Ski Glove Care

This is our guide to taking care of your ski gloves so they will last longer and perform better over time.

Caring for the leather:

Use a leather conditioner treatment (balm) whenever leather is noticeably dry: a good rule-of-thumb is at least 2-3 times per winter season. When your leather gloves and mittens are in the elements they absorb moisture, which over time causes them to dry out. The more often leather gets saturated with water, the more often you should treat them. It's a quick and simple process: with a clean rag, apply leather conditioner and thoroughly rub it in. There are many options for leather conditioning, but not all are equal in terms of quality and effectiveness. Note that there is a BIG difference between leather conditioners for the surface of the leather, and leather conditioners that account for the delicacy of the stitching in gloves and mittens. Chemicals and chemical compounds damage stitching, so be aware. A leather conditioner that's great for a horse saddle and shoes is not necessarily optimum for a glove or a mitten. That's why Free the Powder makes our own proprietary blend of leather conditioner. Learn More about Free the Powder Leather Treatment 

 

Drying ski gloves:

Air dry your gloves or mittens at room temperature after every use. DO NOT USE HEAT. No clothes dryers, no heaters, no open flames, no radiators.

ski glove care drying

Stand your gloves up and in a manner that allows air to rise into them. WARM AIR RISES. A great strategy is to stand them up off the edge of table, between the wall and a basket or other object.

ski glove care drying techniques

The more breathable your gloves are, the faster they will dry. Free the Powder Gloves dry most of the time by doing nothing more than setting them on a table in a reasonably ventilated room. 

ski glove care dry ski gloves on table

If your gloves have removable liners, remove the liners and hang them up on a hook or clothes line. In a well ventilated area, they should dry simply by placing on a table.

drying removable liner

    Washing / Cleaning ski gloves:

    Don't wash your gloves very often. If you do, use mild soap and lukewarm water.

    Gloves with SEWN-IN liners:

    Hand wash them and follow these directions:

    1) Start by using a dry rag and remove excess dirt.

    2) Spot clean with water only. If that doesn't do the trick...

    3) Use a mixture of water and very mild soap or Woolite. Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Spot clean with the rag. If that doesn't do the trick...

    4) Submerge in the water/soap mixture. This will also clean the inside of the glove/liner. Very gently rub the gloves together to distribute cleaning mixture. You can also use a mild spray deodorizer / air freshner inside.

    5) Rinse thoroughly and squeeze water out. Don't wring or be too rough.

    6) Air dry them slowly. NO HEAT.

    7) Consider treating the leather, once dry, with a leather cleaner/conditioner. 

    8) If you need to restore the water-proofing you can use a leather water-proofer for the leather and a spray DWR on the non-leather material. There are also numerous sport washes that do all the above as well.

    Gloves with REMOVABLE liners:

    Follow these directions:

    Washing Machine-

    1) Set the washing machine to the gentle cycle with cold water. Machine washing at normal speeds could damage the material or stretch it out.

    2) Pour in the proper amount of mild detergent based on the size of the load. Make sure that the detergent is gentle, such as infant detergent or a fine fabric wash. Harsh detergents could hurt the fibers and compromise the breathing of the fabric.

    3) Wash with like material and color. Avoid washing with rough materials.

    4) Air dry or use low heat in dryer for short period of time. Hang them up to finish. 

    Hand Washing-

    1) Fill a sink with water.

    2) Use either mild detergent or vinegar. Hand scrub. The detergent or vinegar will remove other odors and kill germs.

    3) Air dry or use low heat in dryer for short period of time. Hang them up to finish. 

     

    If you must clean the SHELLS, follow these directions:

    1) Start by using a dry rag and remove excess dirt.

    2) Spot clean with water only. If that doesn't do the trick...

    3) Use a mixture of water and very mild soap or Woolite. Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Spot clean with the rag. If that doesn't do the trick...

    4) Submerge in the water/soap mixture. Very gently rub the gloves together to distribute cleaning mixture. You can also use a mild spray deodorizer / air freshner inside.

    5) Rinse thoroughly and squeeze water out. Don't wring or be too rough.

    6) Air dry them slowly. NO HEAT.

     

    Consider treating the leather, once dry, with a leather cleaner/conditioner. 

    If you need to restore the water-proofing you can use a leather water-proofer for the leather and a spray DWR on the non-leather material. There are also numerous sport washes that do all the above as well.

     

    Care for your ski gloves and they will last!

     Learn more