How to Wash Goalkeeper Gloves

Goalie gloves can cost anywhere from $2 (on clearance) to $200.  For younger kids, you can get away with spending $10 for a pair that will actually grip the ball, but for older kids who are more serious about the position, you can expect to spend $30 – 40.  At the highest professional level, goalkeepers never wear the same glove twice, because they’re sponsored and the sponsor wants the keeper to wear shiny new gloves.

On the other hand, you’ll want your child to get a full year out of them (at least).  To do that, you need to know how to wash, dry and store them.

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Wash your gloves after each use.  Period.  Gloves are made of a porous material that provides exceptional gripping power.  However, the pores can fill with dirt and oil, actually making them slick.  Even gloves that are clean but not stored properly can “dry up” and the pores can close, again making them slick.  Proper cleaning and storage will ensure they last a long time.

Step 1.

With the gloves ON, wash them like you wash your hands.  Use gentle hand soap.  Be thorough and only wash the palms and face of the gloves.

Step 2.

Squeeze the water out.  DO NOT WRING.  Wringing (twisting the water out) will tear up the surface of the glove.

Step 3.

Hang dry, either outside or in a well ventilated area.

Step 4.

Once perfectly dry, put wax paper on the face of the glove, to keep the thumb and palm of the glove from directly touching, and place them in the original bag they came in or a large Ziploc Freezer bag.  Suck the air out of the bag.

[/su_box] Now, if after all of this, your child is not getting a full year out of their gloves, a lot of it may be due to poor goalkeeper technique coupled with poor field conditions.  Read “How to Play Goalie” for information on proper techniques and strategies for playing goalkeeper.