Freshen up old leather gloves

10.08.2009 3 minutes reading time From Editorial team

Leather gloves look very elegant and keep your hands very warm on cold days. However, since they cannot be washed, they can become unsightly or hard over time. Here we have collected a few tips on how to care for leather gloves:

Care for leather gloves with leather wax

What you’ll need:

Leather wax
Shampoo

Instructions:

Caution: This care product must not be used on gloves made of suede, buckskin, or thin elegant leather gloves made of aniline leather or nappa, as this can cause irreparable stains.

If you are not sure whether you can treat your leather gloves with wax, you should first perform this test: Place a drop of water on the leather glove:

if the drop is absorbed quickly and leaves a large round stain – then do not treat the glove with wax; a care spray is the right choice here.

Cleaning leather gloves with hair shampoo

First, put on the leather gloves and wash your hands with mild hair shampoo while wearing the gloves. The shampoo is used because it removes less oil from the leather than conventional detergents. Then rinse the leather gloves well with clean water.

Now take off the gloves, place them on a dry towel, and roll them up into a roll. Now press down a little on the roll containing the gloves and unroll them again. Gently tug the sides of the leather gloves so they do not become too tight and let them dry. Repeat the tugging process until they are completely dry.

Caution: Never let leather gloves dry on a heater or in a tumble dryer, as this will cause them to shrink and become hard. Finally, put on the leather gloves and apply leather wax to your hands while wearing the gloves. If the gloves are heavily padded, such as motorcycle gloves, you can also apply the wax with a soft cloth.

Apply leather wax to the gloves repeatedly and wash them only rarely. Use only leather wax or special leather lotions for applying. Avoid using shoe polish for the gloves; use products for clothing or furniture instead.

Putting on old gloves more easily

Old leather gloves are easier to put on if you sprinkle a little talcum powder (baby powder) inside them.

Leather gloves have become hard

If the gloves have already become hard, wash them in a soap solution to which a little oil has been added. Then knead them with a little castor oil.

Leather gloves are too tight

If the leather gloves are too tight, leave them in a damp cloth until they are moist, then let them dry on your hand.

Stains on suede gloves

If you have stains on your suede gloves, treat them carefully with a special leather brush or an eraser.

Read also: Care for rubber gloves

Photo by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at

Editorial team

Behind meinhaushalt.at is Sabine Ostheimer. She collects practical household tips here – preferably using natural home remedies instead of pure chemicals –, money-saving ideas for everyday life and tried-and-true tricks from grandma's time. As a twin mom she also writes honestly and without a filter about family life; baking and seasonal table decoration are among her favorite topics. More about the site

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