by Roberrific

Created on: February 23, 2007   Last Updated: April 27, 2007

Thanks to my Grandpa's wisdom I still have my childhood baseball glove! He taught me to use untreated petroleum jelly on the mitt, and to work it in and wipe it away' every fall before we retire our gloves until next year's spring training.

Even today professional baseball glove repairmen and leather specialists agree that this substance is ideal - both for cleaning and conditioning glove leather.

Breaking in a new glove? During the initial break-in period, you should treat your new glove with a light application of untreated petroleum jelly - working it right into the leather. This will reduce the stiffness of the new leather and facilitate a faster and more comfortable breaking in procedure. Also, at the end of the season, take a generous amount of petroleum jelly and thoroughly cover the entire outside and inside of the glove. Don't ignore the laces or hard to-get-to areas. Then take a clean rag and wipe away excess lube to remove grit and grime. This will also remove and help neutralize much of the salt and acid buildup inside the glove caused by perspiration, a chief problem to the leather lining, usually made of softer leather.

Some of the guys on my ball team were using neatsfoot oil, linseed oil and silicon-type sprays. Over time that stuff ruins baseball gloves, and I told them so but they didn't listen and their gloves got stiffer and stiffer in fact I bet none of those guys even have their gloves today.

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