Leather gloves are great for welding jobs but they aren’t the easiest to clean. If you keep your leather welding gloves in great condition, they’ll last longer. But cleaning your welding gloves involves some additional steps. The first thing to understanding is to determine your welding glove material.
All welding gloves are designed to be fire-resistant, flexible, durable, and waterproof. Two materials used for welding gloves are leather and synthetic. The more popular one, leather, is good for dispersing heat while maintaining flexibility, toughness, and resistance to water. The most common types of leather used for leather welding gloves are cowhide, sheepskin, goatskin, and pigskin. These types are cleaned the same way.
How to Clean Leather Welding Gloves
1 Rough Clean
Before washing your leather gloves, you would need to “rough” clean them first, most especially if they are filthy or have visible debris like metal, cleaners, and others. Take a dry cloth and wipe your gloves down. Another way to rough clean is to take a toothbrush or soft-bristled wire brush to take off large chunks of debris off the gloves.
2 Wash with cold water and Saddle Soap
After that, wash your leather welding gloves with cold water and saddle soap that is made especially to clean dirt and grime off of leather products, including welding gloves. Get your gloves into cold water and apply some saddle soap to the palm of the gloves. Work that soap into a lather and wash the gloves as if you were washing your hands. If there are areas with heavier grime, put some soap on the soiled areas and let sit for 30-45 seconds.
3 Wipe
Once done, remove the dirty water and take a damp clean towel to wipe off the gloves.
4 Rinse with cold water
Rinse the gloves with cold water in a utility sink. Cold water is important because it won’t affect the size of the glove. Hot water stretches the leather and might affect how the gloves fit.
5 Hang them to dry
Now that your leather gloves are cleaned, squeeze the excess water off gently in a downward motion. Hang them to dry with some clothespins. Massage the gloves so the leather doesn’t stiffen. Keep doing this until it dries completely. You can also wear your leather welding gloves until they dry. This ensures a fit that molds to your hands, bringing optimum comfort.
6 Apply a leather conditioner
The next thing to do after washing and drying is to apply a leather conditioner to keep the leather smooth and supple.
After all that, wash your hands. This might seem unnecessary but since you’ve got water inside your gloves while washing them, it is possible that the contaminants from the outside are now on your skin. So be sure to wash and dry your hands after washing your gloves. This helps you avoid chemicals or other debris from irritating your skin.
Taking care of your leather welding jobs this way is paramount to keeping your working environment safe. With these steps, you’ll preserve the comfort and versatility of your leather welding gloves while extending their lifespan.
Waylander Leather Welding Gloves
