How to clean and wash leather work gloves without ruining them
Brush off the dirt, wash the gloves by hand in cool water with a little mild soap or saddle soap, work the lather in with your fingers, rinse without wringing, press out the water in a towel, and let them dry at room temperature on your hands for a minute or two every so often so they keep their shape. When they are nearly dry, work in a small amount of leather conditioner. Never put leather gloves in a washing machine or a dryer, never dry them on a heater or in the sun, and never use bleach, detergent or solvents. The heat and the harsh chemicals strip the oils that keep leather flexible, and the glove comes out stiff, shrunken and cracked.
Caiman 1302 top-grain cowhide drivers gloveUnlined leather drivers glove, sold by the pairWhy does leather need different care? Leather is skin. Its flexibility comes from oils left in the fibers at tanning, and anything that pulls those oils out, hot water, detergent, a dryer, a radiator, leaves the fibers dry and brittle. A leather glove that has been through a washing machine is usually smaller, harder and ready to split at the seams. Cleaned the right way, a good pair of leather palms or drivers gloves lasts months of daily use; a pair cleaned the wrong way lasts one wash.
What do you need, and what should you never use?
Everything you need is cheap; everything you should avoid is in the laundry room.
How do you wash leather work gloves?
- Brush. Knock off dried mud and brush the surface with a soft brush or dry cloth, seams included. Most of the dirt comes off dry.
- Make the wash. A bowl of cool water with a small amount of mild soap or saddle soap, enough for a thin lather. Hot water shrinks and stiffens leather.
- Wash by hand. Put the glove on or hold it, dip a cloth or your hand in the soapy water, and work the lather into the leather in small circles. Spend extra time on the palm, the fingers and the seams. Do not soak the glove.
- Rinse. Wipe with a cloth and clean water until no soap shows. Do not hold it under a running tap.
- Press, don’t wring. Lay the glove in a towel and press the water out. Wringing twists the seams and leaves creases.
- Shape and dry. Put the glove on for a minute to reshape it, then dry it flat or hanging at room temperature, away from heat and sun. Put it on again once or twice while it dries so it keeps your hand’s shape. Drying takes a day.
- Condition. When it is almost dry, rub a small amount of conditioner into the leather with a cloth, let it absorb, and buff off the excess. This puts back the oils the washing took out.
Can leather gloves go in the washing machine?
No. The agitation, the detergent and the warm water strip the oils and work the seams; the dryer finishes the job. The exceptions are gloves the manufacturer specifically labels as machine washable, which are usually synthetic leather or leather-palm gloves with a synthetic back and a washable treatment; the product page and the tag say so. If the label does not say machine washable, assume it is not.
Manufacturer care labels; gloves marked machine-washable by the maker (some synthetic-leather mechanics and drivers styles).How do you clean welding gloves?
Welding gloves take more abuse and less water. Brush off slag and dirt, spot-clean with a damp cloth and a little saddle soap, and dry slowly. Heavy conditioning is not recommended on welding gloves: oil in the leather lowers its heat resistance and can make it burn or smoke, so use conditioner sparingly or not at all. Replace welding gloves when the leather hardens, the seams open, or a burn-through or thin spot appears; those are no longer protecting you.
Manufacturer care instructions (Tillman, Black Stallion, Caiman welding lines).How do you deal with lined gloves?
A fleece or Thinsulate lining holds sweat, which is where the smell lives and where the leather rots from the inside. Turn the glove inside out as far as it will go and wash the lining with the same mild soap, rinse well, and dry fully, lining out, before turning it back. Alternate pairs so each one dries completely between shifts.
Manufacturer care instructions for insulated leather gloves.How do you store leather gloves, and when are they done?
- Store dry, at room temperature, flat or hanging, not balled up in a toolbox or left in a hot truck cab.
- Keep them away from fuel, solvents and lubricants between uses; they soak into leather and weaken it.
- Retire a pair when the palm wears through, a seam opens, the leather cracks when flexed, or a cut glove’s liner is exposed.
- A cut-resistant leather glove that has been through a wash still has its rating only if the manufacturer says the glove is washable; washing can degrade some liners.
Leather work gloves sold by the pair
22 items · prices liveLeather type, lining and sizing are as published by the manufacturer; the product page carries the care instructions where the manufacturer provides them. Contractor Direct orders ship free.
Leather gloves by the dozen, welding gloves by shade and cuff, and every glove we carry are on the work glove selector.
Questions people ask
Can you wash leather work gloves?
Yes, by hand in cool water with mild soap or saddle soap, rinsed, pressed dry in a towel, air-dried slowly and then conditioned. Not in a machine.
How do you clean leather gloves that smell?
Wash the lining if there is one, dry them completely, and leave baking soda inside overnight. Alternate pairs so each dries between shifts; the smell is bacteria in damp leather.
How do you soften leather gloves that have gone stiff?
Work in a leather conditioner (mink oil, neatsfoot oil or a balm) a little at a time, flexing the glove as it absorbs. Stiffness from a hot wash or a dryer is often permanent, but conditioning helps.
Can you put leather gloves in the dryer?
No. Heat shrinks and cracks leather. Air-dry at room temperature, reshaping on your hand as they dry.
How do you get grease out of leather gloves?
Press cornstarch or talc onto the spot, leave it for several hours to draw the oil out, brush it off, then spot-clean with saddle soap. Repeat if needed.
Should you condition welding gloves?
Sparingly or not at all; oil in the leather lowers its heat resistance. Clean them dry or with a damp cloth and replace them when they harden or wear through.
How long do leather work gloves last?
Months of daily use with proper care; days if washed hot or dried on a heater. Retire them when the palm wears through, a seam opens or the leather cracks.
Standards and ratings on this page are as published in the documents named and by the manufacturers named. The employer’s hazard assessment and written program decide what applies at a given workplace. Verify a rating on the product and its spec sheet before use.