What can possibly go wrong if we try to dry a wet baseball glove by ourselves without a proper guide? Well, many of us might leave out some necessary care steps, forget to reshape the glove pocket, or heat and ruin the gloves while in a rush.
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So, how to dry a wet baseball glove right? It’s not a complicated process, so follow our laid-out steps below.
What to Prepare to Dry Out a Baseball Glove?
The number one thing to remember when drying gloves made of leather, baseball ones included, is not to use heat.
Excessive heat can easily ruin the pocket shape and the premium leather, so do not microwave baseball glove or expose it to any heat source to speed up the drying.
Now that we’ve set the first important issue straight, let’s prepare the following items to dry the piece quickly without ruining its integrity:
Step-by-step to Dry a Wet Baseball Glove
Step 1: Absorb the water
If your glove is drenched in water, just shake it several times to remove the excess. Shaking it up and down gently should suffice, as you are not supposed to squeeze the glove.
Now, use the cotton towels to soak as much moisture as possible from your glove. Here are what you should do:
- First, you want to absorb moisture in the glove wrist opening. You can insert a cotton towel/rolled tissues in there.
Do not force the whole towel in if it does not fit, you should gently place the piece and spread the rest up to the glove finger stalls.
- Then, roll a thin and small towel or several tissues, and insert it into the glove pocket. Or, wrap the towel around a baseball ball to keep the form of the pocket intact while you dry other parts.
- Next, use your largest towel to cover the glove’s back, then wrap it to the front to cover the whole piece.
If you do not have that many towels, you can carefully dab the entire glove with one towel and soak the moisture out gradually.
Step 2: Leave the glove dry
Next up, you will want to leave the baseball glove to dry naturally after absorbing most of its excess water.
- You can either hang them on a glove drying rack, if you have one, or place them neatly on a flat platform in an open space. Replace the towels every 10 – 12 hours.
- If you want to speed up the process, use a box fan to blow the glove dry. Also, replace the towels every 3 – 4 hours or so.
Keep away from all heat sources, including the dryer, direct sunlight, and even the fan heat feature.
Step 3: Recondition baseball glove
Leather glove conditioner is essential to keep the baseball glove soft and flexible enough for catching.
Furthermore, the right conditioner also helps keep batting gloves from drying out. That is why we must always apply appropriate care products, particularly conditioner oil.
It’s recommended to use a clean cloth or a sponge to spread the oil onto your gloves evenly.
- Dab the sponge with oil before beginning with the glove pocket.
- Rub the oil into the glove fingers and other parts.
- Examine the glove to see whether there are any globs of oil remaining.
- Leave the gloves dry overnight for the leather to absorb all the oil well.
If the glove feels greasy days after conditioning, it means you’ve applied too much oil. To prevent the leather from becoming a dirt magnet, leave baking soda on the glove to soak the excess oil and re-apply a thin coat of conditioner the following morning.
And that’s how you dry and recondition a baseball glove with water gotten into its fabric.
What We Should Not Do When Drying a Wet Baseball Glove
FAQs
Is a baseball glove ruined if it gets wet?
Water and rain ruin a baseball glove if you do not dry it right away. When wet, the protecting oils in the leather are stripped off, affecting the longevity and functioning of the gloves.
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Not to mention, the laces can become weakened and cracked, as well as the glove forms will be distorted when the moisture stays for too long.
The good news is that if you dry the glove immediately and then recondition it properly, it should be alright.
How long does it take for a wet baseball glove to dry?
If you accidentally use water to clean the inside of a baseball glove or if rain gets into its fabric, whatever happens, it needs at least 24 to dry completely.
However, to let the glove dry naturally, store it in a dry and open space away from any heat source.
It is also recommended that you should insert a baseball into the glove pocket to retain its shape while drying.
Can I break in a baseball glove overnight?
No, you cannot, and you should not. We can’t break in and soften the leather baseball glove overnight without utilizing extreme heat.
So, let’s do it naturally using leather conditioner, leaving at least 24 hours for the glove to absorb the agent.
Conclusion
Now, you know the best way to dry your wet baseball glove. It’s rather easy with some pieces of clean and absorbent cloth, a baseball, a fan, and the right conditioner oil. Make sure not to be hasty with the process, as you might need a day or two for the glove to be back to its original function and state.
Feel free to share this guide on how to dry a wet baseball glove with a friend who’s in a dilemma after accidentally dampening their glove.
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Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: HOW
