The Rawhide Report

Glove Care 101: How to Maintain Your Baseball Glove Between Services

By Diamond Glove Revival

Between Services: How to Actually Care for Your Glove

We see plenty of gloves come through the shop with damage that could have been prevented: stretched or broken laces, floppy pockets, and leather so dry it cracks when the glove closes.

Most of the time, it isn’t bad luck. The glove simply missed the small, routine care it needed at home.

You don’t need to baby your glove. You just need to do a few things consistently—and avoid the shortcuts that cause more harm than good.

When Is It Time for Service?

Trust what your hands are telling you.

It may be time to send your glove in if:

  • The laces feel thin, dry, brittle, or stretched out
  • The leather feels stiff or begins to crack
  • The pocket has become floppy or lost its shape
  • The glove no longer closes correctly
  • You don’t feel confident that it will hold up during a game

If your glove feels unsafe or unreliable, don’t wait for it to fail when it matters most.

Conditioning Your Glove

For most gloves, conditioning once or twice per season is enough.

More is not always better. Over-conditioning can make the glove heavy, soften the leather too much, and cause it to collect dirt.

Apply a small amount of conditioner to a clean cloth—never directly onto the glove. Work it into the leather using small circles, focusing on the areas that flex and dry out the fastest:

  • Pocket
  • Palm
  • Binding
  • Hinge points

When you’re finished, wipe away any excess. The leather should feel conditioned, not greasy or saturated.

What Ruins a Glove?

The list is short, but these mistakes cause a lot of unnecessary damage:

  • Ovens, microwaves, dryers, and hot cars: Heat doesn’t properly break in leather—it dries and cooks it.
  • Neatsfoot oil and heavy greases: These can weigh down the leather, attract dirt, oversoften the glove, and weaken the laces over time.
  • Soaking the glove in water: Saturating a glove is an advanced break-in technique. When done improperly, it can permanently alter the leather’s texture, structure, color, and shape. Japanese-style water break-ins should only be performed by someone experienced with the process.

If a method sounds like a shortcut, there’s a good chance it is taking years off the life of your glove.

Breaking In a New Glove

Playing catch is still the best break-in method. Nothing replaces the repetition of the glove closing around a ball and gradually forming to your hand.

To help the process along safely:

  • Use a wooden glove mallet to work the pocket and hinge points
  • Place a ball in the pocket and wrap the glove overnight
  • Open and close the glove repeatedly while wearing it
  • Focus on forming the glove for your position and preferred closing style

The goal isn’t just to make the glove softer. It’s to create the right shape while preserving the structure of the leather.

Storing Your Glove in the Off-Season

A lot of glove damage happens quietly during storage.

Don’t leave your glove in a garage, shed, or car trunk for months at a time. Heat and temperature changes can dry out the leather and weaken the laces.

Store it indoors where the temperature remains reasonably consistent. Leave a ball in the pocket and either:

  • Lay the glove on its side, or
  • Store it open with the fingers pointing down

This helps the glove retain its shape and prevents the pocket from becoming flat or crushed.

Check Your Laces

Once a month, give the laces a quick inspection.

Start with the web and fingertips because those areas usually take the most abuse. Look for laces that are:

  • Dry or brittle
  • Stretched or unusually thin
  • Cracked or fraying
  • Loose around the web or fingers

Replacing a worn lace early is much easier—and less expensive—than repairing a glove after it breaks during a game.

If Your Glove Gets Wet

Towel off as much moisture as possible, then allow the glove to air-dry naturally at room temperature.

Keep it away from:

  • Hair dryers
  • Space heaters
  • Heating vents
  • Direct sunlight
  • A hot dashboard or trunk

Do not apply conditioner while the leather is still wet. Once the glove is completely dry, apply a very light coat if the leather feels dry or stiff.

Home Care vs. Professional Service

Good home care can prevent most premature damage, but dirt, sweat, and body oils will still work their way into the leather over time.

That’s what our Clean & Condition Service is for: carefully removing built-up grime, restoring appropriate moisture, inspecting the glove, and helping preserve its feel, structure, and performance.

Take care of the small things between services. When your glove needs more, Diamond Glove Revival will handle the rest.