Glove maintenance; how often?

**Backdraft** · Posted On: 10/12/2007 4:36pm

Hey there,

I used some spare time today to grease in my gloves, figuring that since they are made of leather, and get quite a lot of sweat and stuff on them, it might be good to try and do some upkeep.
As I did so, I came to ask myself, how often should I do this? And is there a better way to insure long life for MMA gloves?
So I figured I'd ask you guys. Got any tips on glove maintenance and stuff?

**JabCrossHook** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 5:39am

I dont know as you do clean them or whatever! I once washed an old shitty pair in the washing machine (dumbass I know) and all this weird fungus crap started growing on them. I had to throw the gloves away.

From now on I just leave my gloves. I wear wraps anyway so they don't get TOO bad and if they do start to smell (which is rare) then I'll squirt some conditioner in.

In answer to your question, I don't really do any maintenance on my gloves. Lol.

**juszczec** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 8:41am

I stuff a couple of dryer sheets in mine and hang them on a clothes line to dry after I get done with them.

I've washed MMA type gloves before and as long as I hang them up they've never grown anything in them.

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 9:30am

i recently started using glove dogs

to help dry out the inside of the gloves and keep them from getting as funky. not sure how much they are doing just yet.

as for caring for the leather, it wouldn't be a bad idea to saddle soap them every now and then, i have done that with an old pair of shooto gloves that had been sitting around for a few months, just to make sure the leather didn't get too dried out and crack.

**Backdraft** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 9:59am

Saddle soap? What is that?

**DSL** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 10:24am

Look for it in the tack shops (horse equipment). It saves leather.
You might also look at glove oil (baseball stuff).
Ming, let us know how the glove dogs do? Right now I store mine on PVC pipes with holes drilled in, something to let the air flow (I know, rigged ;p).

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 10:40am

Originally Posted by DSL

Look for it in the tack shops (horse equipment). It saves leather.
You might also look at glove oil (baseball stuff).
Ming, let us know how the glove dogs do? Right now I store mine on PVC pipes with holes drilled in, something to let the air flow (I know, rigged ;p).

i find saddle soap with shoe polish and related stuff all the time, no need to find a tack shop.

i will update in a month or so with the glove dog results. right now they are being used with 1 pair of old gloves that smell already (and are used as loaners in my school), and with a brand new pair that i just bought. we'll see if they help with the smell in the former at all, and if they keep the stink away from the new ones.

**DSL** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 11:21am

Ah, good note on the saddle soap, I hadn't looked for it in 20+ years heh.
Looking forward to the update,
though at $10 for the glove dogs on karate depot, I could just take the leap heh. Though I might just make a PVC stand for my gloves/boots and make a spot for cedar chips, that sounds alright too. Socks over the end to absorb, holes for air, chips for stink, I can see a new product already ;).

**Backdraft** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 4:55pm

This is just an idea, so feel free to tell me if I'm wrong, but would'nt rubbing alcohol help against the stink? Since the smell mostly comes from bacteria, you'd kill them with the alcohol (put in a spray or something and apply it to the inside of the gloves.), and then you'd grease the leather.

By the way, I use all purpose grease for my gloves, the kind of stuff one uses on shoes, footballs, etc...

**JabCrossHook** · Posted On: 10/17/2007 8:07pm

On a separate note, has anyone tried those "inner glove" things? If so, do they go any way to wards preventing glove odor?

If you're wondering what the **** I'm talking about just ask :D