Glove care like a pro

When you stand in goal as often as we do, you know: only clean gloves are good gloves.
Because it is not wear and tear that is the problem – but the grip , which is lost with every particle of dirt.
That's why proper care is not a luxury, but an integral part of training.

After training: directly into the shower

For us, it's very simple: Gabriel and I clean our gloves directly after training – in the shower.

Why?
It's quite simple: when the dirt is still fresh, it's much easier to rinse out.
And since you shower anyway, it hardly takes any extra time.

We rinse the gloves thoroughly with lukewarm water – inside and out.
No hot water, no soap, no detergent.
If the dirt is a bit more stubborn, just use water anyway – it will just take a little longer.

Tip: If you're concerned about bacteria or odors, you can use a mild, skin-friendly hygiene cleaner—there are now pH-neutral products specifically for sports gloves.

Drying – two paths, one goal

After cleaning, we gently squeeze the gloves to remove excess water.

And then we do it a little differently:

This is how I do it (Richard):

I put my gloves in a plastic bag after squeezing them out ,
because I like to play with her very wet.
This keeps the grip soft and lively, and the material feels optimal the next time you use it.

This is how Gabriel does it:

Gabriel wraps his gloves in a towel .
The towel absorbs excess moisture – at the same time, the inside of the gloves remains slightly damp.
He prefers to play it like this, with a slightly drier feel.

This is the small but subtle difference between us:
I play the gloves really wet , Gabriel plays them slightly wet – both work excellently.

Very important:
Never place in the sun, never on the heater, never in the dryer.
Heat is latex’s biggest enemy and causes it to become brittle.

The most important point: Cleanliness = Grip

Many people believe that gloves lose their grip over time.
In reality, they often only lose it because dirt, dust and grass clippings clog the pores of the latex.
The result: The ball slips – not because the glove is old, but because it is dirty .

Therefore:
Only clean gloves are good gloves.
Regular cleaning is the easiest way to maintain consistent grip.

Conclusion

For us, taking care of your gloves is just as much a part of being a goalkeeper as catching the ball itself.
It takes less than five minutes – but not only extends the service life, but above all keeps the grip at a top level.

“Be good to your gloves – and the gloves will be good to you.”