You have just purchased a new baseball glove but don’t want to spend a lot of time on making it softer. In this case, shaving cream seems easy and affordable, but doing it wrong may damage your glove.
Will shaving cream soften a baseball glove? If the answer is yes, how do you use shaving cream with your glove? How to clean your glove with shaving cream?
If you are wondering about these questions, don’t miss out on this post!
Will Shaving Cream Soften A Baseball Glove?
The answer is no. Shaving cream products contain lanolin, which is beneficial for mitt but doesn’t have any softening effect.
On the other hand, shaving cream’s soap film and chemistry are also detrimental to leather and your glove.
The misconception of shaving cream’s capacity to soften leather products and baseball gloves comes from lanolin. This natural product comes from sheep and other animals’ skin output.
Why Doesn’t Shaving Cream Soften A Baseball Glove?
Lanolin (also called “wool grease” or “wool wax) is present in many shaving cream components. However, its primary purpose is to resist water and help it evacuate from the skin, thus keeping the skin surface dry.
Therefore, shaving cream with lanolin is beneficial for skin, but it doesn’t soften your gloves. The substance will dry quickly on the glove’s surface and doesn’t bring any lubricating effects.
Shaving Cream On Baseball Gloves – An Unadvisable Practice
In addition, applying shaving cream to baseball gloves can actually damage and degrade the item’s quality. You can understand shaving cream as alkaline, an acidic substance that is detrimental to leather products.
Furthermore, shaving cream also brings soap films, which harm any mitt or leather surface. The substance will slowly break down the fiber structure inside the baseball glove, making the item wear down significantly.
Last but not least, the soap film will ruin your baseball glove’s glossy appearance and discolor its light colors. The risks following this practice are also severe since it can ruin your new baseball glove’s look and durability.
The baseball glove becomes very slippery and uncomfortable to use after applying shaving cream. The cream takes a few days to dry, and you won’t have a good time during this period.
Due to the discoloring effect, a brown baseball glove can turn black after rubbing shaving cream. You won’t want your new baseball glove to become ugly just after a few days.
How To Clean A Baseball Glove With Shaving Cream?
If you still want to try breaking in your baseball glove with shaving cream anyway, follow the instructions below.
The method is using your two hands’ palms and applying the cream to the item.
Remember to soak the baseball glove in water before you rub shaving cream on it. When the glove is entirely wet, gently rub the cream thoroughly on the glove’s sides (including the inside).
Apply shaving cream to your fingers to rub it in the glove’s crannies and nooks.
After rubbing, remember to clean all the excessive cream on your leather glove. The easiest way to dry the glove is by letting it rest under the sun for one day.
Please wait for the glove to get completely dry and break in it with a mallet. You can fill the glove with small objects or baseball balls to shape the pocket.
Alternative Methods To Soften Your Baseball Glove
As mentioned above, shaving cream seems like an accessible and affordable way to soften your baseball glove. However, it comes with the risk of damaging the glove’s structure as well as its glossy appearance.
Therefore, it would be best if you invested a little more money to soften the item correctly. Here are some practical and safer methods to consider.
Glove Steaming
Steaming is one of the easiest and quickest ways to break into a baseball glove, but it may damage the item’s leather structure. It should be the choice when you need to get the glove ready for an upcoming game on the day.
Also, avoid steaming the glove too often because it will reduce the durability of the item in the long run.
Glove Wrapping
You can fill the glove pocket with a baseball ball. Keep the ball in the pocket for an extended period and wait for it to stretch the glove’s leather structure.
Glove Conditioners And Oils
This method is applicable, but you should use only manufacturer-approved substances. Avoid chapstick, olive oil, Vaseline, and similar petrol-based products, which can saturate and degrade the glove’s leather.
FAQs
These additional answers will help you maintain and use the baseball glove better. Follow the sections below and keep your glove in the best condition.
Is Shaving Cream Good For Leather?
Shaving cream contains a chemical substance called soap films, which will break down the inner fiber structure of leather products.
It also fades the colors of leather items. Therefore, you should avoid applying shaving cream to any leather-made item.
What Can You Clean A Baseball Glove With?
First, use a light brush and gently brush off all the dirt and debris built up on the glove. Then, apply the leather cleaner to a piece of cloth and gently rub it all over your glove’s sides.
Finally, use a clean cloth to remove the leather cleaner and let the glove rest under the sun until it’s dry.
How Do You Make An Old Baseball Glove Look New?
Some options are glove conditioning products, mink oil, or neat shot, which can make the glove looks more glossy and newer. However, avoid Vaseline and similar petrol-based products.
Final Thoughts
Shaving cream doesn’t soften a baseball glove. It will actually damage the glove’s fiber structure, fade its light colors, and degrade its leather quality.
It’s not advisable to soften the glove with shaving cream. The beautiful appearance of your new glove isn’t worth the risks.
I hope the answer in this post can satisfy you.
Thank you for your time!