Protecting your hands with leather work gloves is vital. Whether you work in the construction industry or are an electrician, having one of these is essential.
They feature strong leather that offers the best protection. However, you cannot just use these gloves continuously without cleaning them, as this reduces their lifespan. Therefore, this article partly highlights how to clean leather work gloves.
Leather work gloves can withstand tough conditions such as punctures, chemical burns, extreme temperatures, cuts, harmful UV rays, and abrasions, among others.
You need to keep them clean every time you finish using them. This enhances their durability and usability. But how do you clean them? It is not ideal to hurl them in your washing machine as this may destroy them. There are other precise ways of cleaning them.
Types Of Leather
Different types of leather make up your work gloves. Below are some of them.
Cowhide
This is the most popular type of leather because it is easily available and does not undergo any complications in terms of maintenance. Moreover, it delivers desirable comfort and is durable, too.
Pigskin
Its texture is softer and has a flexible feel. When it gets wet, it does not harden; hence it is breathable.
Goatskin
Because of its high resistance to abrasion and incomparable strength, it is the strongest of all available leather types. The fact that it is thin does not prevent it from resisting tear. Also, the oil on its skin makes it soft.
Sheepskin
It is wonderfully comfortable and features extreme delicacy. Usually, it is lightweight.
Buffalo Leather
Its resistance to abrasion is quite superior because of its rugged nature. This improves its durability and strength. Additionally, it is breathable, and its ability to resist puncture is high in comparison to the other leather types.
Deerskin
This type of leather rhymes perfectly with your hand because of its soft nature. It is also lightweight and has an exceptionally low tendency to overheat.
What to Consider when Choosing Leather Work Gloves
Besides the type of leather, there are numerous other factors to take into consideration before purchasing your leather work gloves. Because this is a huge investment, you do not want to make a mistake that you will regret later.
Location of Leather
This means where you are cutting your leather from the body of the animal.
- Side-split leather- this comes from the side of the animal. It is exceptionally durable, which makes it much more expensive because of its good quality.
- Shoulder-split leather- it is durable and not as expensive as the split side one.
- Belly-split leather- the upside of this type of leather is that it is extremely cheap. However, it will not serve you for a long time. Remember, cheap is expensive.
Leather Grade
There are two major grades of leather.
- Grain leather- after splitting the hide into different layers, the outermost layer is top-grain leather. Usually, it is expensive due to its attractive appearance. It is common in shoes, belts, and anything in fashion.
- Split leather- once you get rid of the upper layer, there is one that remains, which is split leather. It is tougher than grain leather, hence a higher abrasion resistance. Also, its repellence to water is greater than that of grain leather.
Design of Thumb
This describes the comfort you feel depending on how you will put on the glove.
- Straight thumbs- this is very straightforward and fits activities that are not rigorous because they do not allow you room to move your thumb. Also, they are budget-friendly.
- Winged thumbs- they are more flexible because of their angle construction. Their pricing is moderate and is common in pull and push tasks.
Cuff Style
- Slip-on- has no cuff as it does not go beyond the wrist; hence, it is economical.
- Gauntlet- offers protection to the forearm.
- Safety- it is 2 inches long and can cover the wrist. You can easily get rid of it in case of any danger because of the slit on its side.
How to Clean Leather Work Gloves
There are several methods of cleaning leather work gloves, depending on your preference.
Method 1: Cleaning with a damp cloth
Using either a clean paper towel or cloth with microfiber material is the best option. The first step is to get it a little bit wet to ensure that it is damp and not dripping water. Then, apply a mild soap, specifically saddle soap, to form a lather.
Rub smoothly on the dirty parts of your leather work gloves, concentrating mainly on the areas between the fingers. Repeat this process no without applying soap to get rid of the soap.
Method 2: Cleaning using running cold water
This is the most popular method as it is very direct. All you need is water, saddle soap, a toothbrush, and a bucket. You first begin by using an old toothbrush to do away with the dirt and grime on your leather gloves.
This is a simple hack. Ensure that you clean every part of your glove with precision. Fill a bucket with water and add some saddle soap to it together with some salt for excellent results.
At this point, place your gloves inside the soap solution and start rubbing dirt off your gloves as gently as possible using your hands. Let them soak for at least 10 minutes. Fill another bucket with cold water and transfer your gloves to it.
Carefully squeeze the water off your gloves in a downward direction. To maintain its finger shapes, put in some matches. Hang them on a cloth line or lay them flat on a surface to allow them to dry. Remember to remove the matches.
If you feel that your gloves are stiff after they dry up, regularly put them on, and this will get them back to their normal state.
Final Thoughts
Failing to clean your leather work gloves will deteriorate their lifespan and, therefore, will not serve you for a long time as you wish.
It is important to learn how to clean leather work gloves because it will save you the hassle of buying new gloves each time. You can use either of the methods above so long as you achieve excellent results afterward.