How To Clean Golf Gloves: 5 Tips On Taking Care Of A Golf Glove

Golf gloves help you maintain a firm grip, since sweaty hands make it difficult to hold the club.

The only problem is that gloves can quickly become stained and dirty. But before you throw the old ones away, you might want to clean them.

In this article, we’ll first discuss how to clean golf gloves so that you can maximize their durability and effectiveness. Next, we’ll share 5 tips for taking care of a golf glove.

Now, let’s dive in.

Why Should You Clean Your Golf Gloves?

Golf gloves can be less expensive than other equipment, but that doesn’t mean you should replace them as soon as they get dirty.

Whether you use cadet golf gloves or regular ones, it is always good to keep them clean. Here are a few reasons why.

• If your gloves are dirty, they will absorb moisture and cause your hands to sweat more. This can make it difficult to grip the club correctly and lead to blisters.
• As you wear gloves for a longer period, they become slick. It may result in inaccurate shots if your hands slip on the club.
• When your glove becomes dirty, it creates a lot of friction between your hand and the club, making it challenging to swing smoothly.
• If you don’t clean gloves regularly, they can even start to smell bad. Because sweat and skin oil build up inside your gloves when you play.
• By washing your gloves properly, you can extend the life of your gloves and save some money at the same time.

How To Clean Golf Gloves Properly?

Are you one of those golfers who never clean their golf gloves? If so, you’re not alone, but you may be surprised to learn that cleaning your golf gloves can actually improve your game.

So, let’s find out how to wash golf gloves. Here here are two ways.

Quick Clean Method

You can wash your glove quickly if you find it dirty and soiled after a round of golf. All you need is cold water and a towel to start. Let’s know the process in detail.

1. Pouring Cold Water: Firstly, pour some cold water over the glove while it is on your hand. This way, it will be easier to clean.

Avoid using warm water, as it might degrade the glove’s materials.

2. Rubbing With A Towel: After that, you need to remove dirt and grit. For this, simply take a towel and gently rub it around your glove.

Don’t be in a hurry, and make sure you are not rubbing too hard.

This is enough to make your glove look clean most of the time, unless there are stains that cannot be removed without soap.

3. Drying Your Glove: We recommend leaving the glove on your hand and letting it air dry. Therefore, it will be able to maintain its shape and not shrink.

However, if you want, you can take the gloves off your hands after a while and spread them on a dry surface with light and ventilation.

But never use a hairdryer or any other heating source to dry your glove, because this may damage the leather.

Deep Clean Method

Golf gloves sometimes seem unusable due to their filthy appearance. If that’s the case, washing with cold water only will not help.

However, if you clean them with soapy water, you may be able to use them again. All steps are described below.

1. Remove The Debris First: At first, try to remove dirt, grass, and other debris that can cause your glove to wear out more quickly.

This can be done with your hands. It is best, though, to use a soft brush. Be cautious while scrubbing.

If necessary, you can use liquid soap on extremely dirty spots.

2. Submerge in soapy water: After that, fill up your sink with cool water. Alternatively, you may use a bucket if that is convenient for you.

Now mix liquid soap in water as needed. Then put your glove in soapy water and soak it for about 20 minutes.

Make sure water can penetrate the inside of your gloves, too.

3. Wash Your Glove Carefully: Squeeze the glove while it remains submerged in water, and carefully rub the material against itself.

Do not use a brush at this stage. Instead, you can wear the glove and start washing your hands in soapy water.

Even though it feels odd, the process ensures a good cleanup.

4. Prepare To Dry Your Glove: Once the glove has been cleaned, rinse it with cool water.

After that, wrap the gloves with a towel and press firmly. Excess water drip off this way.

Then bring the gloves back to normal shape by pulling the fingers. To dry, lay it flat far from heat. 

5. Put The Glove On Periodically: When the glove dries out, you should occasionally put it on and stretch your fingers.

By doing so, you will prevent the leather from shrinking. The glove should dry after a few hours.

How Do You Take Care Of A Golf Glove?

There is no one way to take care of a golf glove. In fact, different golfers have different preferences on how they take care of their gloves.

However, there are some general tips that all golfers can follow to keep their gloves in good condition.

So, don’t worry about how long golf gloves should last. Instead, follow the tips below to extend their lifespan.

5 Tips On Taking Care Of A Golf Glove

One of the most important things to remember is not to over-use your gloves. Golf gloves are not meant to be used for every shot. Use only when you need them.

Besides, you may follow the tips listed below.

1. Never Use Your Gloves To Clean A Ball Or Club

People often inadvertently try to clean the ball or club dirt while wearing gloves. As a result, your glove also becomes dirty, degrading its durability. Therefore, you should never do this.

If you want to clean the golf ball or club, you can use a small towel instead. In addition, avoid wiping sweat from your face or arms with gloves.

2. Rotate Your Gloves Or Remove Them After Each Shot

When the gloves are worn for long, sweat accumulates inside, especially in warm weather.

So if you want to keep your golf gloves from getting crusty, avoid wearing a glove continuously. Instead, rotate a pair of gloves between shots.

This will increase your gloves’ longevity and benefit the skin on your hands.

However, if you don’t want to rotate, just remove your golf after each shot. This will allow the sweat inside the gloves to dry quickly in the air.

3. Use A Ziplock Bag Or Glove Holder To store Your Gloves

After the game, it’s not a good idea to put gloves directly into your golf bag. Instead, dry the gloves in the air for a while and then store them in a Ziplock bag.

Next, put the Ziplock bag into the specified pocket of your golf bag. You can benefit from storing your golf gloves in a ziplock bag in two ways.

The first is that it protects the lather materials from air exposure. And secondly, it keeps your gloves fresh even during hot and humid weather.

Additionally, you can use a glove holder when you play.

4. Wear Old Gloves When Practicing And New Ones While Playing

Wear your old gloves if you are practicing at home or at a driving range. It’s not that we’re discouraging you from wearing new gloves during practice.

Nevertheless, if you have old gloves that can be used, it’s better to use them in practice sessions rather than wearing them on the course.

5. Always Keep An Eye On How You Wear Gloves 

Try to wear golf gloves properly. You can improve your grip and increase the longevity of your gloves by doing so.

On the other hand, the false grip will cause your glove to wear out more quickly. That’s why it’s essential to wear the right size golf gloves.

Frequently Asked Questions About Washing Golf Gloves

We’ve collected a few questions people ask about washing golf gloves. We hope you’ll find the answers helpful.

Final Thoughts On Cleaning Golf Gloves

Golf gloves are an important piece of equipment for any golfer. Not only do they provide grip and improve your swing, but they also protect your hands from the sun and the elements.

Like all other pieces of clothing, you should remember that golf gloves need to be cleaned regularly. This will keep them looking their best and also help to extend their life.