How to Soften a Softball Glove

Lots of people think that being a great baseball player is all about your prowess at the plate. On the contrary, great baseball players are as good with a glove as they are with a bat. More than any other piece of equipment, a baseball glove almost becomes a part of your body when you play. Professional ballplayers are extremely protective of their gloves because they take so long to break in. Learn the best way to soften the leather of your baseball glove for a custom feel.

Things You'll Need

  • Oils and/or lotion
  • Rags
  • Baseball or softball
  • String (or something similar to keep the glove shut overnight)
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Decide which kind of oil or lotion you will use on your glove. This is a personal decision. If you've never softened a baseball glove before, you may want to buy oil that is specifically made for baseball gloves. You can generally find this in the same place you can purchase baseball gloves. Cream-based lotions will also soften the leather. Saddlesoap is a good choice for this, but even shaving cream will work.

    • 2

      Rub all of the glove leather with a small amount each of the oil and lotion you have chosen. Don't use too much; you don't want to soak the leather completely. You just want the oil and lotion to cling to the surface of the leather. Wipe the glove dry with a rag. Repeat a couple of times until your glove is discernibly softer.

    • 3

      Play catch as much as you can. (This is the most enjoyable step of all.) Each time you catch a ball in your mitt, the unique way you hold your glove hand will change the way the ball hits the pocket. The more times you catch a ball, the faster the leather "learns" its shape.

    • 4

      Place a softball (or baseball, if that's your game) into the pocket of your glove and close the glove around it. Find a way to keep the glove tight around the ball. You can put the glove into a pillowcase and wrap it tightly, or use one of the specially designed devices on the market. The classic way to keep the glove shut is to tie it shut with string. Leave it overnight; in the morning, the pocket will be much more apparent, and you'll be able to snag those line drives more easily.

    • 5

      Care for your glove after you've softened it to your satisfaction. Wipe the glove with a slightly damp rag whenever it is soiled. (Don't use so much water that the leather gets soaked; you just want to remove the dirt.) Refresh your glove's softness from time to time by treating it with your favorite oil or lotion from time to time. If you maintain your glove in this manner, it should last a long time.