a dry cloth till the oil disappears.
Again Dry It One More Time
Now its time to again dry the baseball glove for a night so that the oil can be soaked in by the leather.
Now according to our testing and cleaning on hundreds of gloves if the weather is humid then the gloves will take at least 2 days to full dry of the oil.
If you have read it somewhere that drying of gloves takes only one day or less than 24 hours then they don’t have real experience of properly drying the baseball gloves.
Use A Conditioner
Many experts suggest applying the conditioner to soften the glove and increase the performance for many years. Again to apply the conditioner, you should use it with a piece of cloth, or you can also use it with your hand.
Relace The Glove
After finishing cleaning the glove, it’s time to restore it by Relacing the baseball glove. To lace it, you will need three materials that will help you out.
- Needle
- Knife
- Laces
The video below will surely help you replace your gloves and make the baseball glove ready to use again.
You can also look for the best glove under $200 at a budget-friendly price for you.
Conclusion
There are many methods available for how to oil an old baseball glove, but the above method that we have discussed is ideal for cleaning your baseball glove and making them again a new one. We hope you like our article, and we helped you with the information you were looking for.
Other Useful Source
Baseball has given me so many opportunities in my life, and it's time for me to give back by helping others do the same.
It is something that not only brings happiness and joy to others but also brings out the best in me.
- The Complete Guide On How To Choose A Baseball Bat - November 16, 2023
- How Much Does a Good Baseball Glove Cost? - July 12, 2023
- How Long Do Composite Bats last? - July 12, 2023
![Reviews of the Best Baseball Glove Under 200 [2022]](https://bestbaseballguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/best-baseball-gloves-under-200-768x404.jpg "Reviews of the Best Baseball Glove Under 200 [2022] 19")
