In this blog post we wanted talk about something we see a lot..... Playing with gloves they are wet and then putting them in your bag -- never drying your gloves!
- When you play with your hands sweat, the grass is wet - dirt get on your gloves, for a variety of reasons your gloves are wet. You are tired and exhausted, you just throw them in your bag and forget about them.
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DANGER: This is where your gloves develop smell. It's not from the sweating or playing, once your gloves are stored wet, Bacteria starts to grow on in the dark moist areas. THIS IS HOW YOU GET STINKY GLOVES!
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GLOVES WON'T LAST AS LONG: Storing your gloves wet will actually weaken the stitching in your gloves... they actually start to rot! The palms also weaken as the latex is eaten away from constant moisture. Storing your gloves wet can also discolor your palms, which is a sign of decay in the palms!
- SOLUTION: Take your gloves out of your bag and allow them to dry fully. It is also a good time to Wash them right away and let them dry, but you are tired so that usually won't happen - its after a game or practice! So hang dry them (not in your bag) - DO NOT DRY THEM WITH HEAT- simply hang them and you will allow the gloves to dry fully.
- We have also heard of Storing your gloves wet after washing, this is not recommended!
- How often to wash your gloves?
- It really depends on How often you play, the type of field you play and how you treat your gloves.
- With Pro Latex the gloves will actually get better when you wash them and much like your favorite hoodie it will get more comfortable the wear it and wash it! However there is a breaking point, doing it WAY too often will start to wear down the glove - so it is a fine balance.
- Even when the gloves aren't dirty or muddy - they can have a layer of unseen dirt film on them and a washing will bring the latex back to life making it more sticky.
- 3G/Field Turf Fields- The Ground up tires from these fields will leave a 'dust film' on your gloves so if you play on this surface a light washing more often is generally recommended as well.
Again if you have any questions regarding glove care or any glove question shoot us a note- Contact@WestCoastGoalkeeping
