Glove and other equipment care questions

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softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
I have a few questions about equipment care before I hang my stuff up for the off season.

Right now, I have my mitts laying in my softball bag with a softball in each and each have a hair scrunchie wrapped around it like a rubber band. I know I need to oil my gloves in the off season to keep the leather operating at maximum level. What is better for me to use, an oil or something like a salve? How do I store my gloves? Is it better to have them hang or better to store them in my bag?

My catcher's gear is just laying in my bag as well. Is there something special I need to do to store my catcher's equipment? What is the best way I can clean the padding on the inside my leg gaurds? Can I throw my chest protector in the washing machine or is there something specific I need to do to clean it? Is there a specific way that I need to store my equipment or can it be stashed in my softball bag?

My bats, is there a specific way I need to clean them or is it OK to just leave them in my bag the way they are?

Sorry this is so long. Just had a bunch of questions.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I am a big fan of Oberhauf's HD Leather Protector after wiping down my DD's glove with a damp cloth. I then place a softball in a ziplock sandwich bag and put it in the pocket and wrap the whole thing in saran wrap. If you have a glove locker you could put that on top of the saran wrap. We have a sports closet that everything goes in.

For her bats I wipe then down with Krud Kutter before storing them.
 

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
I am a big fan of Oberhauf's HD Leather Protector after wiping down my DD's glove with a damp cloth. I then place a softball in a ziplock sandwich bag and put it in the pocket and wrap the whole thing in saran wrap. If you have a glove locker you could put that on top of the saran wrap. We have a sports closet that everything goes in.

For her bats I wipe then down with Krud Kutter before storing them.

Where do I buy the leather protector and Krud Kutter from? They sound like good products. Is the leather protector stuff you recommend a oil or is it something else?
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Where do I buy the leather protector and Krud Kutter from? They sound like good products. Is the leather protector stuff you recommend a oil or is it something else?

I ordered the Obenhauf's online. It is more like a wax than an oil, and the warmth from your hand makes it easy to apply. Kurd Kutter is available at Home Depot, but any household cleaner will work.
 
May 19, 2016
198
28
I used to use the oils when I was younger but all those gloves have now rotted down to a condition that Is only suitable for visiting memory lane. Im not 100% sure the oils caused that or what. But, I would strongly suggest using the cream/lotions/wax. Its a lot easier to not over-apply, easier to control where It goes and It seems to hold In that sweet leather smell that we love so much. Not to mention It last a lot longer than the liquid oils because you are only using how much you need and where you need It. I remember applying the oils as a kid and It would run all over the glove and Id end up with more In my lap than on my glove. Any brand will do, I use Hot Glove, only because It was available at my local Walmart on clearance. The main thing you want to have In It Is Vitamin E and Lanolin......gloves are In the most basic form pieces of leather. Lanolin and Vitamin E are the best conditioners for leather. As long as It has those two main ingredients they are all pretty much the same.

I wouldn't worry about bat storage unless you have a composite bat. Probably best to keep those In a closet somewhere In the house so the humidity or excessive cold doesn't get to It. I live In Kentucky and It Is incredibly humid during the Spring and Summer and very cold at night during the Fall and Winter.

Your chest protector should have a tag on It with directions how to clean. If you are like me and take the tags off of things like that then you can probably check out the site of whatever brand It Is and contact customer service about the specific washing instructions. Ive seen some chest protectors that have gone In the wash and they come out overly flimsy and sloppy looking. I was a fan of Deion Sanders so Im a firm believer In......"You look good, you feel good, you play good." You should be fine by hanging It up and wiping It down with a damp cloth. Let It dry. Shoot some Febreeze on It because......well because ball players stink and sweat only gets stinkier with time.
 

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
I wouldn't worry about bat storage unless you have a composite bat. Probably best to keep those In a closet somewhere In the house so the humidity or excessive cold doesn't get to It. I live In Kentucky and It Is incredibly humid during the Spring and Summer and very cold at night during the Fall and Winter.

My bats are composite bats. I have my bats sitting in my bedroom closet right now inside my softball bag. I know about the heat and humidity too. I live in Pennsylvania and our worst times are from July to early September. Heck, today they were calling for 91 and humid. Feels more like mid August than late May. I maybe spending some quality time wearing my bikini and swimming.
 
Jan 3, 2014
336
18
What is this "off season" you speak of? I don't understand. ;)

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
What is this "off season" you speak of? I don't understand. ;)

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I really didn't want to have an off season. I wanted to be able to fly to Florida with my aunt, uncle and cousins to visit for the summer. Not only to visit them for the summer but to play softball, to work with a great coach to improve my game and maybe get my foot in the door to play college ball when I graduate from high school. Unfortunately, I broke my arm playing the game I love and am wearing a cast on my arm past my elbow. However, I'm happy...that even though I'm on a forced off season, I can hang out with my friends on and off the softball field and I get to watch my 12 year old sister play softball, cheer her on, celebrate her victories and console her on her defeats. Thankfully, my cast has a waterproof underlining so I can go in the water and swim and do other things on the water.
 
Dec 19, 2012
1,428
0
For the gloves/mitts, I clean them of all dirt with a damp cloth, buff with a dry towel, and let them air dry. I then apply pure lanolin. You can find tubes of lanolin in the nursing mothers section of a pharmacy. Squeeze out about a pea-sized amount and rub into the leather. A little goes a long way and apply it to the entire glove. Place a ball in the pocket, secure with some kind of band, and put it on a shelf in a closet in the house, not the garage. As JAD mentions, clean the bats with Krud Kutter.
 

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
Thank you guys for your recommendations. I went to the sporting goods store and got some Obenhauf glove stuff and I got Lanolin and Simple Green cleaner from our local Target. I have everything cleaned up with the exception of my catcher's mitt and another back up fielders mitt. I feel like most of my equipment is now ready to go into storage until January and then I'll go back to an indoor hitting range to get my swing back around.
 

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