Playing baseball is one of America's favorite pastimes. Baseball gloves are widely available in sporting goods stores in a variety of materials and styles. After purchasing your glove, consider these tips for taking care of it.
Good baseball glove maintenance starts with preparation. Buy a glove in the wintertime when it's off-season and get a softball. Put the ball in the glove and put Remington oil around the glove. Wrap it around the softball with yarn so the glove conforms to the ball, making it easier to catch when on the field. Fold the outside of the glove in, creating what is called "the pocket." Your glove should sit like this for as long as possible, but a week as a minimum.
While the oil method can help break a glove in, practicing with your glove is the best way to make it conform to your hand. Oiling your glove at the end of every baseball season will prevent the leather from cracking and will preserve your equipment.
One of the most important tips for taking care of your glove is to use high-quality cleaning materials. Saddle soap, commonly used on horse saddles, will clean the leather while keeping it from drying out and getting damaged. Non-leather gloves can be wiped down with a warm, soapy washcloth and left to air dry.
You should keep your glove in a cool, dry spot like a closet or cabinet with a ball in it to preserve the pocket shape and the quality of the materials. Leaving it in a non-climate-controlled environment like a garage or outdoors can cause it to develop mold or make the leather dry out. Not only will this help your glove air out, getting rid of any odors. The glove will also be ready to go with a ball in it whenever you want to play a pick-up game of baseball.
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