7 Best Oil For Baseball Glove in 2024

If you are a baseball player, you must know the state of the new leather baseball gloves. Leather gloves are mainly stiff and unplayable out of the box. They needed to be broken out of the box to play baseball.

I always wanted my new gloves to be playable out of the box, but that didn’t happen. 

However, leather gloves cost a minimum of 100 bucks and more to purchase. So, you must keep them under maintenance to keep their moisture and usability.

Baseball glove oils and conditioners are one of the great elements that break in the leather gloves and keep the gloves soft. But you need to pick the best oil for baseball glove because oil for baseball gloves is a sensitive element.

In this guide, I will be discussing the best baseball glove oil so that you can choose the one that makes the most sense to grab. 

Using Baseball Glove Oil: Reasons And Benefits

Oil is a great baseball glove conditioner. You know, leather is a pretty good material. But, after being processed and used in making the leather gloves, it becomes much stiff. So, you need to break your gloves to make ready for participating in-game.

So, why is oil here? Because oil is one of the good conditioners that help you to break in your leather glove. If we get the softball gloves soft out of the box, it would be a type of bed of roses(just kidding!).

But alas! We need to go through a break-in period with our new baseball glove. I have never found any good quality gloves from cowhide that is game-ready out of the box ever. Neither in my minor league career nor in my coaching career. 

In this case, along with the best baseball glove conditioner, glove oil helps us to get our leather gloves ready.

By the way, there are a lot of positive facts to say. let’s check the benefit of using baseball glove oil on your new baseball glove, along with your old baseball gloves too.

By the way, with a lot of uses, baseball gloves get extremely soft and sometimes unable to use. For this, stiffening up a glove is necessary if you want to use the glove for a long time again. The guide on How To Stiffen Up A Baseball Glove To Use For A Long Time could be useful for you to make your old glove useable again. 

Breaking In

As I have been mentioning from the beginning, oil is primarily used in leather baseball gloves for breaking them in. Basically, the glove leather is stiff and not in the state of play.

As long as you break your gloves in, you cannot play with that leather glove. Using baseball glove oil plays a great role in breaking in the new glove.

There are many ways to break a glove. Using the oil glove conditioner is one of the most efficient ways of the breaking-in process. The oil penetrates into the fiber of the glove and makes stiff gloves leather soft. Ultimately the oil makes leather supple that becomes playable.

Stiffing up the baseball glove is important. A loos glove can be separated from your hand when playing. And this is horrible. You may like to know How To Stiffen Up A Baseball Glove To Use For A Long Time as a result. 

Increasing the Lifespan

Regular oiling your own machine, I mean in your gloves increases the lifespan of the glove. Because, without oiling, the fiber of the leather glove gets dried which makes the leather stiff.

Based on your local weather, you should use oil for baseball gloves regularly. You may need to oil the glove once a week, or once a month, based on the weather.

The glove conditioner features oil to protect your gloves from excessive moisture too. If I say it in a more simple way, oil is the food for old and new gloves.

Keeping Old Leather Alive

You water your plants when needed, isn’t it? If you think like it, you can actually relate the oiling to watering your plant too. The oil for baseball gloves keeps a softened state of your glove’s fiber.

That lets the glove tame and be comfortable to use. The best baseball glove oil ensures this state for any type of leather sports equipment.

So, you can keep your old gloves alive by using oil and a hot glove cream conditioner for long-term use.

Generating Water Resistance

As water isn’t mixed up with oil, your gloves extra benefitted from oiling. As oil forms an invisible wall on the surface of the glove leather, water or moisture cannot penetrate into the gloves’ holes.

That ensures protection against any damage that could happen due to moisture or water. Aside from doing glove break-in, oiling the leather gloves keeps them waterproof as well. 

Differences Between Baseball Glove Oil And Baseball Glove Conditioners

Glove Oil

The most basic objective of using glove oils is to break in the stiff gloves. When you use the best baseball glove oil through the proven oiling formula, it will make the gloves heavier. But this event will break down the glove overnight. Also, the dry leather of the brand new gloves will be soft by using the oil.

Also, oil for baseball gloves basically darkens its color.

Leather Conditioner

Conditioner is a makeover-like material. When you apply glove conditioner, it brings shine to the leather gloves and helps to restore the base color. Conditioner also preserves leather items from any types of weather damage.

7 Best Oil For Baseball Gloves

SL. No.	Name of the Products	Recommendation Level
1	Wilson Pro Stock Glove Conditioner	The Best Conditioner
2	Hot Glove Cream Conditioner for Glove Maintenance and Glove Leather Care	Overall Balanced
3	Rawlings Game Ready Break-in-Kit	A complete Pack
4	Fiebing’s Golden Mink Oil Paste	Great Scent
5	Rawlings Glovolium Glove Rub	Smooth synthetic Material
6	Hot Glove Treatment Instant Glove Break-in	Fast Break In
7	Obenauf’s Leather Oil	Popular One

From the beginning till now, hope you understood the importance of glove oil and hot glove cream conditioner used in the leather gloves. But, you must make sure that you got the best baseball glove oil and the best glove conditioner for applying to gloves.

But, there are a plethora of glove oils and conditioners on the market. You may pick a random one and use it. But this might decrease your gloves’ performance and shape.

I would suggest picking the best one for the best result.

However, from this perspective, I would like to pick the best oil for a baseball glove and the best baseball glove conditioners here. Before getting into the point, I would say the best ones I am going to pick are not the ultimate ones.

But, they are surely among the best. You may have a different choice. So, you also can pick your own choice if that makes the most sense.

1. Wilson Pro Stock Glove Conditioner (The Best Conditioner)

My first pick is the Wilson Pro Stock Glove Conditioner. Wilson is such a good baseball goods manufacturer that I always appreciate their way of approach.

From this sense of responsibility, Wilson brought the Pro Stock Glove conditioner that ensures the highest longevity of your gloves by keeping them soft. After breaking in your new gloves, applying Pro Stock conditioner keeps your stiff glove-soft by moisturizing them.

This hot glove cream conditioner is a USA-made conditioner that provides the peak performance with the highest quality of manufacturing. Because it includes lanolin, which is a great natural oil to break in a leather glove that comes from sheep. 

Wilson pro stock is made organically that gives your old gloves life. By the way, this conditioner is not just for keeping the old gloves in pristine condition, but also this conditioner breaks the new gloves in to make them ready for games.

Another thing to be cleared. Keep in mind that new is always new, and used is used. Don’t expect that this conditioner will restore your old gloves 100%, and will make them new.

But, it will surely enhance your glove’s performance and will soften them along with revitalization. Though this does not make them new, you will feel your glove’s leather is changed significantly.

Pros

• High-quality leather conditioner.
• Moisturize your old and new gloves perfectly.
• Soften the gloves that make comfort for you.
• Natural scent.
• Give life to your dry leather gloves.
• The USA and organically made conditioner.

Cons

• Unlike other conditioners, it darkens the gloves like oil.
• Comes with a jar only.

2. Hot Glove Cream Conditioner for Glove Maintenance and Glove Leather Care (Overall Balanced)

As I have mentioned before that the best baseball glove conditioner is primarily for conditioning the glove, you will exactly get this feature from this glove conditioner.

Don’t expect the break-in capability from this conditioner for your new baseball gloves. But, if you are searching for the best baseball glove conditioner, it could be one of them.

This conditioner will effectively safeguard your gloves from drying, and being stiff. An old glove will surely stay soft and comfortable by using this glove care conditioner. Natural ingredients are used to make hot glove cream conditioners to give the necessary reaction and vitamin e to ensure the preservation of the leather glove.

This hot glove cream conditioner removes the oily vibe, restores the color, and softens the glove to use for a longer time. Also, its lightweight and non-sticky features do not give any weight to your old gloves.

Though it gives your gloves the necessary moisture to stay soft, it does not give excessive moisture and protects from any damage that can be caused by water.

Pros

• Non-sticky.
• Easy to use.
• Natural ingredients.
• Best for maintaining your old gloves.
• Lightweight.
• The USA-made conditioner.
• Repels from moisture, water, and rain.

Cons

• Not for breaking in the new gloves. 

3. Rawlings Game Ready Break-in-Kit (A complete Pack)

Rawlings game-ready break-in kit is great baseball gloves oil that comes with lanolin. Lanolin is one of the most crucial ingredients for leather breaking in. It’s a natural oil conditioner that breaks in gloves and helps you to shape them.

It contains the oil and conditioner mixture that breaks in, shapes, darkens, and restores the old gloves too. This Rawlings game-ready oil comes with an applicator cloth along with a rubber band.

The oil has no color, and is not sticky giving the leather glove a fast break-in, and a softened and shiny state.

Ultimately, getting one of the best baseball gloves oil along with an applicator fiber cloth is nice that eases the application of the oil on your gloves.

Pros

• Not sticky.
• Comes with an applicator fiber cloth making the oil application easy.
• The oil packing is good and ensures more protection.
• Preferable for both old and new gloves.
• Lightweight.

Cons

• The cloth is not that premium. 

4. Fiebing’s Golden Mink Oil Paste (Great Scent)

Fiebing’s Golden Mink oil for baseball gloves is one of the best oils on the market. The glove oil is great for use in breaking in new leather products including leather gloves. Also, this provides great maintenance to the old glove, leather boots, and other leather products.

This is one of the natural oils that are developed with high-quality formula. Aside from breaking in, the natural formula oil preserves, and makes water-resistance to the leather products, ensuring vitamin e for them.

This oil also holds lanolin, which is the best conditioner for leather gloves that professional athletes prefer for their gloves.

Pros

• Break in the new glove.
• The implemented lanolin, silicone, and Vitamin e restock the soft state.
• Preserves leather products from excessive moisture and water.
• Manufactured in the USA which is the signature product of Fiebing.
• Easy to use.

Cons

• The container of the oil paste is crack-prone. 

5. Rawlings Glovolium Glove Rub (Smooth synthetic Material)

Rawlings Sporting Goods is one of the oldest baseball equipment manufacturers. I always expect extraordinary performance from their products.

Rawlings Glovolium Glove Rub is one of their glove caring conditioners that gives life to your older gloves. Also, the baseball team players will find this one great for their gloves to give moisture, and a soft state.

I have found this Rub-made glove-soft without oversoftening. Though this will not make your glove new, I hope you will get brand new condition-like gloves by using this conditioner.

Pros

• Great usability.
• Ensures new-like conditions to older gloves by using a natural formula.
• Easy to use.

Cons

• No cloth included.

6. Hot Glove Treatment Instant Glove Break-in (Fast Break-In)

Holla! This Hot glove treatment is a great oil that gives a fast break-in to your gloves without any hampering. Along with breaking in new gloves, it restores and keeps older gloves in great shape and condition.

Hot Glove treatment glove oil comes with a spray applicator bottle that is way easy to apply to your gloves. Hot Glove treatment is one of the natural oils that instantly break in your new gloves.

You need to apply the spray gently and leave the glove for penetrating the oil precisely. After absorbing the oil perfectly, your gloves will be softened, and in the state to form the shape as fast as you desire.

Pros

• A quick break-in for the leather glove.
• The spray applicator facilitates easy use.
• Restore and give life to old gloves.
• cost-effective.

Cons

• No rubbing cloth comes with the oil. 

7. Obenauf’s Leather Oil (Popular One)

Obenauf’s leather glove oil is a popular oil for breaking in the leather made in the USA. It is found in two quantities: 8-ounce, and 16-ounce size bottles. It is a blender of natural oils, beeswax, and propolis that gives an extended glove life. Choosing a good blender before buying is a important part of good blending.

It is a natural preserving oil that breaks in, restores, and protects your leather glove. Aside from using leather gloves, you can use them for any other leather products too, including your holster, or your horse saddle.

Pros

• Quick break-in feature.
• Natural oil, beeswax, and propolis mixture give extra lifespan.
• Made in the USA.

Cons

• Slightly darken the gloves. 

What Kind Of Oil Can You Use On A Glove?

Leather baseball gloves are delicate and must be treated with care to extend their life and keep them in playing condition. Leather can be protected and conditioned with oil, but not all oils are appropriate for baseball gloves. Some recommended oils for a baseball glove are as follows:

• One of the best leather oils available is Rawlings Glovolium, which is produced by the legendary baseball gear maker Rawlings. It’s specially developed to be safe for use on leather gloves while conditioning and replenishing their moisture.
• The second is mink oil, which is widely used to treat leather. This oil is 100% natural and is pressed from the fat of minks. Softening and protecting the leather of your baseball glove using mink oil.
• Neatsfoot oil, an essential oil derived from the bones and skin of cattle feet and shins, is the third ingredient. This oil is widely used to condition leather because it enters the fibers and replaces the natural oils that have been depleted from wear and use. Leather gloves that get a lot of usage can benefit from being treated with neatsfoot oil, as it darkens and softens the material.
• Natural coconut oil is another option for leather conditioning. The glove will be protected against mould and other microorganisms thanks to its high fatty acid content.
• To further soften and protect the leather of a baseball glove, petroleum jelly can be applied on the glove. Because it has the potential to block the leather’s pores and trap dirt, it should be used sparingly.
• Keep in mind that not all oils work well on baseball mitts. Avoid using oils like vegetable oil or olive oil, since they can damage the glove by leaving a greasy film that attracts dirt. Before using an oil, be sure it is safe for leather by reading the label.

Baseball Glove Oil Alternatives

Conventionally, baseball gloves are oiled to condition and preserve them. There are, however, several viable substitutes for baseball glove oil that serve the same function.

• One typical alternative to baseball glove oil is petroleum jelly. As a natural lubricant and leather softener, it serves a dual purpose. A little goes a long way, so just put some on and work it in.

• Second, mink oil is an all-natural oil pressed from the fat of minks. It’s well-known for its leather-softening and leather-protecting properties. To maintain your baseball glove, rub on some mink oil.

• Lanolin, a natural wax extracted from sheep’s wool. It is commonly used to condition and protect leather. Use a tiny amount of lanolin and thoroughly work it into your baseball glove.

• Coconut Oil: This all-natural emollient can be substituted for baseball glove oil. It aids in suppleness and softening of the leather. Put some coconut oil on your baseball glove and work it in well.

• Leather conditioners are designed to preserve the leather’s natural oils and suppleness. You can buy them in stores or on the internet, and they come in a variety of forms like sprays, creams, and lotions.

If you want to maintain and protect your baseball glove, you don’t have to rely on baseball glove oil. To avoid a greasy or oily residue, use only a small amount and rub it in thoroughly when applying any of the available options.

Best Oil For Baseball Buying Guide

There are hundreds of oil and conditioners on the market to serve your gloves. Among a bunch of glove treatments, it is truly tough to pick the best oil and conditioner easily.

But, there are some precise criteria that you should consider before buying your necessary oil and conditioner. so, let’s check on them to have a precise idea about buying the best oil for baseball glove.

Ingredients

Both the oil and the conditioner ought to be composed of natural components; this is an absolute need. For the best glove care, lanolin and vitamin E are necessary necessities.

Therefore, it is essential that you make certain that both the oil and the conditioner include only natural components, such as vitamin E and lanolin.

Using Ability

You need to make sure that both the oil and the conditioner have simple characteristics since using those items might be a bother.

Spraying is more convenient than using oils that need to be applied by hand. Take the easy-to-use oil and conditioners if you can find them and if it’s feasible.

Moisture And Water-Resistance

Though the main goal of the conditioner and oil is to keep the gloves soft, sometimes with little moisture, the oil should be water-proof and moisture-proof from extensive situations.

So, make sure the oil has the ability to form a quick layer on the glove that resists the water to penetrate into your gloves.

Natural Effect

Using oils and conditioners will help the gloves maintain their natural shape and continue to work well. Do not pick a treatment that will alter your glove’s form and condition in a comprehensive and permanent way.

Color Quality

In the event that both the oil and the conditioner cause a change in the color of your gloves, you should not use the oil. Avoid purchasing oils that might potentially stain your gloves by avoiding doing so. 

Additionally, the oil may cause the color of your glove to change somewhat. Check to ensure that anything like this does not happen often.

How To Oil A Baseball Glove?

As applying gloves oil demands several precautions and a premium blend, you should go through several precise steps when oiling the gloves. Now, let’s see how you can use oil and glove conditioners on your baseball glove.

Select The Right Baseball Oil And Glove Conditioner

Basically, the manufacturers of gloves instruct about the oil that you can use for the glove. Using a random baseball glove oil may not suit the specially processed leather.

So, it is a must to use the right products, either oil for baseball, or baseball glove conditioner. Because, aside from breaking in, the oil also ensures the cleanliness of the leather and keeps them moisture-free.

More heavy oil may bring dirt to the leather. So, use such oil that doesn’t contain many chemicals.

Use The Right Oiling Process

It is a must to use the proper application method to apply the baseball glove oils and conditioners. Take the right amount of oil, no more, or no less.

Use a soft cotton cloth or a cotton swab. Now rub the leather gloves gently and softly. You can start from the palm of the glove, and move to the fingers.

After properly rubbing, remove any extra oils and conditioners. Leave the glove overnight to properly absorb the oil.

Also, spraying the oil is another best method. 

Leave The Gloves For Rest

Give enough time to absorb the oil. Don’t be in a hurry. Just leave it in its own way. Don’t keep the baseball glove in sunlight. Store the glove in a dry and cool, and less-lightened place.

The time you give to the gloves will soften the glove properly.

Don’t Overuse the Oil For Baseball Gloves

Let me remember one thing again. Don’t overuse the oil. Excessive oil for baseball glove will not be mixed. It will remain as a leftover. As a result, the additional baseball glove oil can deteriorate your baseball gloves.

Form The Pocket Of The Glove

After softening the baseball gloves overnight, now you can form the pocket of the gloves. Actually, it is the last step. The best way to form the pocket is to play catch as much as possible.

It will shape the glove as per the size and shape of your hand.

Also, you can use a baseball gloves mallet to form the pocket. Hammering the pockets as per your need. You also can use other breaking-in methods including warm water, stretching, and so on. 

Want to know how to properly break in an outfield glove? You may check my article on How to break in Wilson A2000 outfield glove. 

Frequently Asked Questions

→Should you oil your baseball glove?

One of the most common things to do in order to break in new gloves is to oil them. Aside from this, making sure that your gloves are oiled on a regular basis keeps them in outstanding condition by preserving their performance and keeping them supple. An additional benefit of oiling your gloves is that it prevents stiffness, which may lead to the breakdown of the fibers in your gloves.

Therefore, elite players often apply oil to their gloves in order to improve their performance. It is advisable to apply leather oil on a consistent basis in a quantity that is adequate to maintain the excellent state of your glove.

→What kind of oil can I use on a baseball glove?

Lanolin is the primary component that is used in the process of breaking in and conditioning the gloves. It makes the texture of your glove more comfortable. In addition to this, it safeguards your leather gloves and maintains them in the excellent shape you wish.

Lanolin is a component that originates from the wool of sheep. In order to maintain the form of your gloves and ensure that they are in excellent condition, it is advised that you apply pure lanolin oil and conditioner.

→Is beeswax good for baseball gloves?

Beeswax is a material that is produced by the workers of honey bee colonies. The honeycomb is built by the abdomens of the worker bees, which are supported by the beeswax that is used to make it.

It is one of the water’s best and most direct defenses against it since it prevents the water from breaching the barrier. On the other hand, it is an excellent moisturizing agent for leather, which helps the leather retain its suppleness. It may be done in a wide variety of specialized ways.

Beeswax has several beneficial properties, including those of an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, germicidal, antioxidant, and anti-allergenic agent. Additionally, it has sun protection factor (SPF) characteristics, which shield the gloves from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.

→Does baseball glove oil change the color of the glove?

In the event that the oil used for leather products is not of particularly high quality, the products may experience a little color shift as a result. Additionally, the oil causes the colors of baseball gloves to become more muted.

When you first put on your gloves, it is strongly advised that you do so while applying the appropriate quantity of oil. The difficulties that were stated may be caused by too much oil.

→Should you directly apply the baseball glove oils?

Direct application of oils might lead to a wasteful usage of the product. Instead, you may use a spray applicator or a rag made of cotton to apply the oils in the correct manner.

They will assist you in rubbing the oil in correctly, and they will make it possible for you to mix the oil so that it is distributed evenly around the glove.

Wrapping Up the Things

Oil is a great element of breaking in the new gloves, along with keeping them performing, and in good condition physically. But, to do this, you must pick the best oil for baseball glove. 

Picking up random oils may make your gloves heavy, and sticky. Make sure you get the best oil with lanolin which is the best element for keeping leather in good condition. Also, pick the oil and conditioner that ensure vitamin e in making them. 

By the way, I hope this guide will help you to pick the best oil for your baseball gloves. Though these are not the ultimate picks. You may also have your own choice as well.