AB1GK Glove Care Guide
The majority of Goalkeeper gloves that we produce use very high quality latex palms, sourced and manufactured to offer the best possible grip in all conditions. Latex is a very soft, natural product and as such is subject to wear and abrasion over time so glove care is vital.
Pre Washing
Before using your new goalkeeper gloves for the first time pre-wash them and dry naturally. This will ensure you get the maximum grip when in use. During use keep the latex plams damp with water in order to get the best possible grip and durability. After use wash them and leave to dry naturally – leaving latex to dry out will make it brittle which will affect durability and grip.
Washing after use
To get the most from your goalkeeper gloves wash immediately after use in warm water (maximum of 30 degrees C) before allowing to dry naturally, do not use a washing machine. We would advise simply washing them by hand and not using any form of “scrubber”.
The sooner you can wash your gloves after a match the better. It means that the dirt doesn’t have time to dry into the latex and alsoreduces the chance of bacteria developing.
When drying your gloves all you really need is a towel and some pressure. Wrap the gloves in the towel and use either your hands (or even your feet) combined with your body weight to apply pressure to the gloves. Once the majority of the moisture has been removed, just air in normal room temperature until nearly dry. Avoid putting your gloves on a radiator or in a airing cupboard at all costs, this will damage the latex on your gloves.
Do not dry goalkeeper gloves
• on a radiator
• in front of a fire
• in a tumble dryer
• using a hair dryer
• using an iron
• using an airing cupboard
• in direct sunlight
• by “wringing” them out
All of the above can cause the gloves to lose natural moisture turning them dry and brittle.
Care tips
When picking yourself up from the ground in training or non-competitive environments, try not to use your palms. Instead use your fists to push yourself back up, this ensures minimal palm/latex contact with the ground and helps avoid any unnecessary abrasion. Using your palm will help you spring back up quicker, but you can minimise wear during non-game situations using the fist method above.
Do not leave the palms touching each other when stored away.
Store your gloves properly store them in a cool and reasonably moist environment. You do not want the area or your gloves to be wet however as this can cause bacteria and mold to grow which can damage the gloves. Allowing a glove to completely dry out and be left for long periods will cause latex to become dry and brittle. We recommend allowing them to dry overnight naturally before being placed in a glove wallet.
Do not store your gloves for any length of time without having washed them first.
Playing Surface
Goalkeeper gloves are made and designed for use on soft natural surfaces like grass, unless specified in the product description (e.g. specialist 3G /astro turf palm) Please note that when using goalkeeper gloves on an artificial surface such as 3G or astro turf – you will be placing a higher level of stress on the Goalkeeper Gloves and wear will be more apparent than on grass.