Alright folks, been using the same pair of cricket keeping gloves for three seasons now, and honestly, they were starting to look rough. Felt lazy just thinking about cleaning them properly, but knew I had to or they’d fall apart. So grabbed my stuff and got down to it this morning.
Gathering the Absolute Essentials
First things first, I need some basic gear. Didn’t go buy anything fancy, just used what I had around:
- The gloves themselves: Old, trusty, and seriously grimy.
- Clean rags: Found some old cotton t-shirts that were doomed for the rag pile. Perfect.
- Warm water: Straight from the tap, not boiling hot, just comfortable.
- Mild soap: Dug out that gentle hand soap my partner insists on.
- Fan: Had my little desktop fan handy for later.
Getting Down to the Nitty-Gritty
Started simple. Just dumped a bunch of warm water into the kitchen sink. Added a squirt of that mild soap and swished it around with my hand until it felt soapy enough. Dunked both gloves in and let them soak for maybe five, ten minutes tops. Felt the grime starting to loosen right away.
Then the actual cleaning. Took one glove, held it firmly, and grabbed one of the damp rags. Just wiped down every single part I could reach – palms, fingers, the weird bits between the fingers, the back. Paid extra attention to the palm where the ball hits and the finger areas where I grip – felt so much built-up crud there. Didn’t scrub hard! Gentle circles, like wiping a kid’s face. Used a fresh part of the rag as it got dirty. Repeated exactly the same with the second glove. Saw the water turning this gross muddy brown color.
Getting That Water Out
Okay, gloves were wet now. Didn’t want soapy water drying in them. Held each one upside down over the sink and gently squeezed along the length of each finger and the palm. Just trying to get most of the dirty water out. Didn’t wring them like a towel – that felt risky for the shape.
Next rinse. Refilled the sink with clean warm water, no soap this time. Dunked each glove again and swished them around like I was washing salad. Squeezed out the excess water gently again. Repeated this rinse-and-squeeze thing one more time just to be sure all soap was gone. Soap left behind would probably feel sticky or attract more dirt later. Not good.
Letting Them Catch Their Breath
Drying is the boring but super important part. Stuffing wet gloves away = smelly disaster. Learned that the hard way with old trainers! First, gently pressed them between clean, dry towels to soak up more water. Then, found a spot on the counter near an open window – good airflow is key.
Stuck my little fan nearby, set it on low, and pointed it towards the gloves. Not blasting them, just keeping air moving over them. Kept turning them every hour or so while I did other stuff. This bit takes patience! Wanted to rush, but forced myself to wait. Let the air and the fan do the work slowly.
Checking Them Out & Future Proofing
After a good few hours, gave them a poke. Leather felt cool and dry, not damp underneath. Much better! They look way cleaner, smell fresh like nothing, not that weird stale leather funk. Still feel soft in my hands too, not stiff or crispy. Success!
Realized how easy this actually was once I started. No special potions needed. Just warm water, gentle soap, and time to dry properly with some air. Makes me think I should probably do this before they look like a swamp monster next season. Maybe every couple of months, especially if playing lots? Definitely beats buying new ones prematurely. And that’s how I tackled keeping my keepers in decent shape!
