Last Updated on July 25, 2022
What will you do if your baseball glove becomes wet due to rain? If you know how to dry a wet baseball glove, then you can get back your baseball glove just like before in a week.
As a school baseball coach and ex-player, I know baseball games can be postponed, delayed, or sometimes also can be canceled due to adverse weather, heavy showers, and thunderstorms. But, the game will continue in the light shower.
As a result, at the end of the day, the baseball gloves become wet. So, it is important for every baseball player to know how to dry a wet baseball glove.,
At the very early stage of my career, I thought that my baseball glove got wasted as it became wet. But once I know the techniques of drying the baseball glove in a week without damaging it.
I will share 6 easy steps, and a few tips to dry a wet baseball glove.
Why Do You Need to Dry a Wet Baseball Glove?
Before you know how to dry a wet softball glove, you should be aware of the rain and water that can damage your baseball glove. Water is not good for leather.
If you leave your baseball glove in the rain, the rainwater will remove all the protective oils making it smelly and brittle.
You need to dry your wet baseball glove because – when water is combined with leather it washes away all the protective oils which helps to extend the durability of your baseball glove. So, your gloves become softened eventually.
Also, it can weaken the glove’s laces which will make the leather dry and easily crackable. Overall, it is not a good idea to let your favorite baseball wet for a longer time. As it can affect the durability, and life span of your baseball gloves.
Store your baseball gloves dry and in good condition always. If once your baseball gloves get wet, make sure you dry, reshape, and recondition them in a faster way. Otherwise, your baseball gloves become softened, dry, and fragile.
6 Easy Steps to How to Dry a Wet Baseball Glove
Your baseball glove can become wet in many ways. But there are several solutions to dry it out. I used to suggest to my students in school to use these steps to dry out the wet baseball glove. Here is how to dry off a wet baseball glove properly.
Things You’ll Need for Drying a Wet Baseball Glove
Before you know how to dry a leather baseball glove, you need to know the required items first. Do not worry, you do not require expensive items or chemicals to dry your wet baseball glove.
You can easily dry your baseball glove using your commonly used household items and you will find these household items in your home. That’s why you do not need to spend a lot on it.
The following things you will require to dry the baseball glove –
- You will need a piece of thin cloth or towel to absorb the moisture
- Small damp to clean the dirt
- A soft bristle brush or a toothbrush is used for removing the mud from your baseball gloves
- You will also need a sponge to rub the conditioners
- Glove conditioner is used to soften your rigid baseball glove.
How to Dry a Wet Baseball Glove – A Step-by-Step Guide
If you know how to dry a wet baseball glove, then you will definitely agree – it is not as hard as it sounds. But keep in mind – that you should be more careful and have more patience while drying your wet baseball glove.
Read carefully and follow the mentioned steps properly:
Step – 1. Shake off all the water and clean the baseball glove
Before starting, you need to shake off the water as much as possible from your soaked baseball glove. Remember, you need to do this step up and down hand motion and also side to side.
No need to hurry up, take time and do it properly. The more water you can remove from your soaked baseball in the first step, it will become more hassle-free to follow the next steps.
You can also clean the baseball glove if baseball gloves get dirty with mud. You will need a soft bristle brush or as an alternative, you can also use a toothbrush if you do not have a soft bristle brush.
Then clean and remove the dirt and mud using it. Wipe off the bristle brush and rub the entire baseball glove properly. Ensure no dirt and mud should be left in the baseball glove.
Remember, never use water to remove and clean the dirt. You can also remove the dirt using a small damp cloth.
Step – 2. Absorb wetness and remove moisture with a towel
The weight of your baseball gloves will increase by water after soaking in the rain. You can absorb the wetness and remove the moisture from your baseball glove using a towel or a piece of thin cloth.
You just need to cover your glove with a blanket or cloth and massage it continuously. As it is soaked in water, you should apply pressure on the leather. Basically, it will absorb the wetness from the baseball gloves.
Now it comes to the most challenging section – dry your baseball glove on the inside part of the finger area. As they are more narrow, it is a bit problematic to remove moisture from the gloves. You can put a cloth on the inside part of the finger room. As a result, this cloth can easily absorb the water from that particular area.
Few people suggested paper while doing it. But I think using a cloth is more convenient than using paper because you need to change the paper after every 30 minutes.
A thin piece of cloth can absorb more wetness and remove more moisture than paper. Besides, you also do not need to change it after every 30 minutes. You can also use Q-Tips or rolled tissues instead of using paper.
Put a piece of thin cloth inside the room of fingers, keep applying pressure, and massaging it till then all the moisture gets absorbed.
Step – 3. Keep your baseball gloves in an open place to dry
After removing all the moisture from the gloves, now it is time to dry them out. But how long you need to dry the glove totally depends on how much water it absorbs.
Sometimes it can take just one night to dry out, or sometimes it can also take more than one or two nights.
You should dry it out in an open place so that it can get proper airflow. If you try to dry out your gloves using an air heater or any type of dryer, it will be a bad decision.
If you need multiple nights, then after every 12 hours you need to change the cloth. Remember, you need to keep your gloves in an open place for enough airflow. If you do not have any open place, you can also use an electric box fan.
Step – 4. Apply glove conditioner
Once your baseball glove dries out properly, now it is time for applying an ideal glove conditioner on your glove. The conditioner will help to remove the stiffness. So, you should use a good glove conditioner to save your baseball gloves without damaging them.
You will find several glove conditioners from different brands in the market. But never go for the low-quality and cheaper glove conditioners. You can buy one that perfectly suits your budget and demand.
Without reviving your glove, a low-quality glove conditioner will damage your glove and hurt the leather more than restoring the softness. You do not need to go to the super shops to buy a glove conditioner. You can purchase it from authentic online shops like Amazon.
You can use a sponge to wipe off your entire baseball glove with the glove conditioner. You will observe one thing – after applying the glove conditioner the actual color of your baseball glove has started to change and become darker.
Then leave it for a couple of hours so that the glove conditioner can perform its duty. You can wait for 2 or 3 hours after applying. Keep in mind, never use excessive conditioner, as it will worsen off your baseball glove.
While applying the glove conditioner, try to begin the application from the palm and then keep massaging the conditioner outward in a circular motion. It is very important to rehydrate the glove and restore its color.
Step – 5. Reshape the glove
There is a possibility of breaking down the actual shape of the baseball glove after soaking and drying. It is not possible to play the game with a break-shaped glove. So, you need to reshape your baseball glove.
To reshape your baseball glove, you need to place a ball in the pocket and then you need to tie it with a rubber band. Now leave it under the fan for one day.
Step – 6. Again add conditioners
By now, your baseball glove is ready to go. But you need to re-apply the glove conditioner to ensure its top-notch performance. Whether your glove is wet or not, you need to apply the glove conditioner at least once every year to take care of it and restore its softness for a longer period.
How to Clean a Moldy Leather Baseball Glove (6 steps)
From this section, you will know how to clean a moldy leather baseball glove. So, kindly follow the steps below –
Things You’ll Need:
- Leather cleaning brush
- A mixture of vinegar or lemon juice and water
- Leather wax or leather polish
Step – 1. Remove the lacing
First, you need to remove the lacing from the baseball glove. If you can not remove the lacing, you need to cut it off, depending on the condition of the lacing.
Step – 2. Dry-brush the glove
Using a leather cleaning brush dry-brush the baseball glove. It will remove mold, dirt, and dust. So that the buildup material can not interfere with cleaning treatments.
Step – 3. Wipe off the glove
Prepare a mixture of equal parts of vinegar or lemon juice and water. Wipe the baseball glove with it. This mixture will help to clean your glove, as the acidity of lemon or vinegar kills mildew spores.
Step – 4. Place it for air-dry
Now it is time for air-dry, so place the glove in a dry place to get proper airflow. If you use lemon juice then you need to wipe your glove once again with water and let it dry again.
Step – 5. Apply a leather treatment
In this step, you need to apply a leather treatment to soften the material. Try to use leather wax, and leather polish specially designed for athletic equipment. You can also use vaseline.
Step – 6. Again go for air drying
Now, allow the glove again to air dry. You can replace the glove if it needs new lacing.
Pro Tips
Here, I share some extra tips from my experience, hopefully, these will help you –
- Weigh your glove, it will help you to measure and compare the amount of water inside your glove.
- Try to use a glove conditioner that has lanolin.
What You Should Not Do while Drying a Wet Baseball Glove
While drying a wet baseball glove, you should not do the following steps –
Do not leave your glove wet for a long period
Water will damage the leather of your glove. So, never leave your baseball glove wet for a longer time as it will damage your glove. Also, you should not keep it in the sunlight. Because sunlight can also damage the glove.
Do not use heat sources
I know – heat sources come first in your mind while thinking about the possible ways of drying out. But remember, using a heat source is a no-no for a baseball glove.
Never dry your gloves using a heat source such as a dryer, micro-oven, or hairdryer. I strongly stand against it. Ultimately heat will harm your gloves more than do good.
Do not wring it out
If you are thinking of drying your baseball glove just like the way you do with your towel. Then you are doing the wrong buddy! Do not wire it out otherwise, it will get damaged. Never try to follow a shortcut to remove moisture by wringing it.
Some Products That Help You To Dry A Wet Baseball Glove
In this part, I will discuss some products that I use to dry my wet baseball glove.
- Instead of using a normal towel, I will recommend you use a microfiber towel.
- I use a baseball glove conditioner to remove stiffness.
- Try to use a glove wrap – will help to keep it perfect all day long
Frequently Asked Question
1. Is a baseball glove ruined if it gets wet?
Water damages the leather of your glove. Also, it becomes stiffer. So, it is crucial to dry out the wet glove with proper care to restore its glory.
2. Can I dry my gloves in the microwave?
It is recommended not to use any heat sources such as a microwave, hairdryer, etc to dry out the glove. Using a heat source to dry out gloves will ultimately damage it in the long run.
Conclusion
Leaving your baseball gloves wet for a long time can harm its leather and fade away its glory. By following my 6 easy mentioned steps, you can effortlessly dry out your baseball gloves without damaging them.
Please let me know if you also want to share your own tips on how to dry a wet baseball glove fast with others.
Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.