Leather Care for Ski Gloves

Here is our guide to leather care for ski gloves. Take this advice and your ski gloves will last much longer and perform better.

When your leather gloves and mittens are in the elements they absorb moisture, which over time causes them to dry out and deteriorate. To prevent this from happening, use a leather conditioner treatment or balm regularly - at least 2-3 times per winter season. 

The more often leather gets saturated with water, the more often you should treat it. It's a quick and simple process: with a clean rag, apply leather conditioner and thoroughly rub it in. Let it dry at room temperature or gently "bake" it in with a hair dryer or in an oven on its lowest setting. 

There are many options for leather conditioning, but not all are equal in terms of quality and effectiveness. 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.

Most leather conditioners simply add essential moisture to the leather, but some are also water-proofers. This is done by adding either chemical compounds such as silicone or natural ingredients such as beeswax. 

Leather water-proofing products made from chemicals can damage the leather and stitching by changing the texture of the leather from soft and grippy to rigid and slippery.

Most leather waterproofing products are not leather conditioners. They are designed to seal the gloves, hence eliminate the leather's character, quality and breathability. Some leather treatments are both conditioners and water-proofers. Know the difference.

Free the Powder makes our own proprietary leather treatment that is specially formulated to condition and waterproof without damaging the leather and stitching of ski gloves. It uses all-natural ingredients.

Learn all about Free the Powder Leather Treatment 

DRYING LEATHER:

Air dry your leather mittens or gloves at room temperature after every use. DON’T USE HEAT. No clothes dryers, no heaters, no open flames, no radiators. Stand the gloves up. WARM AIR RISES. Don’t turn the mittens or gloves inside out. If you have removable liners, remove the liner for faster drying. 

Read our Guide to Drying Ski Gloves

CLEANING LEATHER:

Wash mittens and gloves rarely. If you do, use mild soap and lukewarm water.

Read our Guide to Cleaning Ski Gloves

Care for your leather and it will last!

More information about leather care: 

• Guide to ingredient in leather treatments
• Lanolin in leather treatments?
• Applying leather treatment to ski gloves