How To Clean Golf Gloves – Top Tips

Golf gloves can pick up a lot of dirt and grime during a round of golf. It doesn’t help that they are usually white so they look even dirtier!

Let’s explore why you should keep your gloves clean and the best ways to do it.

Why Should You Clean Golf Gloves?

The whole point of a golf glove is to help you keep a solid grip on your golf club. A dirty glove isn’t going to work as well as a clean glove would. Using a dirty glove is likely to cause you to grip your club tighter to avoid it from slipping during your swing and this can lead to other issues causing you to hit bad shots.

Should You Bother To Clean Golf Gloves?

I’ve never really considered trying to clean a golf glove in the 30-odd years I’ve been playing since they often develop holes before becoming so dirty as to be slippy.

Even leather gloves aren’t really that expensive if you look after them so I wouldn’t consider bothering to wash them.

If I think a glove is no longer performing then it gets relegated to practice only. I’ll then look online for a good deal to buy some new ones. I tend to stick to the same manufacturer as the sizing is likely to be right. Are you one of the 20% of people that should ditch their regular gloves and start buying a cadet glove?

How To Clean Golf Gloves

Different sources have different opinions on whether to use a washing machine to clean your gloves. This is particularly true for leather gloves.

Looking at the labels on a number of different gloves would suggest you are probably okay washing gloves in a machine at a low temperature on a delicate cycle. The Footjoy community discussion group appears to back this up.

It might be prudent to go the manual route however particularly if you are trying to rejuvenate an expensive glove.

Users of the Golf Monthly forum also seem to differ in their opinions on washing gloves.

Here are some tips to get the job done.

1. Use cold water since warm water is more likely to cause the leather to shrink.

2. Using liquid soap gently massage the glove and rub the material against itself in an effort to loosen the dirt and grime.

3. You could even try washing your hands whilst wearing the glove in an effort to clean it.

4. If you have particularly stubborn stains then you could try and use a soft brush although care would need to be taken to avoid damaging the leather.

How To Dry Golf Gloves

To get rid of the excess water immediately following washing the glove wrap it in a towel and wring it out.

You would then need to leave the glove to air dry by hanging it up. 

Occasionally put the glove on while it is still damp in order to make sure it retains the correct shape.

Do not attempt to apply any heat to the glove!

Icing On The Cake

If you are serious about trying to keep your glove in great condition then you could go as far as applying some leather conditioner to the surface of the glove. Personally, I don’t think I would go that far, after all you can pick up leather gloves from cheaper brands for reasonable prices.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

To save yourself the hassle of washing gloves why not just take a bit more care so your gloves don’t get in such a bad state.

1. Avoid using leather gloves in the rain
2. Take your glove off regularly if you are sweating
3. Rotate several gloves and allow them to dry
4. Avoid getting sunscreen on your glove
5. Don’t use your glove to wipe off sweat
6. If conditions are muddy then pick up your ball with your ungloved hand.

How To Clean Golf Gloves: Conclusion

If you think it’s worth the effort to clean gloves then you now have the right way to go about it!

If you decide to give it a try then make sure you dry the glove out properly.

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